The Great Umbrella Dispute of Mercer Island
A school election dispute turns into a physical altercation, highlighting the intensity of local politics.
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.
A warrant was served yesterday against Emma C. Rogers for assault and battery on C. R. Calkins. It is alleged that on Monday last, Mrs. Rogers beat Mr. Calkins on the head with an umbrella because he had worked for the election of a school director she disliked. On the other hand, it is said that Mr. Calkins called Mrs. Rogers' husband a thief, and this so enraged Mrs. Rogers that she grabbed the umbrella and brought it down with a resounding whack on Mr. Calkins' head. Justice Von Tobel set the case for trial at 3 o'clock this afternoon.
“Mrs. Rogers grabbed the umbrella and brought it down with a resounding whack on Mr. Calkins' head.”
Local school board elections remain fiercely contested arenas. This 1892 scuffle over political loyalty and perceived slights serves as a reminder that community polarization in the Seattle area has deep roots.
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