The Night the Burglar Met a Bullet: A Seattle Homeowner’s Close Call
In October 1876, Mr. Morehouse of First Street didn't just call the police—he fired back at a window-breaker, sending the thief fleeing with a bullet in his coat.
Among the improvements which need to be made on our roads before Winter sets in is a little graveling on the Beach road... [omitted for brevity] ... Mr. Morehouse, who resides on First Street, near Buzzy's Mill, was aroused from his sleep night before last by someone trying to break into his dwelling. He sprang from his bed, seized a revolver close at hand, and upon raising the window, saw the chap at work on the further end of the building trying to effect an entry. He no sooner got out of him than he sent a bullet in uncomfortably proximity to his head. The chap scudded with a bound, and established up over the bank opposite with the alacrity of an Esquimaux dog. He evidently discovered that he had struck the wrong man.
This 1876 account of a break-in and self-defense highlights how early Seattle residents relied on personal arms rather than police response for immediate protection. It mirrors modern debates about 'stand your ground' laws and the role of private security in neighborhoods that were once far more isolated and less policed than today's urban core.
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