Tragedy in Hillyard
A Spokane saloonkeeper takes his own life following rumors of his involvement in an arson case.
Herman Alfstead, a saloonkeeper at Hillyard, went into his place this afternoon and shot himself in the mouth. He was dead when discovered. Some time ago his sister was convicted of arson, and there has been talk of late of arresting him for complicity. It is believed this preyed on his mind and drove him to suicide.
“It is believed this preyed on his mind and drove him to suicide.”
Then · 1895131 years apartNow · 2026
This story highlights the intense social pressure and stigma associated with criminal investigations in small, tight-knit communities of the 1890s. The Hillyard neighborhood, now part of Spokane, was a bustling railroad town at the time.
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