Case Summary

In April of 1885, Wilson D. Coyle assaulted Charles Seaman and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay a $200 fine for his crimes in May of 1885. After serving 60 days in jail, Coyle was still being held in jail, as he had not yet paid his fines. Coyle then filed a writ of habeas corpus on July 3, 1885, claiming that he was being unlawfully imprisoned for longer than his term. On the same day, Judge George Turner allowed the writ and ordered Coyle and Sheriff E. J. Whittier to appear in front of him in court. The outcome of the writ and the fate of the bound party is unknown.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Institutional
• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Imprisoned for longer than term
• Assault with a deadly weapon

Sites of significance

• Spokane County Jail (Cheney, Washington)

Outcome

Writ allowed

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

Citation: Spokane County Government, Clerk, Territorial Case Files, 1879-1889, No. 1538

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 101 and 150 pages

Repository(s)

• Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch (Cheney, WA) (Cheney, Washington)

State

• Washington

People

• Coyle, Wilson D. (petitioner)
• Coyle, Wilson D. (bound party)
• Hyde, S.C. (respondent attorney)
• Whittier, E.J. (respondent)
• Whittier, E.J. (holding party)
• Turner, George M. (judge)

• Additional parties

  Allen, John B. (attorney in criminal case)

  Houghton, Horace E. (attorney in criminal case)

  Smallwood, W. H. (attorney in criminal case, notary public)

  Feuerbach, Kate W. (clerk)

  Strobach, R. (deputy)

  Murray, W. M. (deputy)

  Wheeler, J. J. (witness)

  Boggs, T. D. (witness)

  McGowin, John (witness)

  Wilson, Edward (witness)

  Craft, John (witness)

  Hatlen, Mike (witness)

  Galow, Andy (witness)

  Freud, D. R. (witness)

  Babb, A. B. (witness)

  Dr. Pomeroy (witness)

  Cane, John (witness)

  Strong, Daniel (Foreman of Grand Jury)

  Knox, H. W. (notary public)

  Clement, D. A. (clerk)

  Johnston, Charles B. (deputy)

  Singleton, William (witness)

  McMillen, George (witness)

  McBee James (witness)

  Kidd, William (witness)

  Hooker, W. F. (Justice of the Peace)

  Mason, H. B. (deputy)

  Jalinson, J. W. (witness)

  Wanck, Eli (witness)

  Greivston, James (witness)

  Thomspon, Aaron (witness)

  Call, Mel (witness)

  Griardy, C. H. (witness)

  Good, David (witness)

  Messenger, Isaac (witness)

  Messenger, E. (witness)

  Rivell, C. S. (witness)

  Buell, William (witness)

  Lump, Jake (witness)

  Gilson, John E. (witness)

  Barthalomew, W. R. (witness)

  Crane, John (witness)

  Richardson, M. E. (witness)

  Galow (witness)

  French, D. R. (witness)

  Seaman, Charles (victim)