A Stalking in the South End
A jilted suitor follows a woman from Portland to Tacoma, leading to a violent confrontation on South 34th Street.
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.
Michael Marcellia, an Italian man, was arraigned in the police court today charged with assault with a deadly weapon upon the person of Mrs. Rice, who resides with friends at 811 South 34th Street. Mrs. Rice recently arrived here from Portland, where she had known the Italian. He had annoyed her with his attentions, and when she came here, he followed. Several times he threatened to take her life unless she would promise not to return to her husband, but no attention was paid to him. Last night, he went to the house with the evident intention of making his threats good. He carried a long knife and was prevented from injuring Mrs. Rice only by the efforts of others in the house, who held him until the arrival of the police.
“He carried a long knife and was prevented from injuring Mrs. Rice only by the efforts of others in the house.”
This incident of persistent stalking and intimate partner violence mirrors contemporary conversations regarding domestic safety and the difficulty of escaping abusive ex-partners. While the language of the 1904 report frames this as a sensationalist 'annoyance,' it highlights a recurring historical tension regarding women's autonomy and safety in their own homes.
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