Spooked in Seattle. Ross Allison
had been living with for too long.
But starting over doesn’t mean people will do things correctly the second time around. With the conflict of how to rebuild, business owners and city officials could not agree on the new outline or direction for the city. So, Seattle’s complicated redesign was the consequence of two separate groups building the city at the same time, which resulted in raised streets and steep sidewalks.
DEATH AND HANGINGS
In a town where law and order had little control of troubled townsfolk, many unfortunate things occurred. Here are a few stories that show how mass hysteria and corruption contributed to the tales of death and murder. A few of these events very well may have left spirits behind to haunt our city streets.
April 1854—The body of a tradesman from Pennsylvania was found in a shallow grave on the beach of Lake Union. Three Native Americans were accused of the crime. Later that day, angry townspeople were able to retrieve two of the natives and proceeded to drag them to the corner of First and Main where a group of men quickly tried them and found them guilty. Then the mob hung the two from the tree nearby. Later a third Native American was able to have a fair trial, and it was discovered that he was an innocent man. So it was believed the other two men were most likely innocent as well.
October 1881—Seattle police officer David Sires was having a beer at James Smith Saloon, on Second and Washington when a gun went off. Even though he wasn’t in uniform, he investigated. When he exited the saloon, many witness pointed to a man who was running away. Office Sires pursued on foot and was able catch up to the gunman at the corner of Third and Yesler. At this time the running man warned Sires to stay back, but Sires continued pursuing him without identifying himself. The man shot Sires in the throat. At this moment a woman stepped out to see what the commotion was and found the officer lying on the ground and the gunman running away. Officer Sires died a few days later, but only after he admitted he had failed to announce himself as he gave chase. He became Seattle’s first police officer killed in the line of duty. The gunman was later identified as Ben Payne and was arrested after claiming the shooting was an accident. He had thought that Officer Sires was a robber. Payne was placed in jail until a trial could be set. Payne remained in custody until January 1882.
January 1882—George Reynolds, while strolling at Third and Marion, was robbed by two men at gunpoint. Refusing to hand over his belongings, he proceeded to go for his revolver only moments too late as the two gunmen both opened fire on him. George died from gunshot wounds to the chest, and the robbers hid as the citizens of Seattle began a citywide search for them. Four hours later both men were caught, but the locals wanted to take matters into their own hands. They took the two gunmen from the officers and dragged them to the site on James Street between First and Second, which is now Pioneer Square Park. There they hung the two men from the trees. It was then that a member of the mob shouted out for the hanging of Ben Payne. The crowd, still hungry for blood, stormed the jail and proceeded to fight off Sheriff Wyckoff and pull Payne from his cell. They then dragged him to the hanging trees where the two gunmen still swung. Payne cried out his innocence and stated to the mob, “You hang me, and you will hang an innocent man.” They hung him. It was said that the mob kept a reminder of the hangings to warn future criminals of what could happen.
June 1901—G.O. Guy drugstore at Second and Yesler was the site of an infamous shootout between former Police Chief William L. Meredith and John Considine, owner of the People’s Theater, a “box house,” which provided small acts, like magic shows, dancing, and occasionally sexual favors in the back rooms.
Feuding began between the two after charges were brought against Meredith for corruption, only after Considine would not give in to payoffs. Meredith then had to resign under the pressure of the investigation. Meredith proceeded to accuse Considine for impregnating a seventeen-year-old performer who worked in Considine’s box house.
G.O. GUY DRUGSTORE
The morning of the shootout, Considine, furious over the allegations, went to Meredith’s lawyer to inform him that if Meredith would not retract the claim, he was ready to sue for libel. Considine was told that the town was not big enough for both him and Meredith. Hearing that, Considine called his brother and then armed himself.
It was apparent that Meredith was waiting for Considine. Fully armed, he watched Considine and his brother approach the drugstore. He soon followed with a sawed-off shotgun in hand. Outside the store, Meredith shot John Considine in the arm. Considine stumbled into the store with Meredith following after him. The next shot grazed Considine in the back of the neck, striking the arm of a messenger boy at the soda fountain. Meredith then dropped the shotgun and went for his revolver. Considine jumped Meredith, wrestled him toward the entrance while calling out for help from his brother. Tom Considine grabbed Meredith’s shotgun and struck Meredith in the head, fracturing his skull. At this time police arrived, including Sheriff Cudihee. Tom then grabbed one of their guns and aimed at them, yelling, “Stand back, you sons of bitches!”
Meanwhile, John Considine drew his gun on the wounded Meredith while he possibly was reaching for another weapon. Considine shot Meredith three times, once in the chest, once in the heart, and another time in the neck, killing him instantly. John then brushed himself off and handed his gun to Sheriff Cudihee while surrendering. All of this action lasted about ninety seconds.
July 1911—Seattle police officer Henry L. Harris is shot in the back of the head while standing post at the California Tavern on Washington Street and Occidental Avenue. Before he fell to the ground, he was able to fire two shots of his own. But the assailant was believed to have avoided any hit. No one was ever arrested, and the case went unsolved.
Does the city of Seattle still play out theses tragic events, like a silent movie projected on its cold, wet streets? It is possible that these tragic events from the city’s past could be haunting our present. As you wander at night through Seattle keep in mind you may be holding a one-time movie pass to a rare showing of the city’s violent past.
DOC MAYNARD ’S PUBLIC HOUSE
610 First Avenue
David “Doc” Swinson Maynard is well known for his part in making Seattle what it is today. In fact, he is credited as the “Man who invented Seattle.”
During his time in Seattle, Doc was a vivacious and generous man who loved his liquor. He also gave away cash or land to just about anyone with a promising idea. After all his generosity, he died essentially landless and broke. The rather revealing epitaph on the tombstone of his second wife, Catherine, reads, “She did what she could.” There is a story that the caretakers must reset his stone marker now and again, as it has a habit of slipping into a tipsy position—just like Doc in his lifetime.
Doc Maynard’s Public House is a restored 1890s saloon with a gorgeous carved bar that was shipped from Chicago. Rich with history, the pub is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Doc’s is located in the heart of Pioneer Square and also serves as the meeting place for the world-famous Seattle Underground Tours.
DOC MAYNARD’S PUBLIC HOUSE
Folks say that they have heard people walking around when no one was in the area. In one account, an employee was in one of the stalls in the women’s restroom, when she heard what she guessed was a co-worker walk in and proceed to the other stall. The employee called but got no response. When she finished, she was surprised to find no one else in the restroom with her. Others have reported seeing a shadowy figure walking around on the upstairs balcony.
While working in the kitchen, one employee would feel a cold spot behind him, and he would also see utensils on the wall swing on their own. One day the activity became so intense with loud banging that he had to turn the volume on the radio up just to ignore