The Trial of James E. Doff: A Seattle Jury’s Acquittal
A local legal drama in the Washington Territory concludes with a dramatic second ballot that completely exonerates the defendant.
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 the Territory of Washington versus James E. Doff was finally decided as 'not guilty.' On the first ballot, the jury stood ten for acquittal and two for conviction, but on the second ballot it stood solid for acquittal. An order was then made discharging Mr. Doff and exonerating his bail. The outcome brought significant relief to the defendant, who had been under the scrutiny of the local courts.
“We, the jury in the case where the Territory of Washington is plaintiff and James E. Doff is defendant, do find the defendant not guilty.”
Legal battles over territory and municipal reputation have long been part of Seattle's fabric. This 1885 account reminds us that even in the frontier days, the courthouse was a theater where personal and community stakes were just as high as they remain in today's local legal proceedings.
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