In the small, burgeoning town of Kennewick, Washington, a tragic series of events unfolded on the last day of October 1906, culminating in the death of 33-year-old White / Caucasian male, Patrolman Joseph Holzhey. The incident, which would come to be known as the "Poplar Grove Shootout," began when Holzhey and other local lawmen sought to question two men in connection with recent burglaries.
What started as a routine investigation quickly escalated into a deadly confrontation that would leave four men dead and a community in shock.
On that fateful Halloween afternoon, Holzhey, along with Kennewick Marshal Mike Glover and Deputy Marshal Forest Perry, made their way to a transient camp, often referred to as a "hobo jungle," situated near the Northern Pacific Railway bridge. Their purpose was to investigate a recent string of burglaries, and their attention had fallen upon two individuals at the camp, Jake Lake and a teenager named George "Kid" Barker. When the lawmen approached the camp to question the pair, they were met with hostility. Lake, one of the suspects, emerged from the trees brandishing a rifle and, without warning, opened fire on the officers.
The ensuing gunfight was swift and brutal. Both Holzhey and Marshal Glover were struck by gunfire. Despite being wounded, Holzhey managed to return fire. In the exchange, Jake Lake was shot and killed. Marshal Glover succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while Holzhey was gravely wounded and would die the following day, on November 1, 1906. The second suspect, George "Kid" Barker, fled the scene in the chaos.
The aftermath of the shootout saw the town of Kennewick in an uproar. A posse of citizens was quickly formed to hunt down the escaped suspect. The search, however, was marred by another tragedy. A member of the posse, Forrest Perry, who was also a deputy marshal, located Barker hiding. As Perry called for Barker to surrender, other members of the posse mistook him for the suspect and opened fire, killing their own man. In the confusion, Barker was apprehended and taken into custody. His time in jail was short-lived, however, as he managed to escape and was never seen again. It was later determined that the two suspects were not involved in the burglaries that initiated the tragic chain of events. The community mourned the loss of their dedicated officer, Joseph Holzhey, who was remembered for his ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
