The Tragedy at the Arcade Saloon
A well-known Seattle boarding house keeper ends his life, leaving behind a young daughter and a legacy of property, marking a grim moment in the city's growth.
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.
Tragedy struck the Arcade saloon yesterday, when Matthew Pay, a boarding house keeper well-known in Seattle, ended his life. He was discovered in a small room over the bar, having used a Winchester rifle. Ten minutes after the shooting, his body was examined by local reporters. The suicide appeared to be a desperate act, leaving a horrible wound in his breast. It is said that ever since the death of his wife some four months ago, Pay had been acting strangely. He leaves behind a six-year-old daughter, described as a beautiful and intelligent child, who is well provided for, as the deceased left behind considerable property.
“It is said that ever since the death of his wife, some four months ago, Pay has been acting strangely.”
The 'Arcade' was a common feature of the late 19th-century urban landscape—a multi-purpose space for commerce and social life. Today, Seattle's struggle to balance rapid development with the loss of long-time residents and property owners echoes the sudden, quiet tragedies that often occurred in the boarding rooms of the city's early history.
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