Guns at the Polls: Seattle’s First Ward Primary Erupts in a Street Brawl

Before the polls opened, Chief of Police Rogers sent officers to the voting booth at Commercial and Jackson streets to see that every man who wanted to vote had a legal chance, and more officers to South Third and Washington streets. At Jackson and Commercial, Deputy Sheriff McCowan and Special Deputy John Roberts were waiting. McCowan had a subpoena for the chief in the Miller murder case. After the election was opened by John J. Corbett, G. W. Cassie and D. Erl, voting began.

Chief Rogers started back toward South Third when McCowan and Roberts tried to serve warrants on Cassie and Erl, sworn before Justice Carson of the Duwamish precinct, charging false registration. The judges refused to be arrested on constitutional grounds. Rogers returned and asked McCowan whether he had a warrant. “The warrants must be obeyed,” Rogers said, and offered to help make the arrest. Cassie and Erl went with the deputies to the courthouse and were taken before Judge Osborn.

Meanwhile, at South Third and Washington, Sheriff J. H. Woolery had gathered deputies including W. L. Meredith, John Considine, Frank Burkman, Dave Black, George Cave, Denny O’Brien and Charles Lampkin. Two minutes before the polls opened, Woolery served warrants on judges John Caldwell and Charles Webber, charging illegal registration. The warrants had been sworn out by a man named Harry Rogers, described as a figurehead for Considine and Woolery, who were trying to control the primaries by bulldozing tactics. The judges submitted and were taken to the county jail, where Jailer Monroe was ordered to let no one see or talk with them. George H. Heitbron and Julius Redelsheimer, with Deputy Prosecuting Attorney D. W. Bass, arrived to bail them out but were turned away until Judge Osborn ordered the prisoners brought before him.

With the judges gone, Considine and Harrison Bostwick harangued the crowd. Considine nominated W. L. Meredith for judge, declared him elected without waiting for a second, then nominated and elected D. K. Nickles by the same methods. When the interloping judges tried to get over the board across the door, they were jerked back. Canes were everywhere in sight and the deputy sheriffs were armed with revolvers. Telephones rang for more police, and Chief Rogers drove up. He ordered officers to allow no one in or out of the booth and no one to act except the legal judges. The mayor instructed the chief to allow only the regular judges to serve and to suspend the election until their return. Corporation Counsel Scott held that the only legal judges were those appointed and advertised by the central committee, and that the law about election judges in the absence of legally constituted officers did not apply because the absence was forced and temporary.

The chief returned to South Third and Washington. In less than a minute he was confronted by Woolery and Considine. After an altercation, Woolery proceeded with the programme. Considine, the Democratic ward heeler, had arranged that Chief Rogers had sent more officers to the polls; it was a rough and open game. Considine rushed to the prosecuting attorney, charging Chief Rogers and several officers with interfering with the election. The warrant was transferred to Sheriff Woolery, who turned to Rogers and said: “I’ve got a warrant for your arrest.” “All right,” said Rogers, “but read the warrant.” Woolery read as far as “Bolton Rogers and other officers,” when Considine chipped in: “Yes, two more, one Richard Roe and John Doe. Take them all while you are about it.” Rogers told Woolery to read the names. As they were called—Ollie Philbrick, F. E. Bryant, John Sullivan—the men stepped out and their places were filled by other officers. When it came to John Doe and Richard Roe, Considine pointed out Officers J. L. Bates and I. Ward, who also stepped forward.

“All right,” said Rogers, “what court will we go to?” “Humphrey’s,” replied Woolery. The party moved toward the edge of the crowd, which was yelling and howling, and suddenly found that Woolery had left them and could not be seen. Rogers told his men: “Wait, boys, we will go to the court without an officer,” and they walked up South Third toward the Occidental block. No sooner had they disappeared than Woolery walked up to Officer Laubscher, who with Officer Thorn was holding the door, and said: “I’ll have to put you under arrest.” “Where’s your warrant?” replied Laubscher. “I don’t have to have any,” said Woolery. That was the signal. The mob and deputies made a rush for the door, swept Laubscher and Thorn aside, and roughly handled Willard. One man struck Willard in the side with a heavy gun; others tore off his suspenders and broke his watch chain. He held his ground with the other two officers.

