Case Summary

On July 29th, 1899, Charles W. Nordstrom petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus after being convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The petition alleged that since the verdict against Nordstrom, he had become insane and it would have been inhumane to take his life. A commission appointed by the Superior Court found Nordstrom to be sane, and to avoid execution, Nordstrom and his attorneys filed a series of subsequent appeals. Circuit Judge C.H. Hanford denied the writ, and Nordstrom subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court in which the ruling was affirmed. Supplementary research shows that since the alleged murder took place in 1892 and Nordstrom was executed in 1901. For other petitions filed by Nordstrom see related petitions.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• First degree murder

Sites of significance

• King County Jail (Seattle, Washington)

Outcome

Writ denied

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody

Case Citation

RG21 US District Courts, Western District of Washington, Seattle, Records of the Northern Division, Case Files, 1890-1972, No. 784

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 41 and 50 pages

Related petitions

• In Re: Petition of Charles W. Nordstrom for Writ of Habeas Corpus
• In the Matter of the Application of Charles W. Nordstrom for a Writ of Habeas Corpus

Repository(s)

• National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington)

State

• Washington

Point(s) of law cited

Section 766, Revised Statutes of the United States; In Re Jugiro, 140 U.S. 295; In Re M’ Kane, 61 Fed. 205

Tag(s)

• Appeal
• Death penalty

People

• Nordstrom, Charles W. (petitioner)
• Nordstrom, Charles W. (bound party)
• Lewis, James Hamilton (petitioner attorney)
• Denning, J. Henry (petitioner attorney)
• Van De Vanter, A. T. (respondent)
• McElroy, James E. (respondent attorney)
• Hanford, Cornelius Holgate (judge)

• Additional parties

  Jacobs, Orange (Superior Court Juge)

  Ellsworth, P.C. (Notary Public)

  Miller, John F. (Prosecuting Attorney)

  Mason, William (Murder victim)

  Spencer, W.B. (Clerk of Superior Court)

  McBride, W.P. (Deputy Clerk of Superior Court)

  Lewis, James Hamilton (Affiant)

  Hart, John B. (Assistant Prosecuting Attorney)

  Calhoun, C.V. (Physician)

  Willard, Rufus S. (Physician)

  Marion, A.N. (Physician)

  Bories, Emil (Physician)

  Godard, F.L. (Superintendent of the Western Washington Hospital for the Insane)

  Ayres, Reeves A. (Clerk)

  Ashley, M. (Deponent)

  Moore, A.N. (Deputy Clerk)

  Kenney, James H.M. (Clerk of Supreme Court)

  Drake, James C. (Clerk of Circuit Court)

  Wrigler, B.O. (Deputy Clerk)