An Unconscious Man Found on South Third
A man known as a local musician was found near death in a doorway.
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.
A man, supposed to be Tom McLean, was arrested at midnight last night while unconscious in a doorway on South Third street, between Washington and Main. He was taken to police headquarters still unconscious and Dr. Palmer was summoned. The prisoner was evidently under the influence of opium poisoning, judging by his very stertorous and labored breathing, and by the peculiar appearance of his eyes. He was taken to Providence hospital and it was thought he might not survive. McLean is well known as an all-around musician. He once kept the Phoenix lodging house at Third and Washington. His present address is unknown.
“The prisoner was evidently under the influence of opium poisoning, judging by his very stertorous and labored breathing.”
This incident highlights the historical reality of opium use in late 19th-century Seattle, often found in lodging houses like the one McLean formerly ran. Today, the area around South Third and Washington is the heart of Pioneer Square, where the intersection of poverty, substance use, and homelessness remains a defining civic challenge.
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