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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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This day in history: NAACP called for coroner’s inquest in police shooting death of LC student. Men hadn’t given up hope for oil

The Spokane branch of NAACP and other Spokane organizations were calling for a coroner's inquest into the death of Craig S. Jordan, a Lewis and Clark High School student who was shot and killed by Spokane Police Officer John D. Moore. (Spokesman-Review archives)
By Jim Kershner The Spokesman-Review

From 1975: A number of parties, including Spokane civil right attorney Carl Maxey, demanded a coroner’s inquest into the fatal police shooting of Craig S. Jordan, a 17-year-old Lewis and Clark High student.

The Spokane branch of the NAACP and various other Spokane organizations, including the Spokane Coalition for Human Rights and the Spokane Black Ministers Alliance, also backed the request.

Jordan had been shot in the back after police responded to a burglary call. Jordan was unarmed, but the officer who shot him said he mistook a black glove for a pistol.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the shooting, but not everyone was convinced such an investigation could be impartial.

Meanwhile, the Spokane County coroner balked at the idea of an inquest, saying she was not qualified to pick an inquest jury or act as judge.

From 1925: The long-running – and ultimately doomed – attempt to find oil reserves beneath Spokane was still attracting speculators.

Neil McGinnis and his business partners hadn't given up on finding oil in Latah Valley even though the drill had gone down 3,174 feet without finding oil, the Spokane Daily Chronicle reported. The newspaper also reported that the Spokane public museum, 413 W. First Ave., was moving to 2316 W. First Ave. The new location was the Grace Campbell Memorial Building and wasn't expected to open as a museum until after the holidays. The Campbell home remains part of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. (Spokesman-Review archives)
Neil McGinnis and his business partners hadn’t given up on finding oil in Latah Valley even though the drill had gone down 3,174 feet without finding oil, the Spokane Daily Chronicle reported. The newspaper also reported that the Spokane public museum, 413 W. First Ave., was moving to 2316 W. First Ave. The new location was the Grace Campbell Memorial Building and wasn’t expected to open as a museum until after the holidays. The Campbell home remains part of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. (Spokesman-Review archives)

The Spokane Daily Chronicle ran a front-page photo of four men who had been drilling for oil beneath Hangman Creek for more than four years.

The headline over the photo read, “Have Faith They Will Yet Find Oil.”

But their drill was now down 3,174 feet – and still no gushers.