Research the archive
Narrow 22,457 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1892 | 2 |
| 1893 | 2 |
| 1905 | 1 |
10 stories matching shafer
- The Custody Battle of the Silver State House
After a failed divorce, a Seattle husband wins custody of his daughters, alleging his wife was 'masquerading' in male attire and neglecting their home.
- The Timber Land Swindlers of Seattle
A new arrival in Seattle narrowly escapes a sophisticated land scam operating out of the Seattle National Bank building.
- The Wage Suit That Ended With Altered Receipts and a Vanished Proprietor
A Paris restaurant worker sues for unpaid wages; the defense produces receipts that the plaintiffs say were doctored, and the proprietor slips away to California.
- A Mother-in-Law's Reign of Terror
A divorce filing in Seattle reveals a domestic life shattered by constant, uninvited interference from a spouse's mother.
- Death in the Ring at the People's Theater
A sparring match at a downtown variety hall turns fatal, sparking a city-wide crackdown on brutal 'glove contests'.
- The Rival Reporters of Spokane
A bitter feud between rival newspapers in Spokane turns into a bizarre scheme involving fake telegrams, impersonated police, and a plot to drug a colleague.
- Fatal Prize Fight Leads to Manslaughter Charges
A prizefighter died after a brutal seventh-round beating, and the theater owners hosting the spectacle were bound over for abetting.
- The Deadly Cost of Saloon Boxing
Seattle dives are profiting from 'scientific' sparring matches that frequently turn fatal for the impoverished, untrained men forced into the ring.
- The Prizefight That Killed a Boxer
A police lieutenant faces suspension for failing to stop a brutal, fatal sparring exhibition at the People's Theater.
- The Meteor Caught in the Gale
A local vessel breaks loose during a severe windstorm and drifts toward the bridge.
Also about this, in other words
- The Bully of Wenatchee Gets Two Years
A notorious local agitator faces justice for a violent stabbing at a public dance.
- A Mother Fights for Her Children—and the Court Hears How She Wore Men's Clothes to Save a Timber Claim
In a Seattle habeas corpus hearing, Mrs. L. L. Shaffer battles her husband for custody of their two daughters as neighbors and her stepmother testify to her character.
- The Yale Football Legend Who Tamed a Frontier Town
When lawlessness gripped the construction camp of Skykomish, a former Yale athlete used his brute strength and leadership to face down a local gang leader.
- The Smooth Talker of Tacoma
A persuasive con man leaves a trail of bamboozled businessmen and empty wallets.
- The Sheriff’s Shabby Costume: A Prisoner’s Trick to Escape the Penitentiary
In a bizarre twist of early Washington Territory justice, a sheriff attempted to smuggle a prisoner into the territorial penitentiary by disguising him in shabby clothes. The trick failed, but not before the warden made a memorable quip.
- A Brutal Encounter on C Street
A prominent cashier is left bleeding on a Tacoma sidewalk after an altercation with his former lodger.
- The 'Reverend' Who Fed on Seattle’s Faith
A man posing as a Universalist minister charmed the city’s socialites, ran up massive tabs at the best restaurants, and vanished into the night.
- A Red-Ink Grudge in Tacoma
A minor mail-tampering incident leads to a brutal cane and boot assault at a Tacoma boarding house.