The Vanishing of Seth Catlin
Seth Catlin, 18, of Tacoma, disappeared while camping in the foothills of Mount Rainier. His horse was found tied to a tree, his canoe missing, and the river is being dragged for his body.
May 23. — Seth Catlin, aged 18, one of the most prominent young men in Tacoma, is either lost or drowned in the foothills of Mount Rainier. He has been out camping with an older companion. Tuesday word was received that he was missing. His father organized a searching party and started to look for him. News is received tonight that his horse was found tied to a tree. His canoe is missing, and the river is being dragged for his body. His father is the founder of the town of Catlin, on the Cowlitz River.
“His horse was found tied to a tree. His canoe is missing, and the river is being dragged for his body.”
Disappearances in the wilderness captured public imagination then as now. The case of Seth Catlin—son of the founder of Catlin, Washington—highlights how isolation and rugged terrain made the Pacific Northwest both alluring and dangerous. Modern search-and-rescue teams use technology, but the mystery of what happened to Catlin may never be solved.
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