Seattle: 1900-1920 -From Boomtown, Through Urban Turbulence ...

The Economy, Labor, and Politics, 1913 - 1917Potlatch Riot, had been “carefully planned” by soldiers, who were then joined in the assaultby paraders. The P-I reported that the rioters had “planned the attack at a time when thepolice department was busy with street throngs watching the Potlatch celebration.” In theTimes, Mattison gleefully described the event: “The smashing of chairs and tables, therending of yielding timbers, the creaking and groaning of sundered walls, and above therest the crash of glass. . . . [A]ll blended together in one grand Wagnerian cacophony. Andall the while the crowd outside just howled and cheered. It was almost more joy than theycould stand.”The Sun’s Saturday edition gave an account much like the P-I’s but added thatGovernor Lister had accused Blethen of wrapping himself in the U.S. flag—the Timesregularly carried the flag atop its front page. According to the Sun, “Col. Blethen madeseveral dashes into the alley in the rear of the Times building between one and two o’clockand gesticulating wildly, unburdened his opinions . . . [about] the police department to thepolice [who were] stationed there to enforce the mayor’s order. Before that he had beentrying to make a speech to the assembled mob.” The mayor had ordered the closing of allsaloons, prohibited street meetings, and stopped the Times from printing until the end ofPotlatch.That Mayor Cotterill was disturbed by the riot that his archenemy had promotedis not at all surprising. Blethen immediately asked his friend Judge Humphries to enjointhe mayor and Chief Bannick from enforcing these edicts. The judge obliged, contendingthat the two men were conspiring to injure the Times. Humphries also issued a blanketinjunction to open the saloons on appeal from six saloonkeepers. When Cotterill andBannick requested modification of the injunction, the judge instead prepared bench warrantsto serve on them.Following the judge’s reversal of the mayor’s order, late on Saturday, 19 July, theTimes ran the headline “Cotterill Attempts to Suppress Times. . . . Tries to Shift BlameFor Last Night’s Riots.. . Mayor and PoliceChief Arrested.” Beneaththe headline a half-pagephotograph depicted thedestruction of SocialistParty headquarters. Thecaption read, “Mob AtWork On Red SocialistQuarters. Anarchy inSeattle Stamped OutWhen Soldiers and SailorsGet Busy.” The articledeclared that the riot hadbeen “carefully planned”and blamed Cotterill forthe “anarchy.” On page Another 1913 Potlatch Riot target, the IWW headquarters above the SquareDeal Shop at 211 Occidental Avenue South.99