List of people executed in Washington (pre–1972)

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The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Washington before capital punishment was resumed in the United States in 1976.

One hundred and five people, all male, were executed in Washington state during the pre-Furman era, all by hanging.[1] Two people, Cussas and Quallahworst, both Native American, were hanged on January 5, 1849, before the establishment of the Washington Territory in 1853.[2]

List of people executed in Washington (pre–1972)

[edit]
No. Name Race Age Sex Date of execution County Method Victim(s) Governor Ref.
1 Leschi Native American Unknown Male February 19, 1858 Pierce Hanging Unknown Fayette McMullen [1]
2 Yow Lung Asian 20 August 15, 1873 Walla Walla Elisha P. Ferry
3 Joseph Nuana 17 March 6, 1874 Jefferson
4 Harry Native American Unknown March 20, 1874 Kitsap
5 Moos Moos September 18, 1874 Walla Walla
6 John Thompson White 30 January 5, 1877 King
7 Saluskin Native American Unknown November 26, 1879 Yakima
8 Kype
9 Bud Thomas White January 4, 1881 Walla Walla William A. Newell
10 Andrew Teuwepa Native American November 15, 1881 Stevens
11 Ezra Alexander Snodderly White 25 August 7, 1883 Columbia Eli Cummins [3]
12 John Elfus 33 January 15, 1884 Walla Walla Dan Haggerty [4]
13 Jochin Henry Timmerman Unknown April 6, 1888 Klickitat William Sterling Eugene Semple [5]
14 Edward Gallagher July 11, 1890 Clark Lewis Marr Elisha P. Ferry [6]
15 Robert Thompson Day 45 June 3, 1892 Cowlitz Thomas Beebe [7]
16 Charles Brooks Black 62 September 6, 1892 Spokane Christine Brooks [8]
17 Charles E. Meyers White Unknown September 30, 1895 Garfield Frank Sherry John McGraw [9]
18 Charles Asimus 28 January 31, 1896 Cowlitz James Greenwood [10]
19 Richard H. Straub Unknown April 26, 1897 San Juan Leo Lanterman John Rankin Rogers [11]
20 Gin Pong Asian 38 April 30, 1897 Spokane Lee Tung [12]
21 Jack Leonard White Unknown March 25, 1898 Whitman Jacob Malquist [13]
22 George Webster 31 March 30, 1900 Spokane Lise C. Aspland [14]
23 Albert Michaud Unknown April 6, 1900 Pierce Julia Meuret Michaud [15]
24 Martin Stickles 30 January 25, 1901 Cowlitz 3 victims[a] [16]
25 Eben L. Boyce 38 August 9, 1901 Pierce Louise Bock Boyce [17]
26 Charles W. Nordstrom 51-52 August 23, 1901 King William Mason [18]
27 James G. Green Unknown December 6, 1901 Skamania E. V. Benjamin [19]
28 William Alden Seaton 23 January 3, 1902 King Dan Richards Henry McBride [20]
29 Lum You Asian 40-41 January 31, 1902 Pacific Oscar Bloom [21]
30 Alfred Hamilton White 29-30 May 23, 1902 Whatcom David M. Woodbury [22]
31 James Champoux 29 May 6, 1904 King Lottie Brace [23]
32 Charles Clarke 26 September 2, 1904 Thurston Leila Page [24]
33 Henry Arao Asian 28 June 3, 1905 Spokane Sam Chong Albert E. Mead [25]
34 Frank Pasquale White September 15, 1905 Pierce Charles F. Gray [26]
35 Angus McPhail 45 December 8, 1905 Snohomish Fred Alderson [27]
36 William White 18 March 2, 1906 King Matthew Murphy [28]
37 Simon Brooks 46 April 13, 1906 Clark Adolph Miller [29]
38 A.A. Armstrong 53 June 8, 1906 Lewis Robert Patton [30]
39 Fred Miller 25 March 22, 1907 Cowlitz Fred Dierk [31]
40 Joe Nicolos Asian 22 April 16, 1909 Kitsap 2 victims[b] Marion E. Hay [32]
41 Joseph Gauvitte White 44 August 27, 1909 Spokane Elizabeth Gauvitte [33]
42 Bud Barnes 26 November 12, 1909 Walla Walla Anna Aldrich [34]
