100 years ago in Montana: Spokane journalist accused of killing lawyer says she asked to be treated ‘for insanity’

Sat., Oct. 8, 2016

By Jim Kershner jimkershner@comcast.net

From our archives, 100 years ago

A coroner’s jury in Thompson Falls, Montana, ordered Edith Colby, the reporter who shot Republican official A.C. Thomas, to be held for trial on murder charges.

However, the jury also ordered that J. Manire, her editor, and A.S. Ainsworth, a lawyer, be held for trial for inciting her to the act.

Colby went on the stand, but she did not talk about the actual shooting. She testified to her actions immediately before the shooting. She said she went to Ainsworth’s office and showed him the gun. When Ainsworth asked, “What are you going to do, shoot A.C. Thomas?” she said she replied, “No, I am going to scare him and make him take back what he said.”

Colby claimed that she took the cartridges out of the pistol and tried to pry the bullets out of the shells, but was unable to do so.

In another development, which possibly signaled the tack her defense would take, a local pastor said that Colby had come to him weeks earlier and “asked what I could do for insanity.” The reverend said he treated her for insanity several times.

The story described Colby’s appearance on the stand as “presenting a rather tragic appearance … her face was white with the strain of the confinement … her eyes, always somewhat sunken, were appreciably darkened.”

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