Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Phil Lalone saw two men steal a suitcase from an auto on Summit Avenue and gave chase.

He pursued them all the way to the railroad trestle over the Spokane River. 

“Drop the suitcase, and I’ll let you go!” Lalone shouted.

But the thieves waded into deep water, and began stumbling over rocks. Then they and the suitcase were swept from view by the current.

Police arrived and called two expert swimmers to the rescue. The swimmers checked the trestle piers and found nothing. A search of the shore also failed to turn up the fugitives. The search was then called off on account of darkness.

From the accident beat: Albert Lilienthal and O.U. Hawkins were sitting outside of Lilienthal’s General Store in Lincoln, Washington, watching a big storm.

Suddenly, they were knocked to the ground by a lightning bolt. Lilienthal lay helpless with several burns and Hawkins was burned below the knee. The lightning bolt hit a telephone line, went into the building and exited where Lilienthal and Hawkins were seated on some bales of wire. 

Hawkins was expected to recover quickly. Lilienthal’s injuries were more severe but a doctor from Davenport said he had hopes that Lilienthal would recover.