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36 stories matching unsuspect

  1. Fatal Booby Trap in Whatcom

    Two men are being hunted after a 'trap gun' rigged to a door killed an unsuspecting visitor.

    Dec 15, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerBellingham, Whatcom CountyTrue Crime

  2. The Counterfeiter of Tacoma’s Lodging Houses

    A man is back in custody after passing fake gold coins on unsuspecting boarding house operators.

    Mar 6, 1909The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyTrue Crime

  3. The Great Oyster Heist of 1876

    Two hungry gentlemen vanish into thin air, leaving their tab and their fried oysters to a couple of unsuspecting strangers.

    Oct 14, 1876Puget Sound DispatchSeattle, King CountyNightlife

  4. Kennewick Knights of Pythias Host Chaotic 'Dokies' Initiation

    A parade of 'Tyros' in nightshirts and chains descended upon Kennewick as local Knights of Pythias held a rowdy ceremonial with members from Walla Walla.

    Mar 8, 1917The Kennewick Courier-ReporterKennewick, Benton CountyStrange But True

  5. Banker Charged in Fraud Scandal

    The former cashier of the wrecked Merchants' National Bank is accused of selling worthless drafts to unsuspecting customers.

    Feb 11, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust · True Crime

  6. The Great Walla Walla Manhunt

    An elderly convict pulls a vanishing act, leaving local authorities chasing shadows after allegedly swindling locals out of thousands.

    Sep 10, 1903The Evening StatesmanWashington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, Walla Walla CountyTrue Crime

  7. The $10,000 Practical Joke on Representative Judson

    Legislators in Olympia pull a prank by forging a bill in the name of an unsuspecting Representative, only to have it officially recorded in the House journal.

    Feb 28, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerOlympia, Thurston CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

  8. The Jackson Street Bridge Trap

    Seattle authorities crack down on fast driving on the Jackson Street bridge, catching nine unsuspecting citizens in a single day.

    Mar 15, 1884Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerJackson Street, Seattle, King CountyCity Hall

  9. The Seattle Real Estate 'Gigantic Scheme' to Chicago

    A proposed state law to widen Seattle streets is condemned as a speculative ploy to unload property on unsuspecting Eastern buyers.

    Mar 5, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

  10. The Lumber Land Swindlers

    A pair of con artists operating in Tacoma were arrested for selling fraudulent timber claims to unsuspecting laborers.

    Jun 9, 1892Aberdeen HeraldTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money · True Crime

  11. Major McKinley's Interplanetary Campaign

    A satirical set of questions directed at the inhabitants of Mars, lampooning the economic protectionism of the 1892 presidential campaign.

    Aug 11, 1892Aberdeen HeraldAberdeen, Grays Harbor CountyCity Hall · Strange But True

  12. The Shadow Army of 1880

    A secret, oath-bound military organization of 'Boys in Blue' stirs fears of a rigged election and armed insurrection in Washington Territory.

    Aug 23, 1880Puget Sound DispatchSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

  13. The Art of the Townsite Swindle

    A cynical promoter explains to a traveler exactly how to manufacture a fake city out of thin air and poor land to bait unsuspecting investors.

    Aug 31, 1893Aberdeen HeraldSpringfield, Pierce CountyBoom & Bust · True Crime

  14. A Memory of the Battle of Seattle

    An early settler and former U.S. Marshal reflects on the 'battle-scarred' house he occupied during the 1856 Indian attack on Seattle.

    Oct 3, 1883Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust · Gone Forever

  15. The Brutal Reality of the Seattle Sailor Market

    A waterfront insider describes the predatory schemes used to trap unsuspecting men into dangerous lives at sea.

    Jul 30, 1887Seattle Daily Post-IntelligencerWaterfront, Seattle, King CountyWork & Pay

  16. The Olympic Block Sting

    An unsuspecting man loses his gold to a woman he met in a downtown hotel hallway.

    Mar 26, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

  17. The Great Match Stick Swindle

    A Superior Court judge exposes a massive stock-selling scheme that bilked nearly 1,000 investors out of $95,000.

    Oct 19, 1903The Evening StatesmanTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money · True Crime

  18. Firebug Terrorizes North Walla Walla

    A series of mysterious barn fires and a woodshed blaze keep police on high alert.

    Sep 26, 1903The Evening StatesmanJefferson Street, Walla Walla, Walla Walla CountyTrue Crime

  19. The City Under Siege: A Holiday Snow Riot

    A rare snowfall in Seattle turns into a chaotic gauntlet of snowball fights, targeting the Salvation Army and unsuspecting pedestrians.

    Dec 21, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

  20. The Deadly Water at Clover Creek

    For years, the city has ignored the dangerous, contaminated state of the municipal water supply, preferring half-measures over a permanent solution.

    Sep 5, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

  21. The Gold Brick Gang: How Seattle’s Smugglers Were Caught Red-Handed

    A trio of young men ran a sophisticated counterfeiting ring out of their rooming house, selling fake gold bricks to unsuspecting merchants and bankers before being busted by detectives.

    Mar 23, 1899The Seattle StarSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

  22. The Auctioneer’s Audacity: A Watch and a Pen for Gold

    Three local men face fraud charges after allegedly selling worthless gold-washed trinkets to unsuspecting buyers under the guise of a legitimate auction.

    Feb 24, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

  23. The Mysterious Grapefruit’s Debut in Seattle

    Before the grapefruit was a breakfast staple, local merchants were mystified by the 'shaddock,' a strange, fickle fruit that could leave an unsuspecting eater with a sour face.

    May 24, 1889The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyStrange But True

  24. The Vultures on Steilacoom's Streets

    A furious 1858 editorial accuses local authorities of letting California gamblers plunder the town in plain sight.

    Dec 17, 1858Puget Sound HeraldSteilacoom, Pierce CountyNightlife

  25. The Stabber Died Under an Alias at the County Hospital

    Ten years after he stabbed a companion on the Lake Washington shore, a dying man at the county hospital was recognized as the same fugitive — still hiding behind the name George Rolsom.

    Mar 25, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyTrue Crime

Download all 36 as a spreadsheet (CSV)