A Street Fight Over a Package of Meat
A man attempted to steal a package of meat off the steps of the Golden Gate building, only to face a vigorous drubbing from his victim.
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.
William McDonald, a tough-looking character, stole a package of meat from William Brackett, a McClaire Street resident, last evening, and not only was arrested for petit larceny, but received a good drubbing. Brackett sat down on the Golden Gate steps on Yesler Avenue, waiting for a car. He became interested in a newspaper and did not notice McDonald when he stole the meat, which had been placed on the steps. Someone yelled to him that the meat was gone. Brackett saw McDonald and went after him. For a short time the meat became a bone of contention and Brackett came out victorious. Then he went to the police station and told them where they could find McDonald.
“For a short time the meat became a bone of contention and Brackett came out victorious.”
Street-level theft and the 'vigilante' responses of citizens were staples of Seattle's rough-and-tumble downtown scene in the 1890s. The incident highlights the reliance on personal justice during a time when the city was expanding faster than its law enforcement could keep pace with.
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