Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The Deer Park automobile stage left downtown Spokane and was on Waikiki Road just north of the city limits when three masked highway robbers appeared and bullets tore into the car.

“The men gave no warning at all,” said E.R. Wilson, the only passenger. “The first I knew the bullets were tearing through the car. Then the men rushed up and shouted, asking how many passengers were aboard. I could have killed them on the spot, but had no gun.”

The driver, Albert Schnetzky, 30, and his father-in-law, Henry Carrey, 65, were both wounded. All three were ordered from the car, and the robbers demanded their pocketbooks and wallets. Then the robbers ordered the men back in at gunpoint and ordered them to drive on.

They drove to Wilson’s house, which was nearby, and called police. Schnetzky was shot in the back, and the bullet entered his lung. He was not expected to recover. Carrey was shot in the shoulder.

Police immediately began a search of inbound streetcars. An hour or so later, an officer noticed two men on a streetcar fitting the description, and one of them was trembling. The officer approached them with weapon drawn and confiscated a gun from each, a waiter, 29, and a farm hand, 19. Another 19-year-old farm hand was arrested shortly afterward at a downtown hotel.

The total haul from the robbery? $12.