Father and Son Arrested After Violent Family Dispute
A domestic conflict in the Walla Walla addition results in the arrest of a father and his son following allegations of abuse against a pregnant woman.
George E. Filer, aged 36 years, and Samuel Filer, his father, aged 60 years, living at 822 Windom street, in the Walla Walla addition, were arrested last evening by Detective Cave on a warrant charging them with having maltreated and threatened to kill Mrs. Filer, wife of the younger man. It is alleged that as a result of this treatment the woman gave premature birth to a child and now lies in a critical condition. The police authorities refused to release the Filers on bail. Samuel Filer, who arrived from Pennsylvania recently, told the police, 'I came 3,000 miles to see my children, and this is what I get for fatherly advice.' George Filer attributed the trouble to his wife's jealousy, claiming that a visit to a brother's grave had incited her anger.
“I came 3,000 miles to see my children, and this is what I get for fatherly advice.”
Domestic violence cases in the 1890s were often framed by the press as 'family rows' or 'jealousy' rather than the serious criminal acts we recognize today. This shift in how we report on violence reflects our evolving understanding of victim-blaming and the sanctity of the home.
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