Tragedy on the Puyallup Reservation
A married member of the Puyallup tribe found dead following Fourth of July celebrations.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
John Simon, aged 38, a married member of the Puyallup Indian tribe who had two children, was found dead near the Catholic church on the reservation. Coroner Frank decided that death was due to acute alcoholism. He celebrated the Fourth by drinking freely and was staggering drunk when last seen last night.
“He celebrated the Fourth by drinking freely and was staggering drunk when last seen last night.”
This brief report highlights the devastating impact of unregulated alcohol access in the late 19th century, a frequent tragedy in regional papers. Today, the Puyallup Tribe exercises robust sovereignty, operating its own health and social services to address community wellness far beyond the colonial gaze of the era's coroners.
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