Chief Rogers and his officers had been released on personal recognizance by Justice Humphrey. As they came out, a man rushed up and gasped: “Quick; your officers are being beaten to death.” Rogers and his men ran to the scene and charged through the crowd. Sheriff Woolery grabbed Rogers by the coat collar from behind. Officer Bates raised his club and struck at Woolery, but the blow fell short. Denny O’Brien rushed into the fight and was knocked in a heap on the sidewalk by a blow from a heavy cane; he was dragged out and carried to a drug store. Deputy Sheriff George Cave was hit two or three resounding blows on the head and incapacitated. One deputy lost his gun, which was found in the middle of the street. When it was found that Chief Rogers and his force had won the day and had charge of the door, the battle subsided. Considine had been absent in a saloon while the trouble was going on.

Judges Caldwell and Webber then appeared, having been released by Judge Osborn on personal recognizance for $500 bonds. W. L. Meredith, the interloping judge, had got into the polling place and refused to leave. Chief Rogers sent Detective Phillips and Officer Philbrick to put him out. Meredith, armed with two revolvers, drew the larger and pointed it at Phillips: “I will shoot if you approach nearer.” Phillips took the situation coolly: “Now don’t be so fast, young man; you may do something of which you will be ashamed.” Meredith lowered the gun a little but remained defiant. Philbrick came up behind him and grabbed the gun; Phillips took a hand, and after disarming Meredith they threw him out of the door by the seat of his trousers. Later Meredith explained to Chief Rogers that he was a deputy sheriff, although he had shown no badge, and was given back his gun.

The regular judges declared the polls open. Considine and Woolery were still belligerent and insisted on seeing inside the ballot box, claiming it was already started. The top of the box was knocked off and the inside displayed in full view. Woolery said the box was all right. After it was nailed up, Woolery asked to see it again; it was opened, found all right, and closed. Another objection was raised because the door was nailed up, but this was settled by putting the box on a chair in plain view of the people on the street. Voting commenced. F. G. Wiestling served an order on Woolery from Judge Osborn’s court restraining him from interfering with the fair voting at the precincts. Woolery announced to the crowd that he had been restrained.

“Come on,” said Considine, now with Harry White, “we will go across the street and have a primary of our own.” They went to a room near the Montana stables and commenced their sideshow. The agent of the building later asked how they got in and who gave them permission; he said he did not. No further trouble occurred at South Third and Washington except an incident between Tom Regan, the single-tax agitator, and Frank Chase, a laborer, both of whom were arrested.

After quiet was restored, Chief Rogers went back to Jackson and Commercial. James Meir and John Davis were holding the fort in place of Cassie and Erl. Cassie and Erl had also been released by Judge Osborn and were insisting on having their positions back. The new judges paid no attention to them. A. G. Lane, Considine’s bodyguard, was on hand to start a voting place of his own, but it did not materialize. There was considerable trouble at the polling place after the arrest of the regular judges, and it was not until Assistant Prosecuting Attorney McBride said all was right that the officers allowed some men who claimed to be voters to elect Weir and Davis. Then Judge J. J. Corbett would not recognize them, and they wanted to elect another judge. Capt. Hogie thought they had better not. Corbett would not receive votes, and a man named Conroy swore out a warrant charging Corbett with refusing to receive votes; for some reason it was not served. No further trouble occurred while the polls were open.

Woolery’s deputies at Third and Washington included W. L. Meredith, Republican; John Considine, Democrat and divekeeper; Frank Black, Democrat and petty larcenyist; Andy Kehoe, no occupation; George Cave, ex-policeman; Denny O’Brien, Democrat and agitator; Charles Lampkin, Democrat, with an unsavory record; Capt. Donohue, Democrat; Mr. Nugent, Democrat; and Mr. Conroy, Democrat and ex-policeman. At Jackson and Commercial they included A. G. Lane, Democrat, formerly floor manager of Considine’s dance hall and Considine’s bodyguard; John Roberts, Democrat and ex-policeman; Jack Egan, Democrat, who ran the saloon in which the Anveck sisters were bunkoed and Sullivan, a bunko man, took refuge; D. C. McCowan, Republican and regular deputy; and Tom McCory, Republican and regular deputy.

Immediately after the trouble began, attorneys were consulted. As fast as shorthand writers could work and a typewriter transcribe, a complaint was framed. Dr. A. P. Mitten, the county treasurer, was plaintiff, and James H. Woolery, sheriff of King county, defendant. It was a petition for an injunction to restrain Woolery from interfering with the election officers in the First ward. Judge Osborn granted it. Mitten alleged that he was a voter; that the Republican party was holding a primary election to elect delegates to a county convention; and that Woolery had threatened to arrest the judges and interfere with the election. The restraining order forbade Woolery and his deputies from interfering with the judges of election, from voting or attempting to vote any Populists or Democrats or persons not entitled to vote, and from intimidating, threatening, abusing or harassing the judges in the performance of their duties.