Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

100 years ago in Spokane: Man murders romantic rival, police officer

From our archives, 100 years ago

Murderous jealousy led a man to kill a rival and then kill a Spokane police officer who tried to apprehend him.

The Spokesman-Review characterized it as follows: “Hatred and jealousy between two negroes over a colored woman led to a double tragedy yesterday.”

The first murder occurred when Earl A. Jones, a porter, went to the “colored porter and waiter’s club” on Pacific Avenue and confronted Charles Jackson, another porter.

Jones apparently shot Jackson in a jealous rage, and then “walked leisurely” toward the home of Alice Cooper on Grant Street.

Meanwhile, two men occupying a creamery office on the first floor, beneath the second-floor club room, had heard a shot from upstairs. They rushed up to the club room and found Jackson on the floor, “in his death throes.” They notified police. Some other men from the creamery saw Jones waking away and followed him in the creamery truck.

When police arrived they dispatched several officers to the neighborhood where Jones had walked. While they watched a house, Alice Cooper ran from the house, yelling, “Don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me!” She said Jones was hidden inside.

Michael Tynan, a Spokane police traffic officer, entered the house and was immediately shot three times. He stumbled out the door and Jones ran out behind him. Officers shot Jones several times.

Tynan died of his wounds. Jones was taken to the hospital, where he asked hospital attendants to kill him and put him out of his misery. He was not granted this request. He was instead arrested for both murders.