The Woman Who Sued a Justice for Conspiracy
After being committed to an asylum and accused of chicken theft, Sarah McDonough struck back at the Fremont officials she claimed were plotting to steal her property and liberty.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Charles E. Remsberg, a justice of the peace, along with Harry McQuilkan and M. Dinsmore, all living in Fremont, were sued yesterday for $10,000 damages by Sarah McDonough, an old woman known in Seattle for her peculiarities. She alleges a conspiracy to deprive her of her liberty. Last September, Justice Remsberg issued a complaint charging her with insanity; he and the other defendants swore that Sarah was insane, and she was committed to the asylum at Steilacoom. She was discharged after eight weeks. On January 6, she was arrested for the alleged theft of some chickens from McQuilkan. The case was brought before Justice Remsberg, but a change of venue was secured, and Justice Von Tobel discharged her. The plaintiff claims the insanity arrest was a conspiracy to deprive her of her property, which included 200 chickens, two ducks, and $63.43 in money, which she says Dinsmore seized and appropriated. She also brought a separate suit against Remsberg for $1,000, claiming that on August 30, 1891, he came to her house and beat her, rendering her unable to work.
“The plaintiff claims that her arrest for insanity was due to a conspiracy between Remsberg, McQuilkan and Dinsmore to deprive her of her liberty.”
This 1892 case echoes contemporary concerns about the weaponization of civil institutions—such as mental health complaints or nuisance ordinances—against vulnerable community members. Sarah McDonough's story highlights the precariousness of property rights and legal standing for those on the social margins in a rapidly developing city.
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