The $500 Fine for Keeping a 'Bad' House: Seattle's War on Vice and the Women of Yesler Way
In the early days of Seattle, police didn't just arrest prostitutes; they targeted the property owners who housed them. A recent court case reveals the financial stakes of the city's moral crusade.
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 case of Mary Rummey was concluded yesterday. She was indicted for keeping a house of ill fame at Yesler Way, between Second and Third streets. The indictment charged her with keeping a nuisance and a day of execution was set.
Judge Hasbrouck has now fined Rummey $500, and ordered her to pay the costs. He also gave her the option to enter into a recognizance for her good behavior.
In the case of S.R. Frazer, who was indicted with arson and larceny upon a certain C. G. Kighten, a verdict of 'not guilty' was returned. The counsel for the defendant asked for a new trial, and argument on that motion will be heard this morning.
The case of John Arthurd was also yesterday dismissed without prejudice, indicted for keeping a place of business open on Sunday, without continuance on motion of the prosecuting attorney. The reason was to have been tried yesterday, but Prosecuting Attorney R. stated that he had been unable to secure a material witness. The defendants claim to be anxious to proceed with the trial.
The hack driver Casey, indicted for robbery, pleaded not guilty. However, it is alleged that he has been running a night hack and picking up drunken men for fares and robbing their pockets.
All petty jurors were dismissed until next Wednesday morning.
This 1904 account of Mary Rummey’s $500 fine (a significant sum then) for operating a brothel on Yesler Way highlights how Seattle’s early civic leaders used the legal system to police morality and urban space. Today, the tension between law enforcement, property owners, and sex workers remains a complex issue in Seattle, though the specific laws and social attitudes have shifted dramatically from the 'moral crusades' of the Progressive Era.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.