43 Richard Quinn 32 May 13, 1910 Snohomish Margaret Quinn [35]
44 Frank Barker 23 June 20, 1910 Spokane Ira Messinger [36]
45 William Frederick Jahns 63 April 21, 1911 Stevens Agnes Jensen [37]
46 John Smith 26 April 1, 1921 King 3 victims[c] Louis F. Hart [38]
47 James Mahoney 38 December 1, 1922 Kate Mooers Mahoney [39]
48 George Whitfield 22 June 13, 1924 Clark Anna Nosko [40]
49 Ralph Waller 34 June 27, 1924 Garfield 2 victims[d] [41]
50 Thomas Walton 39 December 12, 1924 Walla Walla S.F. Burt [42]
51 L.E. Mosely Black 45 February 19, 1926 King A.J. Comer Roland H. Hartley [43][44]
52 Alfred Winters 30 May 27, 1927 Cowlitz
53 Manuel Lopez Hispanic 45 February 15, 1928 Whitman Charles Markham [45]
54 Emmett Bailey White 39 August 10, 1928 Lewis Erma Skinner [46]
55 Wallace Gaines 48 August 31, 1928 King Sylvia Gaines [47]
56 Luther Baker 61 March 29, 1929 Clark Lester Wood [48]
57 Preston Rae Clark 39 July 11, 1930 Walla Walla A.L. Bidwell [49]
58 Robert Lee Wilkins 44 August 15, 1930 John W. Brooks [50]
59 Arthur Schafer 29 August 29, 1930 Mason Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kirk [51]
60 Archie Frank Moock 33 September 12, 1930 Spokane Catherine Clark [52]
61 George Miller 48 December 18, 1931 John Ivester [53]
62 Harold Carpenter 31 April 15, 1932 Thurston Peter Jacobson [54]
63 Walter Dubuc 17
64 Ollie Lee Stratton 24 July 28, 1933 Jefferson William Frawley Clarence D. Martin [55]
65 Ted Bradley 26 May 11, 1934 King George Ikeda [56]
66 Byron Miller 42 October 3, 1934 Yakima Marshal George Warring [57]
67 Hong Yick Asian 44 July 19, 1935 King Lee Wing Qmen [58]
68 Barney Fleming Black 29 April 3, 1936 La Belle Butler [59]
69 Glenn R. Stringer White 24 May 29, 1936 Clark Herbert Lee Caples [60]
70 Leo Roderick Bernard Hall 34 September 11, 1936 Kitsap 6 victims[e] [61]
71 Clifford Hawkins 25 February 23, 1938 Skagit Ernest and Floyd Grimm [62]
72 Claude H. Ryan 34 February 25, 1938 Lewis S.R. Jackson [63]
73 Stanley Knapp 21 August 5, 1938 Spokane William E. Walker [64]
74 Joseph O'Donnell 40 November 21, 1938 King 2 victims[f] [65]
75 Bernhard Leuch 41 August 4, 1939 Mason Lena Leuch [66]
76 Paul Buttry 39 September 15, 1939 Grays Harbor Hugh Warren [67]
77 Earl Talbott 19 September 18, 1939 Walla Walla W.E. McKinney [68]
78 Roy Wright October 6, 1939 Yakima John Dee Moore [69]
79 Ralph Carson 54 December 8, 1939 Clallam Lynwood Sproul [70]
80 Edward L. Bouchard 46 September 6, 1940 Snohomish 2 victims[g] [71]
81 Jack Marable 40 October 4, 1940 Thurston Emil Roloff [72]
82 Arley Ovoyd Lewis 29 January 30, 1941 Clark Jack Avent Arthur B. Langlie [73]
83 Denzel Davis 24 March 24, 1941 King Harriet Arnold [74]
84 John Bruce Anderson 58 November 14, 1941 Spokane David Johnson [75]
85 Chester Montgomery Black 29 March 19, 1943 Jessie Sellers [76]
86 Roy Willard Jacobs White 41 April 6, 1943 Pierce 2 victims[h] [77]
87 Persia Williams Black 38 September 8, 1944 King Joseph Romaglio [78]
88 Edward Heberling White 32 December 8, 1944 Harriet Louise Lindstrom [79]
89 Joe Bill Native American 30 September 7, 1945 Irma Irene McGough Monrad Wallgren [80]
90 Joseph Bernard Wessel White 44 January 19, 1946 Pierce Mary Ann Wessel [81]
91 Woodrow Wilson Clark 30 February 5, 1946 Spokane 2 victims[i] [82]
92 John Henry Clark Black 26 January 7, 1947 King Sam Katz [83]
93 Jake Bird 47 July 15, 1949 Pierce 2 victims[j] [84]
94 Arthur Bruce Perkins White 24 November 4, 1949 Thurston 2 victims[k] [85]
