End of Watch: 01/20/1882
Agency: King County Sheriff’s Office
County: King County
On Friday, January 20, 1882, King County Sheriff Louis Wyckoff and his deputies were guarding the county jail from an angry lynch mob of about 200-300 men who were attempting to invade it. The mob was demanding that two men who were responsible for a fatal robbery attempt from the day before be executed. After failing to stop the mob, the men removed the two suspects and they were hanged from Henry Yesler’s maple trees.
Later, the mob returned and removed the accused murderer of Seattle Police Officer David Sires. They also took him to Yesler’s maple tree and he was hanged.
During the lynching, Sheriff Wyckoff suffered a heart attack and died. He served as the King County Sheriff for nineteen years and is survived by his wife and son