Bandit Ambush Near Everett Claims Life of Lumberman
A tragic highway encounter leaves a Washington family in mourning and authorities searching for the perpetrators.
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.
Much of the pleasure of John McFee’s trip to Seattle last week was spoiled by the tragic death of a cousin, Finly H. McFee, a lumberman of Hamilton, Wash., who died of wounds received when he was fired upon by bandits on the highway near Everett on the evening of July 23rd. His wife, who was with him in the car at the time, was also wounded by the bandits, but has recovered. When ordered to stop, Mr. McFee reached down for the emergency brake and the highwaymen evidently thought he was after a gun, for they immediately opened fire, several of their bullets striking Mr. McFee. At last reports the murderers were still at large.
“When ordered to stop, Mr. McFee reached down for the emergency brake and the highwaymen evidently thought he was after a gun.”
This 1925 incident captures the terror of early highway travel during the Prohibition era, when 'bandit' activity on rural roads was a genuine public safety crisis. It mirrors the contemporary struggle with road safety and random acts of violence, reminding us that the vulnerability of travelers is an old, recurring civic anxiety.
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