Secret of the Palouse River
A grisly discovery of blood-stained shirts and Spanish documents suggests a cold case murder.
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.
Colfax, Wash., Feb. 7.—Evidence of what is undoubtedly a foul murder was discovered near here yesterday by E. E. Loyd, while walking along the Palouse river, one mile west of Colfax. Loyd's attention was attracted by a pile of clothing lying in the mud. He picked up one of the garments, which proved to be a white shirt, and further search revealed another white shirt and an undershirt. In these was wrapped a pocketbook and diary. In the former were two drafts issued by the Banco de Occidente of Mexico on the Anglo-Californian bank, limited, of San Francisco, payable to John Schiess, for $600 each. The drafts were written and printed in Spanish. There was also what appeared to be a copy of a deed or contract written in Spanish at Guatemala, and signed by Juan M. Rubin, along with a certificate of intention to become a citizen of the United States. One of the shirts was covered with blood and had five clean-cut holes, undoubtedly made by a knife. There is no doubt that a murder has been committed and evidence thrown into the river.
“There is no doubt that a murder has been committed and evidences of the crime thrown into the river, which at last gave up its secret.”
Cold cases in rural Washington often relied on accidental discovery by locals long after the crime occurred. This story highlights the isolation of travelers in the late 19th century, where a man could disappear with significant assets and not be missed until years later.
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