The Heist at the Seattle Saloon
Clever thieves target a West Yesler Avenue saloon, concealing themselves in a ladies' box to bypass security and escape with cash.
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 Seattle saloon at 106 West Yesler Avenue, owned by Harmon A. Schmitz, was hit by sneak thieves between 1:00 and 4:00 AM. The thieves managed to hide in the 'ladies' box' using a pass key. Once the staff had left and the saloon was closed, they pried open the safe, which had been left unlocked, and emptied the cash register, making off with $190 in total. They were spotted fleeing the scene early in the morning, having forgotten to lock the back door.
“They escaped through the back door, forgetting to put out the gas or lock the door to the 'ladies' box, where they had concealed themselves.”
Yesler Way (formerly Yesler Avenue) was once the heart of Seattle's 'Skid Road.' This report provides a candid look at the daily petty crime and nightlife vulnerabilities of 1890s Seattle, echoing the ongoing challenges businesses face today in the downtown corridor.
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