100 years ago in Spokane: ‘Resentment’ and ‘indignation’ mounted after the pedestrian death of a widow dragged for 13 blocks

The public outcry was long and loud over the death of a widow, Mrs. S.S. Kirkpatrick, who was dragged to her death beneath a car driven by W.G. Van Skike, 55, a well-to-do Opportunity farmer,

She was dragged beneath the car for 13 blocks, still conscious, while more than a dozen onlookers screamed at Van Skike to stop. He failed to stop, and multiple witnesses said he was clearly trying to get away. She was finally thrown from beneath the carwhen the driver made a sudden lurch, but she died later at the hospital.

The police chief said he wasn’t certain Van Skike knew someone was trapped beneath his car, but he was certain that Van Skike knew he had hit a pedestrian at the intersection of Sprague and Division. The chief believed Van Skike was trying to flee the scene.

He was charged with manslaughter and released on $5,000 bail.

A Spokane fire lieutenant was also convinced that Van Skike was attempting to flee. The off-duty firefighter said he was driving on Sprague when a crowd pointed out the car with Kirkpatrick underneath. He immediately drove off in pursuit.

“The big car was too fast for me, although I always kept in sight of it,” said the fire lieutenant.

It was obvious that the driver knew he was being chased, he said, so the firefighter turned off his headlights in hopes that Van Skike would believe he was no longer being pursued. When the firefighter finally got close enough, he flashed on his lights in order to see the license number.

“The moment our lights went on, the other fellow stepped on the gas and shot away like a flash,” said the lieutenant.

The lieutenant drove back to the spot where the woman had been thrown free, and gave Van Skike’s license number to police. Van Skike was arrested shortly afterward, following a collision with a motorcycle messenger who was also pursuing him.

A fire captain later said the incident had aroused exceptional public “resentment” and “indignation” in the Union Park neighborhood.