100 years ago in Spokane: Witness says victim was alive and unharmed after he fought with accused murderer

The mysterious “other man” in the murder case against Jennings B. Henry was revealed on the witness stand.

His name was Isaac Selvig, and he testified that he was responsible, at least in part, for instigating the fight that led to the death of Helen Williams.

“The trouble started in Henry’s room at the Touraine Hotel when I tried to kiss Helen Williams,” testified Selvig. “… Henry had a pint of liquor, which I had purchased for him. We each drank until about an inch and a half was emptied out of the bottle.”

Selvig left briefly to get another bottle. When he returned, Helen Williams was there, and Henry was “real drunk.”

Selvig admitted that, while Henry was in the bathroom, he asked Williams if she would kiss him. She said no.

When Henry came out of the bathroom, Selvig told Henry he had a “square girl” (or “square kid”). This made Henry angry and the two men fought.

Selvig claimed he and Henry were in the hallway when the fight took place. Selvig said he quickly retreated down the hallway, and when he left, nobody had been hurt.

Henry had yet to testify, but earlier he had claimed Williams had been accidentally slashed with the knife during the fight.

From the bank robbery beat: Two men were arrested in Pomeroy on suspicion of being the bank robbers who injured cashier Ruth Jennings, 19, at the State Bank of Spangle.

Deputies escorted Jennings to Pomeroy to identify the two men – but the deputies would leave disappointed.

“These two men are too young to be the ones who robbed the bank,” said Jennings, after she studied them for nearly a half-hour. “Their descriptions fit those of the robbers remarkably well, but their voices are different and they are far too young.”