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52 stories matching habitue
- The First Victim of the Habitual Criminal Act
A repeat offender from Seattle faces a potential 28-year sentence under Washington’s new 'habitual criminal' law.
- The 'Habitual Drunkard' List
A proposed law would have forced Seattle barkeepers to publicly post a list of 'habitual drunkards' in their establishments, effectively blacklisting them from purchasing alcohol.
- The Forgotten Law That Listed Walla Walla's Drinkers
A judge in Walla Walla is shocking the state by enforcing an 1883 statute that forces saloon keepers to post lists of 'habitual drunkards' in their establishments.
- A Wife's Testimony Was Enough: Supreme Court Reverses Divorce Denial
The Washington Supreme Court ruled that a wife's own account of cruelty and habitual drunkenness could justify a divorce, reversing a lower court that had dismissed Nellie Lee's case.
- Divorce and Domestic Strife in 1890s Seattle
Three women are granted divorces in the local superior court, revealing stories of abandonment, habitual drunkenness, and domestic cruelty.
- The Price of Protection
A local businessman pleads guilty to habitual drunkenness to trigger a legal guardianship, hoping to shield his assets from local gamblers.
- The Wealthy Landowner and the Guardianship Fight
A judge rules that being a 'habitual drunkard' is not sufficient legal grounds to seize control of a man's assets, thwarting his children's attempt to secure their inheritance.
- The Deadly Cost of the 'Gun Habit'
A local editor reflects on the tragic death of Philip Dawe and argues that easy access to concealed weapons is fueling a wave of unnecessary homicides in America.
- The Troubles of Mike Murphy
A wealthy Tacoma businessman faces legal scrutiny for his personal habits as police weigh the cost of sobriety.
- A Judge’s Weary View on the Divorce Boom
Tacoma’s divorce courts see a steady stream of domestic disputes, leading one judge to question the rising frequency of these legal filings.
- The Shadow Over Seattle: A Councilman’s Scathing Exposé of Vice
In 1891, a fiery letter from C. B. Bagley to the Post-Intelligencer accused the mayor and police chief of being puppets to the city’s most notorious gamblers and saloon-keepers.
- The City’s Panic Over a Smallpox Outbreak
When an infectious disease arrived on the Seattle waterfront in 1876, the City Council and local editors turned to extreme rhetoric, calling for the forced removal of the city's vulnerable populations.
- The Ten-Hour Day comes to Port Gamble
A major mill company unilaterally reduces labor hours without cutting pay, setting a new industry standard in the Puget Sound.
- The Self-Defense Trial of James Murphy
A Seattle murder trial hinges on claims of a 'dangerous man,' witness bribery, and a life-or-death confrontation in a saloon.
- The Rogue Marshal of Tacoma
Citizens formally impeach the City Marshal for cozying up to brothel owners and ignoring the law.
- The Shadow Over the Boston House
A Tacoman is arrested for the murder of an elderly Seattle woman, weaving a web of gambling, betrayal, and dark secrets.
- The Tragedy at the Eagle Annex
A woman is found dead in a tent and her companion lies near death, leaving police with a grisly mystery and no murder weapon.
- Five Dangerous Prisoners Escape King County Jail
A jailer was overpowered and robbed in a brazen Sunday night escape by inmates facing charges ranging from life sentences for murder to bank robbery.
- The Scissors That Broke the Jail: A Spokane Prisoner’s Audacious Escape Attempt
Convicted hold-up man Harry Kelly nearly freed himself from the county dungeon using nothing but a rusty pair of scissors and sheer determination, leaving Sheriff Doust scrambling to find who supplied the tool.
- The Orting Tragedy: A Husband’s Despair and a Fortune-Teller’s Deceit
Edgar Kimball, a Mormon settler who moved his family from Utah to Tacoma in search of purity, was found dead from morphine overdose in Orting after years of marital strife and accusations of infidelity.
- A Marriage Held at Gunpoint
A Seattle woman files for divorce, revealing a harrowing home life where her husband enforced isolation with a revolver and staged nightly terrors.
- The Rich Man and the Guardianship Fight
A wealthy pioneer's children seek to control his estate, alleging he squanders money on 'wine and women.'
- The Magic City of Puget Sound
A booster’s portrait of 1890 Fairhaven, capturing a boom town fueled by speculation, deep-water access, and massive infrastructure projects.
- The Street Preacher's Final Sermon
A 'monomaniac' street preacher who habitually harassed passersby is apprehended by police and committed to the territorial asylum.
- The Bitter End of a College Place Marriage
A landmark local divorce case involving domestic violence, a butcher knife, and an $8,000 settlement concludes in Walla Walla.