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

100 years ago in Spokane: A “saloon man” from Seattle jumps from the Trent Bridge

Jim Kershner

From our archives, 100 years ago

Jack Strube, described as a “saloon man” from Seattle, was walking across the Spokane River at the Trent Bridge with three young relatives.

Suddenly, he whipped off his overcoat, threw his purse (wallet) onto the bridge and said, “I guess I will see how deep the water is.”

Then he jumped 60 feet into the icy water. One of his companions, a 12-year-old boy, found a pole and attempted to rescue Strube, but Strube made no effort to grab the pole or to swim at all. He disappeared beneath the surface and was presumed drowned.

His relatives said Strube had recently been robbed in Seattle and injured. Since then, they said, he had become “mentally deranged.”

From the accident beat: George Green, 17, failed to follow one key safety procedure before scraping out an industrial ice cream mixer at the Inland Empire Biscuit Co.: He failed to turn off the machine first.

His hand was caught by one of the mixing “knives,” which pulled him into the mixer. His screams brought another worker running, who switched off the machine. By then, Green had been whirled round and round and was terribly cut and pummeled.

Both of his arms were broken, along with several ribs. Doctors at Sacred Heart Hospital said they believed Green might recover, although he was likely to lose a hand.