A Woman's Courageous Stand at Palmer

James Ahern was arrested in the clearing near Palmer (also known as Green River), for an attempted assault upon Mrs. Hiltu. Ahern had been working in the area for a few days and was staying at a boarding house kept by Mrs. Hiltu, a young married woman whose husband was away working on a railroad section near Renton. In the early morning hours, Ahern broke into the home through a window. He entered the bedroom where Mrs. Hiltu and her four-year-old child were sleeping. When she awoke, Ahern seized her by the throat. She struggled and fought him so fiercely that he struck the child, knocking him senseless. Mrs. Hiltu was dragged from the bed and her clothing torn, but she fought her assailant with such energy that she kept him at bay for ten minutes, suffering horrible maltreatment. Finally, she managed to throw a curtain over his head, allowing her to escape to the porch, where she screamed for help. The section boss, James Hunter, and his men rushed over and found the woman on the porch. A search party was organized, and Ahern was found hiding in the brush nearby. He was brought to Seattle by rail before the husband could arrive to exact his own justice. Mrs. Hiltu remains in critical condition.