Jim Kershner’s This Day in History

From our archives,

100 years ago

Authorities identified the body of the Wilson Creek bank robber as H.C. “Babe” Pruett, described as “a notorious character of the cowboy type,” well-known in Ephrata and Soap Lake.

He died a day before of gunshot wounds after a 30-minute shootout with a posse in the bluffs outside of Wilson Creek.

Babe Pruett had served time in the Montana State Prison at Deer Lodge, and had just been released from another jail sentence served in Havre, Montana. He apparently called his brother in Spokane when he was released and asked for money. His brother told him to “get out and work.”

An Ephrata man who knew Pruett reported that he was “the best pistol shot I ever saw.” He said it was surprising that Pruett did not kill any of his pursuers, but it was probably because a shotgun pellet had hit him in the right eye early in the gunfight, throwing off his ability to aim. He was believed to have shot himself after being grievously wounded.

From the accident beat: Mrs. Myrtle Addington warned her nephew, 13, to use care in handling a rifle he was loading in a wagon.

“Oh, it’s not loaded, I’ll show you,” said the boy, swinging the rifle up to demonstrate.

The rifle went off, and the bullet struck Mrs. Addington. She was reported to be in “uncertain” condition at Sacred Heart Hospital later that day, with a bullet wound in the abdomen.