The Tragic End of a Seattle Butcher
A local man, recently engaged in the livestock business, takes his own life in a cabin on the beach road, leaving behind hopes of a family venture.
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 remains of J. Butterfield, who committed suicide by taking strychnine in his cabin on the beach road, Sunday night, were buried in the Masonic Cemetery yesterday. The funeral services were conducted at the grave by Rev. John F. Damon. On making inquiry, Coroner Dawson learned that the deceased had bought the bottle of strychnine at Brook’s drugstore on Saturday evening. Butterfield was a butcher by trade and possessed some considerable means. He had been engaged in buying and selling stock and expected in a short time to engage in the meat business with his brother.
“Butterfield was a butcher by trade, and possessed some considerable means.”
This somber report reflects the high-stakes, often solitary nature of life for small-scale entrepreneurs and livestock traders in 1880s Seattle. The mention of 'the beach road' serves as a reminder of how significantly Seattle’s shoreline and topography have been reshaped since the late 19th century.
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