The Sniper of Post Street Bridge
A prominent Seattle contractor narrowly survives a cold-blooded shooting as he walks home in the dark.
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 immediate vicinity of the west end of the Post Street bridge came near being the scene of a cold-blooded tragedy last evening. At about 7:30 o'clock, as Robert Dyer, one of our prosperous young carpenters and contractors, was returning home to the north side by way of the Post Street bridge, some would-be assassin fired two shots at him from the cover of a pine tree standing near the bridge. The intended victim turned and precipitately fled toward the city and notified Sheriff Whittier, who, in company with Officers Warren and Leininger, proceeded to the spot only to find the tracks of the miscreant. The object of the villainous attempt is only conjecture, as Mr. Dyer is one of our most peaceable and well-behaved young men and, to his knowledge, has no bitter enemies. On examination, it was ascertained that both bullets had passed through the coat of the fortunate gentleman. The officers will make a great effort to fathom the mystery and bring the criminal to justice. Mr. Dyer is to be congratulated on his narrow escape.
“The object of the villainous attempt is only conjecture, as Mr. Dyer is one of our most peaceable and well-behaved young men and, to his knowledge, has no bitter enemies.”
While Seattle’s 1887 streets were fraught with dangers like unlit bridges and hidden snipers, the city continues to grapple with the anxiety of public safety and random violence in its urban corridors. Today, the walk from downtown to the north side is far better lit, yet the vulnerability felt by a lone pedestrian returning home remains a shared modern experience.
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