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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1872 | 1 |
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 1 |
| 1886 | 2 |
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25 stories matching mele
- A Bloody Melee at the Saloon
A violent brawl involving 'tramps' and razors spills out onto the streets of Spokane Falls, ending with multiple arrests.
- The Seattle Restaurant Pistol Melee
A breakfast turned violent when a man confronted the two thieves who had stolen his belongings—and who had served as witnesses in the Squak massacre trials.
- The Arcade Saloon Melee
A morning brawl involving the 'John Bull Combination' spills out of the Arcade Saloon and into the street.
- Thrown Into a Saw at Colman's Mill — and the Law Looked the Other Way
When Peter Feeney attacked a Chinese coworker in a Seattle sawmill, the man's foot was mangled beyond repair. The justice of the peace declined to hold Feeney, the prosecutor dismissed the case, and the town's paper argued the injury was just an accident.
- Fatal Shootout at the Pacific Hotel
A notorious horse thief is killed in a violent struggle after attempting to free his son-in-law from custody.
- The Bloody Battle of Washington Street
A federal opium sting operation devolved into a chaotic, axe-wielding melee in a dark room in Pioneer Square.
- The Deadly Gilman Saloon Brawl
After a brief trial, a local man is found guilty in a fatal shooting sparked by a dispute at a Gilman establishment.
- The Rockets Turned Around: Tacoma's Fourth of July Went Up in a Sheet of Flame
A spark touched off the entire $500 pyrotechnic stock at Wright Park, driving rockets and bombs into a crowd of thousands and leaving women and children burned, trampled and briefly lost in the smoke.
- Blood on the Diamond: A Baseball Riot Stabs Two Men in Rockford
When a local baseball game between Tekoa and Rockford turned violent, knives, bats, and bricks flew. Two men were stabbed, several beaten insensible, and the town was left reeling from a brawl that started on the field and ended with arrests.
- The Seattle Water-Hose Rail War of 1888
When two rival railroads fought over a contested stretch of waterfront track, the dispute escalated from legal threats to a chaotic brawl involving barricades, hired detectives, and a fire hose.
- The Tyrant of the High Seas: A Sailor’s Knife vs. a Mate’s Revolver
In a dramatic trial before U.S. Commissioner D.S. Smith, witnesses describe how the first mate of the brig *Sampson* beat a sailor into paralysis with an iron bar and revolver, sparking outrage over maritime abuse.
- Labor Riot on the Snake River Valley Line
Contractor Huppes faces a violent revolt from his Japanese work crew over summary dismissals and harsh conditions.
- The Point Roberts Dinner Party Murder
A celebratory dinner at the border turned fatal when a drunken argument over whiskey escalated into a stabbing, leaving one man dead and a community in shock.
- A Night of Brutality on Main Street
A festive party for friends in Seattle descends into chaos as intoxicated interlopers turn a domestic gathering into a bloody crime scene.
- The Depot Brawl: A Railway Scuffle Over Booze and Conduct
A barkeeper’s attempt to 'work' a drunken traveler off on a train descends into a violent, chaotic melee involving railroad men, heavy boots, and a crowd expecting a murder.
- Fatal Crap Game at the Franklin Coal Mines
After an argument over a 75-cent pot, a dispute between miners at a company saloon ends in a shooting and a stabbing.
- The Hop-Picker’s Trial
A jury acquits a young laborer following a violent camp dispute that exposed the raw realities of life in the hop fields.
- The Garrison Creek Brawl
A horse trade gone wrong ended in a violent, multi-generational melee that left an entire family bloodied in court.
- A Saloon Brawl and Obstruction
A police officer's attempt to arrest a fighter at a Washington Street saloon turns into a melee after bystanders intervene to set the prisoner free.
- The Labor Unrest on the Narrow Gauge
When Chinese track laborers struck for higher wages on the railroad, they were met with firearms and immediate termination.
- A Fistfight at City Hall
A political dispute in Spokane turns physical, landing councilmen and a street commissioner in a public brawl.
- Blood Over Hay in the Big Bend
A violent dispute over the ownership of a hay stack leads to a pitched battle with multiple casualties.
- The Glass-Chewing Drifter of Seattle
A traveling laborer with a bizarre appetite is arrested after a barroom brawl ends in broken glass and a ruined mirror.
- Two Men Arrested for Assaulting Wives
Tacoma police jail two husbands following violent domestic disputes; both face immediate judgment in court.
- The 'Rich Deed' That Wasn't: Snohomish’s Wild Gold Rush Hoax and the Community’s Reality Check
A sensational tale of a legendary gold mine in Snohomish captivated locals, but the paper quickly pivots to a sobering assessment of the lumber industry's financial struggles and the region's agricultural potential.