A High-Speed Horse Chase on the Ahtanum
After an intoxicated rider caused a collision and fled the scene, the Sheriff led a five-mile pursuit across the Yakima Valley.
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.
Last Sunday evening, at about 6 o’clock, Sheriff Simmons was returning from the Ahtanum, when his rig was run into by a drunken Indian, breaking a wheel and doing sundry other damages. There were five Siwashes in the drunken mob, and the one who did the damage immediately put spurs to his cayuse and bolted, but Dan was too quick for him, and, securing a horse from one of the Indians, gave chase, capturing his man after a run of five miles. Tillicums of the “noble red man” came in the following day and, paying all damages, secured his release.
“Dan was too quick for him, and, securing a horse from one of the Indians, gave chase, capturing his man after a run of five miles.”
This account reflects the dehumanizing and casual racism of frontier-era journalism, where Indigenous people were routinely flattened into stereotypes. The story illustrates a era of localized, summary justice that existed well before modern policing standards or civil rights protections were established in the region.
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