The Jailhouse Remedy for a Bad Case of Whiskey
A desperate man suffering from the effects of alcohol voluntarily surrendered himself to the Seattle sheriff, asking to be locked away until he could regain his senses.
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.
A fellow applied to Sheriff McGraw yesterday to be locked up, saying that he was crazy and unable to run at large. After being in jail three hours, he came to his senses and begged to be released. His prayer was granted. He had been so feeling the effects of an overdose of whiskey, and a few hours' confinement proved good for his health.
“He had been so feeling the effects of an overdose of whiskey, and a few hours' confinement proved good for his health.”
This 1885 account highlights the long-standing, often tragic intersection of untreated substance use, homelessness, and the criminal legal system in Seattle. While the 'jailhouse remedy' portrayed here is framed with a flippant, turn-of-the-century tone, it mirrors contemporary debates over the efficacy of 'jail diversion' and the lack of therapeutic alternatives for those in crisis on our streets.
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