Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

A Spokesman-Review reporter landed a Sunday afternoon interview with Della Olds, 29, on trial for murdering her physician husband.

She blamed the entire thing on the controversial Alan Racetrack in North Idaho. She said Dr. Olds always came home in a “vicious, unbearable mood” when he lost at the track. That fatal night, he came home drunk and angry.

She didn’t go into details of the shooting – the trial was still ongoing – but she did say she believed she would “come off free” because of self-defense.

She also discussed her emotions about being on trial and said nobody can “know the agony and awfulness of it.” She said she had to steel herself during court sessions because she didn’t want to “break down in the courtroom.”

But the emotions flowed freely when she went to a local cafe for dinner (she was free on bond and staying with her sister).

“They have music there and the orchestra played a sort of sad piece,” said Della, wearing an Oriental dressing gown and toying with her braided hair. “I couldn’t stand it. Sister joined me and we both had a good cry.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1867: Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain. … 1962: The African nations of Burundi and Rwanda became independent of Belgium.