A Jockey's Tragic End
A former horse trainer and jockey, weakened by illness, dies by suicide in a Yakima stable.
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.
On Wednesday morning, a revolver shot in Taft's stable drew attention, where Lee Brownfield was found having taken his own life. Brownfield, a 26-year-old former jockey who had worked on the Palo Alto ranch, had been struggling with his health following a bout of 'la grippe' during the winter. He had previously been employed by John Bartholet but had recently been doing light chores at Taft's stable. Despite appearing in good spirits earlier that morning, the young man, who had been worried about his physical weakness and inability to return to his family in California, ended his life. A coroner's jury found a verdict of suicide, and he was laid to rest on Thursday.
“His debilitated condition preyed on his mind, and he had several times remarked that he didn't think he would ever be strong enough to travel and reach his folks.”
This somber report highlights the isolation and lack of social safety nets for itinerant workers in late 19th-century Yakima. It serves as a reminder that the struggles with illness and economic instability that define modern housing and labor crises have long historical roots in the region.
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