Story of quadruple murder in Tekoa

              9T0RY OF QUADRUPLE MURDER IN TEKOA
August 30, 1912
Perhaps no crime in t.lie history of Whitman uounty has caused a greater awaken¬ ing on the part of right-thinking people than that which resulted in the killing of four people at Tekoa last Saturday — Deputy Sheriff John Sstep, Marshal Grant Dick¬ inson, Patrick Collins and Earnest Gardner.
While at Colfax on Monday we gathered the following facts from Prosecutor Pattison and others who were on ground at the time of the slaughter;
Early Saturday morning "Pat" Collins was found in the railway yards at Tekoa by a car inspector. He was unconscious and had a wound behind his ear. He died within a few hours. According to testimony of R. B. Lewis, harvest hand, and Tom Hooper, whose occupation we did not learn, Collins was given his death wound while engaged in a row over a poker game in the Milford Gardner saloon at one o'clock Saturday morning. While quarreling Collins is said to have struck "Curly" Gardner with his fist, whereupon the latter rushed behind the bar and secured a revolver with which he struck Collins in the head. Gardner was arrested and placed in charge of an officer.
Upon the death of Collins, Coroner Bruning and Prosecutor Pattison were called to Tekoa and the latter advised that the city council call a special meeting and
revoke .toe license of the saloon, it being owned by a brother to the man who killed Collins. After hearing evidence as given in the council room in regard to the man¬ ner in which he had conducted his place, M. Gardner, who was still at liberty, made
the threat that he would "get" Prosecutor Pattison within an hour. After the threat Officer Dickinson was instructed to place the man in jail, and walked away with him. It is believed that the reason why Dickinson failed to place Gardner in the lockup was that he thought his anger had been cooled to the extent that he was no longer dangerous. However this may be, the man was not placed in confinement.
After the hearing Marshal Dickinson, Deputy Sheriff Bstep, the prosecuting attor¬ ney, mayor and members of the council went to the saloon to make further investiga¬ tion of the charge that a gambling room was being conducted therein. While on the way Prosecutor Pattison stopped at a confectionery store to get a drink of lemonade and, he says, the stop was for him the luckiest ever made. While he was waiting for the lemonade the shooting started. Upon entering the saloon Marshal Dickinson in¬ formed Earnest Gardner that the license had been revoked. Gardner forthwith drew a 30-30 on Mayor Wood, but the hammer snapped and no harm was done. It is supposed
that when Officer Estep saw what was coming he started to draw his gun, but was not quick enough. Gardner wheeled from the mayor to Mr. Bstep and killed the latter instantly. He next shot Marshal Dickinson through the head, this shot, too, being instantly fatal. Then Gardner shot Councilman Snyder, the bullet missing a fatal spot by perhaps an inch. It grazed Mr. Snyder's left eye, just breaking the skin.