Theft at the Bostwick Hotel
A young woman pleads guilty to stealing a wardrobe from a guest at one of Tacoma's premier downtown hotels.
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.
Bessie Powers, accused of stealing the wardrobe of Miss Bessie Hunter from her room in the Bostwick hotel, pleaded guilty to the charge before Judge Arntson late yesterday afternoon, and was bound over to the superior court under bonds of $500. When it was explained to her that this was a penitentiary offense, Miss Powers did not flinch, but calmly said that she had committed the deed and would pay the penalty. She has been taken to the county jail.
“When it was explained to her that this was a penitentiary offense, Miss Powers did not flinch, but calmly said that she had committed the deed.”
The Bostwick Hotel is still a landmark in Tacoma’s historic downtown. This report highlights the stark difference in how property crimes and the judicial system were handled in 1909 compared to contemporary justice reform discussions.
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