95 Wayne Leroy Williams 33 November 18, 1949 Snohomish Hallie Lucille [86]
96 Wayne Dale Odell 23 June 18, 1951 Whitman Harold Rogers Arthur B. Langlie [87][88]
97 Grant Ellis Rio 29 December 10, 1951
98 Utah Eugene Wilson 22 January 3, 1953 Clark JoAnn Dewey [89]
99 Turman Galilee Wilson 26
100 Artell Bernard Farley Jr. 27 December 15, 1956 Pierce Flora McFarland [90]
101 Harvey John Collins 32 December 3, 1957 Andrew Stolen Albert Rosellini [91]
102 John Richard Broderson 34 June 25, 1960 Clark Harold Oster [92]
103 Joseph Chester Self 32 June 20, 1963 King Ralph A. Gemmill Jr. [93]

Demographics

[edit]
Race
White 81 77%
Native American 9 9%
Black 8 8%
Asian 7 7%
Hispanic 1 1%
Age
Unknown age 13 4%
17-19 5 5%
20-29 31 30%
30–39 27 26%
40–49 19 18%
50–59 4 4%
60-69 3 3%
Gender
Male 105 100%
Female 0 0%
Date of execution
1840–1919 47 45%
1920–1929 11 10%
1930–1939 23 22%
1940–1949 16 15%
1950–1959 6 6%
1960–1969 2 2%
Method
Hanging 105 100%
Governor (Party)
Fayette McMullen (D) 1 1%
Elisha P. Ferry (R) 10 10%
William A. Newell (R) 4 4%
Eugene Semple (D) 1 1%
John McGraw (R) 2 2%
John Rankin Rogers (D) 9 9%
Henry McBride (R) 5 5%
Albert E. Mead (R) 7 7%
Marion E. Hay (R) 6 6%
Louis F. Hart (R) 5 5%
Roland H. Hartley (R) 13 13%
Clarence D. Martin (D) 18 17%
Arthur B. Langlie (R) 12 12%
Monrad Wallgren (D) 7 7%
Albert Rosellini (D) 3 3%

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ William Shanklin, Cornelius Knapp and his wife
  2. ^ George Brown and unnamed four-year-old
  3. ^ James O'Brien, Volney L. Stevens, and W.T. Angle
  4. ^ Alfred and Ida Waldman
  5. ^ Frank Flieder, Anna Taylor Flieder, Eugene Chenevert, Margaret Chenevert, Magnus Jorden, and Ezra Bolcom
  6. ^ Trent A. Sickles and Theodore E. Stevens
  7. ^ Cyril Ables and Ralph Allinson
  8. ^ Chadwick and Harry Storem
  9. ^ T.P. Dillon and Jane Staples
  10. ^ Bertha and Beverly Kludt
  11. ^ Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Jessup

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Executions in the U.S. 1608-2002: The Espy File". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  2. ^ "Clark County history: The 'hanging holiday' of 1890". The Columbian. September 14, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  3. ^ Dougherty, Phil (June 14, 2006). "Freight agent Eli Cummins is robbed and murdered...". HistoryLink.
  4. ^ "Elfus Hanged". The Washington Standard. January 18, 1884.
  5. ^ "Jochin Henry Timmerman paid the extreme penalty...". The Washington Standard. April 13, 1888.
  6. ^ Harger, Stover (September 15, 2013). "The 'hanging holiday' of 1890". The Columbian.
  7. ^ "Execution At Kalama". The Spokesman-Review. June 9, 1892. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  8. ^ "George Webster is hanged for first-degree murder at Spokane County Courthouse on March 30, 1900". www.historylink.org. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  9. ^ "Chas. E. Meyers Hanged". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. October 1, 1895.
  10. ^ "Hanging at Kalama". The News Tribune. January 31, 1896.
  11. ^ "Paid With His Life". Aberdeen Herald. April 29, 1897.
  12. ^ "George Webster is hanged for first-degree murder at Spokane County Courthouse on March 30, 1900". www.historylink.org. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  13. ^ "The Wages of His Sin". Spokane Daily Chronicle. March 25, 1898.
