August 14, 2011 in City

Jim Kershner’s This day in history

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From our archives, 100 years ago

Police were pursuing a new theory – a “revenge assassination” – in the murder of Louis Vetterman, the brewmaster of the Inland Brewing Co., in front of his home.

Two or three shadowy figures rushed at him as he was returning home, gunned him down on the street and fled down an alley.

At first police believed it was a robbery, but witnesses came forward to report that the murderers ambushed Vetterman with a single goal in mind, death. Two of those witnesses were his own wife and daughter, who were sitting on the porch waiting for him to come home.

Adding intrigue to the investigation was a mysterious note police found in the wallet of the dead man. It was a newspaper clipping about a man back east who committed suicide and gave as his reason that “his wife hugged and kissed him too much.” Someone had written, “Do you think that will ever happen to you and me?” and was signed “May.”

Police hinted that they knew the identity of the note’s author. They believed it had something to do with the murder, but they would not tell what.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1848: The Oregon Territory was created. … 1935: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.

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