Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
TEKOA — An alleged assault on a local man ended fatally in 1947.
According to an article published in the Tekoa Sentinel on Friday, June 27, 1947, Walter Decker, Northern Pacific Car Shop laborer in Spokane and brother of Mrs. Howard Jennings of Tekoa, died Sunday night on June 22, 1947.
Decker died at Sacred Heart Hospital and was reportedly a victim of robbery and assault.
According to the article, Spokane police said they knew nothing of Decker’s injuries until Monday, June 16, when the emergency hospital attendant was summoned by Decker’s landlady.
Decker had been found unconscious in his room and was taken to the hospital, police reported.
By Saturday, June 21, officers received word that Decker was near death and the attending physician said it was indicated that he had received a blow to the head. This was believed to have caused his critical condition.
A post-mortem was held at the Smith Funeral Home on Monday, June 23.
Doctors reportedly expressed the opinion to the police that an injury to the forehead caused an infection that developed into meningitis.
The meningitis, indicated by a spinal injection, is believed to have caused death.
Detective Capt. Adolph Windmaiser said police interviewed Decker’s landlady, who told them the victim complained that a Black man had robbed him.
Decker claimed that the same Black man robbed him and attacked him in the late hours of Saturday, June 14. Decker reportedly told her that the unidentified Black man had previously robbed him of $60.
Compared to now, $5 in 1947 had a purchasing power of $67.45 and in 1947, $60 had a purchasing power equivalent to $845.03 in 2024.
An investigation was conducted and the alleged Black man was never caught.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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