The Trial of William Holmes
A trial begins in the shooting death of a miner in Franklin, with insanity cited as the defense.
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.
The trial of William Holmes, a miner who shot and killed his roommate, William Russell, at Franklin, commenced before Judge Moore. A large number of colored miners and their wives traveled from the mines to witness the proceedings, including O.S. Bailey, the local justice of the peace. The defense is expected to center on insanity, led by City Attorney M.O. Winstock, while Prosecuting Attorney Miller represents the state. The case highlights the tensions and tragic violence occurring in the mining camps outside Seattle during the 1890s.
“A large number of colored miners and their wives are down from the mines as witnesses and spectators.”
The trial drew significant attention from the Black community in the mining towns near Seattle, reflecting the demographic diversity of the Washington frontier. It serves as a reminder that the early history of Washington mining was defined not just by industry, but by the social lives and struggles of a multi-ethnic working class.
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