  14. ^ "George Webster is hanged for first-degree murder at Spokane County Courthouse on March 30, 1900". www.historylink.org. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  15. ^ "Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma), 1893-1959". Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "HANGMAN DOES BUNGLING WORK". The San Francisco Call. January 26, 1901.
  17. ^ "Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma), 1893-1959". Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  18. ^ "Charles W. Nordstrom is hanged on August 23, 1901, for the murder of William Mason near Cedar Mountain (King County)". Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  19. ^ "Last Words of Murderer". (December 07 1901). The Tacoma Daily Ledger, p. 6.
  20. ^ "Kills His Uncle and Wounds Four Others". (December 07 1900). The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, p. 1.
  21. ^ "LUM YOU HANGED". (February 1, 1902). The Tacoma Daily Ledger, p. 2
  22. ^ "Alfred Hamilton shoots and kills attorney David M. Woodbury in Anacortes on September 7, 1899". Washington State: HistoryLink. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  23. ^ "Washington State carries out its first execution on May 6, 1904". Washington State: HistoryLink. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  24. ^ "Ask for Rehearing". (May 4, 1904). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  25. ^ "Pays His Penalty Bravely". (June 3, 1905). The Seattle Times, p. 4.
  26. ^ "Appeals Dismissed by Supreme Court". (May 26, 1905). The Seattle Times, p. 4.
  27. ^ "Fight Made for Man's Life". (July 19, 1905). The Seattle Times, p. 3.
  28. ^ "Mackintosh Says White Should Hang". (February 22, 1906). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  29. ^ "Sentence of Death is Given Simon Brooks". (February 17, 1906). The Seattle Times, p. 10.
  30. ^ "Murderer Armstrong Sentenced to Hang". (April 16, 1906). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  31. ^ "Fred Miller Hanged at State Penitentiary". (March 22, 1907). The Seattle Times, p. 15.
  32. ^ "Double Murderer Goes to his Doom". (April 16, 1909). The Seattle Times, p. 8.
  33. ^ "Wife Murderer Hanged". (August 27, 1909). The Seattle Times, p. 25.
  34. ^ "Murderer Forfeits Life on Gallows". (November 12, 1909). The Seattle Times, p. 12.
  35. ^ "Execution Bungled". (May 13, 1910). The Seattle Times, p. 7.
  36. ^ "Walks to Scaffold Laughing and Joking". (June 20, 1910). The Seattle Times, p. 5.
  37. ^ "Execution May Spoil Solution of Mystery". (April 13, 1911). The Seattle Times, p. 10.
  38. ^ "Captor of Slayer Honored by Mayor". (April 1, 1921). The Seattle Times, p. 3.
  39. ^ "Mahoney is Executed in Prison Yard for his Deed". (December 1, 1922). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  40. ^ "Whitfield Hanged at State Penitentiary". (June 13, 1924). The Seattle Times, p. 10.
  41. ^ "Slayer Blames Divorce Evil on Way to Gallows". (June 27, 1924). The Seattle Times, p. 5.
  42. ^ "Thomas Walton Hanged at State Penitentiary". (December 12, 1924). The Seattle Times, p. 24.
  43. ^ "Seattle Slayer Pays Penalty on Gallows". (February 19, 1926). The Seattle Times, pp. 4.
  44. ^ "Longview Slayer Hanged". (May 27, 1927). The Seattle Times, p. 22.
  45. ^ "Lopez Hanged at State Prison for Riparia Murder". (February 15, 1928). The Seattle Times, p. 7.
  46. ^ "Bailey is Hanged for Murder of Wife". (August 10, 1928). The Seattle Times, p. 20.
  47. ^ "Dawn Brings Message of Hanging". (August 31, 1928). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  48. ^ "Luther is Hanged for Slaying of Clark Sheriff". (March 29, 1929). The Seattle Times, p. 18.
  49. ^ "Clark Goes to Gallows". (July 11, 1930). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  50. ^ "Wilkins Dies for Slaying of Attorney". (August 15, 1930). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  51. ^ "Shelton Logger is Hanged". (August 29, 1930). The Seattle Times, p. 13.
  52. ^ "Moock Hangs as Killer in Wedding Plot". (September 12, 1930). The Seattle Times, p. 11.
  53. ^ "Express Slayer Meets Death on State's Gallows". (December 18, 1931). The Seattle Times, p. 21.
  54. ^ "Man, Youth Pay Penalty on Gallows for Murder". (April 15, 1932). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  55. ^ "Ollie Stratton, Port Townsend Slayer, Hangs". (July 28, 1933). The Seattle Times, p. 28.
