The Chloroform Attack: A Seattle Woman’s Narrow Escape from a Robber’s Grip
Julia Torrillia fights back against an assailant who tried to drug her on Washington Street, leading to the arrest of a local baker.
About 8 o'clock Thursday evening, Julia Torrillia, an inmate of No. 1215 Washington Street, was standing in the doorway when a man came up the sidewalk and thrust a handkerchief saturated with chloroform to her nose. He then pushed her into the hallway and into an adjoining room. The woman managed to give him a terrific kick and began screaming. The ruffian became alarmed and ran up Third Street followed by the woman who continued to scream. Sheriff Cochran and Jailor Thompson were attracted by the noise and ran out and caught the man. He proved to be May Exner, who has been employed at Pilar's bakery. He wore a false moustache and had two bottles of chloroform in his pockets. His object was undoubtedly robbery, as the woman had considerable money in her possession. He has not yet been tried.
This 1906 account of a violent street assault using chemical agents highlights the precarious safety of pedestrians in early Seattle, particularly for women navigating dark streets alone. While modern policing and urban lighting have changed the landscape of crime, the fear of sudden, unprovoked violence in public spaces remains a potent thread connecting this historical incident to contemporary concerns about personal security.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.