Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Spokane’s prosecutor revealed why he didn’t believe the story that Della Olds, 29, told about why she shot her husband, Dr. W.H. Olds, 60.

• An autopsy determined that Olds was shot in the back of the head, not the front. The prosecutor believed that Olds was talking on the phone when he was shot from behind.

• Investigators found many vials of heroin and hypodermic needles in Della Olds’ bedroom. She told the prosecutor she only used “dope” when she was sick, but he said he found too much heroin to make that plausible. He said he found a “gallon.”

• Dr. Olds had telephoned her and asked her to pick him up downtown at 10 p.m. that night, only about an hour before the shooting. She went out in her car, but ran into a parked car and returned home without him. She was back home when he walked in.

• There was little evidence of the violent quarrel that Mrs. Olds described. The blood on Mrs. Olds appeared to come entirely from her husband.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1812: President James Madison, in a message to Congress, recounted what he called Britain’s “series of acts hostile to the United States as an independent and neutral nation”; Congress ended up declaring war. … 1967: The Beatles album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released.