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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1877 | 1 |
| 1892 | 1 |
| 1894 | 1 |
| 1895 | 1 |
| 1900 | 1 |
| 1903 | 1 |
| 1908 | 1 |
7 stories matching smoothest
- Horsemen Offer Reward for Caught Thieves
A sophisticated gang operating in Whitman County forces local stockmen to put up a $250 bounty for the recovery of stolen property.
- The Confidence Man’s Tears: How a Thief Fooled His Victim and the Court
In May 1877, Seattle confidence operator Dowd was granted a change of venue after moving his robbery victim to tears with a sob story about his destitute family. The District Attorney’s lenient stance sparked outrage among citizens who feared the law was too soft on crime.
- A Forbidden Love, A Barred Door, and a Poisoned Heart
A young immigrant shopkeeper’s romance with a local lodging-house owner sparks a violent feud with his brother, culminating in a suicide attempt that shakes the town.
- The Card Sharps Who Picked the Wrong Captain—and Sailed to Peru
Two Seattle gamblers went to Port Townsend to fleece the master of the British ship Dimsdale. He found out, shanghaied them both, and set sail for Callao.
- The Chambermaid Who Foiled a Newport Crime Spree
Two well-dressed thieves from Butte stole pants and shirts from local merchants—then a rooming-house maid overheard their plan to rob a saloon bartender.
- The Hobo 'Capitalist' Who Ran Palouse on Credit
A smooth-talking Swiss convinced butchers, brewers and saloon men to hand over shops and goods — some $1,200 worth — on the promise of a fortune still sitting back in Switzerland.
- The New Magdalene at Cordray’s Theater
A sympathetic and emotionally charged opening night at Seattle's premier theater.
Also about this, in other words
- The Smooth Stranger’s Trap: A Banker’s Warning Against the 'Get Rich Quick' Scam
In 1920s Kennewick, local banks warned citizens that 'smooth strangers' peddling investments were likely frauds, urging residents to keep their money in trusted institutions rather than chasing phantom profits.
- The Smooth Swindler of Springbrook
A serial con artist attempts to swindle hotel keepers and produce merchants with worthless paper.
- The Smooth Talker of Tacoma
A persuasive con man leaves a trail of bamboozled businessmen and empty wallets.
- Clean Play vs. Rough Tactics in Kennewick-Prosser Basketball
While the Prosser team walked away with a 25-13 victory, Kennewick's local squad earned praise for maintaining composure despite aggressive, unsportsmanlike conduct from their rivals.
- A Spanking Breeze on the Sound
Six yachts compete in a high-stakes sweepstakes race on Puget Sound that ends in a collision and a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
- The Soap King of Commercial Street
A scrappy local manufacturer stakes his claim on the burgeoning Seattle market with a pitch for home-grown goods.
- The Sunshine in the Bottle: Kennewick's Grape Juice Wins the World
A homegrown experiment on Second Street becomes a gold-medal winner at the Panama-Pacific Exposition, while Kennewick cherries earn praise in Philadelphia.
- A Frontier Oasis at the Union Avenue Hotel
A look at the amenities of 19th-century Snohomish, where local business owners courted settlers with 'first-class' board and fine spirits.