  56. ^ "Ready to Kill". (May 11, 1934). The Seattle Times, p. 6.
  57. ^ "Ready to Kill". (October 3, 1934). The Seattle Times, p. 17.
  58. ^ "Seattle Tong Slayer Hanged". (July 19, 1935). The Seattle Times, p. 32.
  59. ^ "Meyers Studies Hanging Case". (April 3, 1936). The Seattle Times, p. 15.
  60. ^ "Reward Posted for Asserted Slayer". (May 29, 1936). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  61. ^ "Last Minute Fight Made to Prevent Execution". (September 11, 1936). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  62. ^ "State Executes Skagit Slayer". (February 23, 1938). The Seattle Times, p. 9.
  63. ^ "Deputy's Killer to Hang". (January 14, 1938). The Seattle Times, p. 5.
  64. ^ "Killer Hanged; Warns Others". (August 5, 1938). The Seattle Times, p. 5.
  65. ^ "O'Donnell Blames Frame-Up as he Calmly Goes to Death". (November 21, 1938). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  66. ^ "Shelton Slayer Dies on Gallows". (August 4, 1939). The Seattle Times, p. 16.
  67. ^ "Doomed Slayer Hopes". (September 14, 1939). The Seattle Times, p. 13.
  68. ^ "Ranch-Slayer is Hanged, Calm to End". (September 18, 1939). The Seattle Times, p. 7.
  69. ^ "Young Killer, on Gallows, Warns Youth Against Crime". (October 6, 1939). The Seattle Times, p. 11.
  70. ^ "Clallam County Slayer Hanged". (December 8, 1939). The Seattle Times, p. 9.
  71. ^ "Slayer Hanged at State Prison". (September 6, 1940). The Seattle Times, p. 5.
  72. ^ "Kidnaper Hangs, Denouncing Troy". (October 4, 1940). The Seattle Times, p. 10.
  73. ^ "Slayer to Give Life Tomorrow at Walla Walla". (January 29, 1941). The Seattle Times, p. 17.
  74. ^ "David Dies for Killing Mother". (March 24, 1941). The Seattle Times, p. 24.
  75. ^ "John B. Anderson, Slayer, Is Executed". (November 14, 1941). The Seattle Times, p. 15.
  76. ^ "Man Hanged for Woman's Death". (March 19, 1943). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  77. ^ "Jacobs Denies Slaying as He Dies on Gallows". (April 6, 1943). The Seattle Times, p. 4.
  78. ^ "Seattle Slayer Dies on Gallows". (September 8, 1944). The Seattle Times, p. 13.
  79. ^ "Heberling Dies for Girl Murder". (December 8, 1944). The Seattle Times, p. 21.
  80. ^ "Joe Bill, Child's Slayer, Hanged". (September 7, 1945). The Seattle Times, p. 18.
  81. ^ "Wessel is Hanged at Pen". (1947, January 17). Union-Bulletin.
  82. ^ "Hatchet Slayer Dies on Gallows". (February 5, 1946). The Seattle Times, p. 3.
  83. ^ "Slayer Dies on Prison Gallows". (January 7, 1947). The Seattle Times, p. 20.
  84. ^ "Final Appeal Failing, Jake Bird is Hanged". (July 15, 1949). The Seattle Times, p. 11.
  85. ^ "Perkins Dies on Prison Gallows". (November 4, 1949). The Seattle Times, p. 9.
  86. ^ "Williams, Wife Slayer, Hanged". (November 18, 1949). The Seattle Times, p. 37.
  87. ^ "Clemency Denied Condemned Youth". (June 14, 1951). The Seattle Times, pp. 14.
  88. ^ "Slayer is Denied Stay of Execution". (December 10, 1951). The Seattle Times, p. 2.
  89. ^ "Langlie Refuses to Stop Execution of Wilsons, Due Tonight". (January 2, 1953). The Seattle Times, p. 1.
  90. ^ "Farley, Tacoma Slayer, Hanged". (December 15, 1956). The Seattle Times, p. 3.
  91. ^ "Governor Urged To Save Killer". (December 2, 1957). The News Tribune, p. 1
  92. ^ "Broderson Hanged at State Prison". (June 25, 1960). The Seattle Times, p. 11.
  93. ^ "Joseph Self Dies on Gallows at State Penitentiary". (June 20, 1963). The Bellingham Herald, p. 3