The Chicken Poisoning Scandal on South K Street
A neighborhood dispute over trespassing poultry leads to an arrest and a court-ordered settlement in Tacoma.
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.
Mrs. Francis Dahlman of South K Street was arrested today for sprinkling poison outside the door of her home to deter the chickens belonging to her neighbor, C. O. Peterson. She pleaded guilty in Judge Griffin's court, but her sentence was suspended until Saturday. Peterson agreed to settle the case for $25, which he claims his fowls were worth. If this amount and $1.35 in court costs are paid before Saturday, the court will dismiss the case.
“Peterson agreed to settle the case for $25, which he claims his fowls were worth.”
Neighborhood conflicts over pets and property boundaries are a perennial staple of local life. While today's disputes might involve HOAs or animal control citations, this 1904 incident highlights the direct, often lethal measures residents took to protect their yards before suburban mediation was commonplace.
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