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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1862 | 3 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1877 | 1 |
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| 1886 | 9 |
| 1887 | 4 |
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68 stories matching mercer
- The Dream That Found Two Bodies in Lake Washington
A double murder near Mercer Island, a suspect tried four times and never convicted, and a daughter's suicide—the lake tragedy that haunted the Colman-Patten case for years.
- The Mercer Slough Fugitive
After escaping Steilacoom asylum by turning blankets into a rope, William Miller—a man once acquitted of a high-profile Lake Washington murder—is on the loose, sparking terror in the homes near Mercer Slough.
- The Strange Disappearance of James Colman and Wilbur Patten
A prominent Seattle businessman and a young schoolboy vanish while crossing Lake Washington, sparking immediate fears of a violent, land-related murder.
- The Bell in the Woods: How Seattle Built Its First University
A 34-year anniversary feature on the Territorial University: 48 laborers, $2-a-day wages, lumber from Port Blakely, and an old bell that warned ships in fog and rang for hangings.
- The Mercer Island Tragedy
A brutal murder on the shores of Lake Washington leaves a community shaken, as the legal defense mounts a case against circumstantial evidence.
- The Judge Who Drank: A Local Magistrate’s Confession to the Grand Jury
In a stunning display of candor, Seattle Justice of the Peace John Mercer admits to his courtroom that he was frequently intoxicated while on the bench, blaming 'political enemies' for his drinking and accusing the city of turning a blind eye to saloon owners who ruin working men's wages.
- Logger Leon Richards Found Slain on Mercer Island
A logger missing for a month is found dead in Lake Washington, revealing a brutal struggle and a connection to a local counterfeiting ring.
- Cutting Miles Off the Commute
New county infrastructure aims to connect Mercer Slough to Lake Sammamish via ferry, slashing the travel distance to Seattle from thirty-eight miles to just ten.
- A Mercer Island Land Fight Turns to Contempt—and Alleged Violence
A receiver’s attempt to take possession of mortgaged Mercer Island property leads to a contempt citation against S. Sutherland, accused of forcing his way in and threatening the agent.
- Sheriff Solves 1892 Mercer Island Cabin Murder
After the mutilated body of George Richards washed ashore, a confession from an accomplice revealed a desperate struggle and a grisly disposal in Lake Washington.
- The Mysterious Death on Mercer Island
A secret society lodge mourns the loss of a prominent member killed in an ambush on the shores of Lake Washington.
- The Shadow of the Noose: The Murder Trial of O.B. Miller
A gripping courtroom drama unfolds in Seattle as O.B. Miller faces his third trial for the 1887 murder of two men on Lake Washington.
- Mercer Island Killing Suspect Caught on Fraser River
An Italian fisherman confesses to the killing of a logging partner, detailing a gruesome fight and a body dumped in Lake Washington.
- The Mercer Island Cabin Killing
A man is on trial for the murder of his cabin-mate, claiming self-defense after a violent confrontation over driftwood collection.
- The Cabin Murder and the Fear of a Mob
An Italian stonecutter on trial for his life recounts a desperate struggle on Mercer Island that left his employer dead.
- The Tragedy of a Boy on Mercer Island
A young runaway’s desperate flight leads to a dramatic intervention by the county sheriff.
- The Great Escape and Capture of the 'Crazy Desperado' of Mercer Slough
A man escapes from the Steilacoom asylum, survives a seventy-mile trek through the wilderness on a shattered ankle, and is eventually captured in a Bothell cabin.
- Scarlet Fever Shut Seattle's Schools—Then the Board Cut Teachers' Pay
In May 1895 a health order ended the school year early. The same meeting slashed salaries, eliminated music and drawing, and triggered a board member's furious dissent.
- Logging Danger on Mercer Island
A young sawyer survives a brutal woods accident, only to face a three-hour journey across Lake Washington in search of medical care.
- Mercer Island Exhumation Identifies George Richards
After a body is recovered from the lake, investigators suspect two Italian laborers in the brutal murder of a lumberman.
- A Hunter's Tragic Accident in Mercer Island Woods
A machinist's quiet day of hunting ends in a life-altering industrial-style accident.
- The Counterfeit Salmon Bait Incident
Two teenagers on Mercer Island find themselves in federal court after attempting to trade a counterfeit dollar for salmon eggs.
- The 'Mercer Girl' Divorce Case
A seventy-two-year-old pioneer sues his wife of twenty-two years for divorce, complaining of her 'slipshod housekeeping' and a lack of clean bedding.
- The Old Soldiers Wept as Seattle's Schoolchildren Sang
Memorial Day 1895 found Grand Army veterans in Seattle classrooms, trading Antietam memories for recitations of 'Barbara Frietchie'—then preparing a parade to the Seattle Theater and View Cemetery.
- The Quest for Water at Temperance and Mercer
Developer D. T. Denny is drilling deep into the ground of North Seattle, hoping to tap an artesian aquifer to secure water for his property.
Also about this, in other words
- The Neighborhood Sewing Circle of 1880s Snohomish
Before big-box stores, local agents used social proof and name-dropping to sell industrial technology to Snohomish households.
- The Neighborhood Sewing Circle as Status Symbol
In 19th-century Snohomish, owning a Singer sewing machine wasn't just about utility—it was a public declaration of civic standing and domestic modernity.
- The Singer Sewing Machine Takes Snohomish by Storm
A list of prominent citizens signals the rise of mechanized labor in the home as the Singer sewing machine claims its place in Snohomish households.
- The Coal Miners’ Masquerade Wedding
A wedding in the company town of Black Diamond turns into a spectacle when local miners gatecrash the festivities in full gear.
- The Vanishing Tailor
A charismatic salesman bilks local businesses out of hundreds of dollars before fleeing the city, leaving his manager and creditors in the lurch.
- The Tailor-Made Confidence Man
A clever grifter leaves a trail of unpaid bills and stolen suits across North Seattle.
- A First Day at Moran Bros. Ends Under a Cogwheel
Sherman Scott, out of work and newly hired, was helping hoist pumps for a government dry dock when a donkey engine caught his foot. His coworkers raised money for his family.
- The Sewing Machine Revolution Comes to Snohomish
Prominent citizens embrace the modern marvel of the era, bringing high-tech labor-saving to the frontier.