The Tragedy of the Snohomish Incident

Serious apprehensions are entertained of trouble with the various Indian tribes between this place and Cape Flattery. A demonstration has been made by the Snohomish band on a party of whites, the reception of the news of which on Thursday last, created quite an excitement amongst the citizens of Olympia. A young man by the name of Young, an engineer in the new mill of M. C. C. Terry, of Alki, engaged a party of the Indians of that tribe to accompany him, in a canoe, in search of a claim. Several days having elapsed, two of the Indians returned with the clothing, watch, and as was supposed, money of Mr. Young. Suspicion being entertained that they had murdered him, they were about to be apprehended, when they fled to Snohomish, Island county. They were at once pursued by a party of four men under the charge of the Sheriff of King county, and nearly overtaken; but before the canoe which was to convey them had been fairly disengaged from the beach, an attack was made upon them by the assembled Indians, which resulted in the killing of Dr. Cherry and the wounding of L. B. Russell and Mr. Ebey and a daughter of the latter, who were some of the pursuers of Young. The Indians were eventually repulsed, and the party succeeded in returning to Seattle with the other murderers, who pleaded guilty to the charge.