Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Unknown villains resorted to a particularly frightening method of attempted murder: setting off a heavy load of dynamite at a family’s back door.

The back of the home doubled as the shop of Cataldo merchant J.H. Van Keuren. He was not in the shop at the time, but A.K. Rogers, of Spokane, was minding the store. And Van Keuren’s family was in an adjoining room. The blast threw them all to the floor, badly bruising them. Rogers ended up covered with cans and boxes. Miraculously, no one was killed.

The Kootenai County sheriff had no doubt that it was an attempt to murder Van Keuren, who had recently defaulted on a number of debts and had many “bitter enemies.”

Rogers said the unknown bombers were undoubtedly under the impression that Van Keuren was home at the time and apparently were “willing to sacrifice the rest in order to get their man.”

They were saved only because the dynamite was placed against the building and not under it.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1858: The first of seven debates between Illinois senatorial contenders Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas took place.

1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order making Hawaii the 50th state.