The Judge and the Vigilantes: A Seattle Lynching Mystery
A local jurist finds himself on a coroner's jury for a vigilante killing, sparking a fierce public debate over whether the law should be enforced by the courts or by the 'indignant populace.'
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.
In a communication to the editor, Judge Jacobs addresses the criticism of his participation in a coroner's jury following the lynching of three men. The Judge defends his role, stating: 'I have never sought to avoid responsibility in my career of life. When community of action was demanded I have taken my share of the responsibility openly and above board. When I was summoned [to the coroner's jury], I at first refused to serve, but after reflection I concluded I was no better than the rest of my fellow citizens who had participated in this affair, and that I would not cowardly avoid responsibility in the matter.' The Judge goes on to argue that while he favors the law, if the ordinary operations of the courts fail to deter the 'dreadful criminals' who threaten the security of the people, the 'indignant populace' will inevitably take matters into their own hands. He asserts that the men hanged were guilty and that the vigilante action, while 'a little irregular,' was ultimately a just result.
“I did not think that any good purpose would be subserved by firing off a broadside of constitutional protestations... We looked at the matter in a plain, business-like manner. I had no doubt of the guilt of the men hanged.”
This 1885 editorial highlights the fragile state of civic order in pioneer Seattle, where frustration with court delays and crime led to popular justifications for extrajudicial violence. It echoes modern concerns about public trust in justice systems, illustrating a historic tension between vigilante sentiment and the rule of law that has long haunted the region’s development.
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