Horrifying sight at Curley’s: Poker game at Tekoa Saloon in 1912 led to the violent deaths of four men

One hundred years ago today, Patrick Collins and C.E. Lewis traveled from Endicott to Tekoa, and the next night they went to Curley’s Bar, a saloon in Tekoa which was located under the Commercial Hotel.

They joined in a poker game with the proprietor, Milford “Curley” Gardner, and others. In the early morning hours an argument broke out and Collins reportedly hit Gardner. The proprietor then went behind his bar, came back with a gun and struck Collins.

Collins, who was later determined to be from Enumclaw, was discovered two hours later beside a telegraph pole in the Tekoa railroad yard, and Tekoa Marshall Grant Dickinson was notified. Collins was first taken to jail and then to a Tekoa Hotel where he died about 2:30 a.m.

The death of Collins caused the Tekoa City council to convene in an emergency session and approve revocation the liquor license for Curley’s Bar.

Marshall Dickinson, Deputy John B. Eastep, who had ridden from Colfax to Tekoa with County Physician R.J. Skaife, and other officials headed for the bar to serve notice.

They were met enroute by Curley’s brother, Ernest “Palouse” Gardner, who had earlier attended the emergency council session in a drunken condition and was told to leave. He accompanied them to the saloon, went around behind the bar and grabbed a short 30-30 repeating rifle. Ernest Gardner then fatally shot Deputy Eastep and Marshall Dickinson. He then shot himself in the head and became the fourth person to die that day, Aug. 24, 1912, in Tekoa.

The 100th anniversary of the violent deaths in Tekoa was brought to the attention of the Gazette by Gary Eastep of Sagle, Idaho, a great-grandson of Deputy Eastep. What follows is the account in the subsequent edition of the Gazette, Aug. 30, 1912.

Tekoa was the scene of a terrible tragedy last Saturday which resulted in the death of four men. The list of dead includes John B. Eastep of Colfax, a deputy sheriff of Whitman County; Grant Dickinson, marshal of Tekoa; Ernest Gardner, a Tekoa saloon man who shot the top of his head off after killing the two officers; and Patrick Collins, a laborer who died from being beaten over the head with a gun in a card game at 2 o’clock in the morning. Wilford Gardner is in the county jail charged with the assault on Collins, which led to the other killings.

The two officers were shot and instantly killed by Ernest Gardner better known as “Palouse” Gardner, when the latter was being notified that the saloon license for “Curley’s Place” had been revoked by the council as a result of the assault which ended in the death of Collins. “Curley” Gardner was proprietor of the place and his brother, “Palouse” Gardner, was associated with him. The killing occurred in the saloon.

Mayor I. S. Woods narrowly escaped death as the deadly rifle was first aimed at him and snapped, but no cartridge had been placed in the barrel.

Deputy Sheriff Eastep reached for his gun but his hand did not get to his pocket before the rifle flashed upon him and a soft nosed 30-30 bullet plowed through his left arm just below the shoulder and entirely through his body lodging under the skin on the right side.

A second bullet followed and went through the left arm and lodged in the body.

In the mean time Marshal Grant Dickinson had whipped out his automatic but the gun failed to work at the trial.

When he did succeed in working it the shot narrowly missed the desperate man with the rifle and struck the mirror behind the bar.

The rifle next swung on Grant Dickinson and the mushroom bullet plowed a furrow two inches deep through the top of his head.

As Grant fell his automatic was discharged a second time.

The rifle was then turned through the window at the mayor and councilmen who were beating a hasty retreat.

Councilman P. S. Gulp had a finger nipped and Councilman Abraham Snyder had the side of his head grazed with a bullet.

“Palouse” Gardner then turned the rifle on himself.

It is believed the first shot only passed through his ear and that the second bullet entered the side of his head near the ear and blew the top of his head completely off.

The day before the tragedy Patrick Collins and his partner, C.E. Lewis, came to Tekoa from Endicott where they had been working.

Friday night, they were engaged in a game of cards with “Curley” Gardner and one or two others.

About 1 or 2 o’clock Saturday morning the game broke up in a row in which it is alleged that “Curley” struck Collins over the head with a gun.

Collins walked out bleeding and was later seen at the depot by the night operator and call boy who asked what was the matter.

Collins replied, “Nothing”.

The operator told Collins he had better go see a doctor to which Collins replied, “No, I am all right.” Two or three hours later Collins was discovered in the railroad yards beside a telegraph pole in an unconscious condition.

The marshal was notified and Dr.

J. A. Nelson was called.

Collins was first taken to the jail where the wounds on his head were dressed and he was later removed to the hotel.

It was evident the man was dying and the coroner and sheriff were notified.

Prosecuting Attorney Paul Pattison and Coroner Bruning went up on the Soo train and County Physician R. J. Skaife and Deputy Sheriff Eastep went up in Dr.

Skaife’s automobile, all arriving about the same time.

Collins lived until about 2:30 o’clock but did not regain consciousness.

When the county officers arrived in Tekoa “Curley” Gardner was at home in bed and the house was watched for some time.

Later “Curley” was arrested and placed in the county jail.

Mayor Woods and the councilmen were in consultation and when Collins died the city council convened and revoked Gardner’s saloon license.

“Palouse” Gardner, a brother of the saloon proprietor, had been before the council and made some drunken threats and the marshal was ordered to take him out.

This was done and when the officers went to Curley’s bar for the purpose of closing it “Palouse” met them on the street and accompanied them into the saloon.

He went around behind the bar and took the money from the cash register, then reached under the bar and grabbed a short repeating rifle and with an oath ordered the men out, beginning to shoot at the same time.

Those who escaped the fusillade were in the street in an instant and there was a general ducking to cover by the crowd which had been interested spectators of the doing of the officials.

In a moment heads began to appear from behind doors and around corners. A Tekoa man tiptoed up to the corner and peeked around into the window shading his eyes with his hand. He exclaimed, “They are all down, the coast is clear,” and he entered the door followed by Dr. Skaife, Gene King, Coroner Bruning and several Tekoa people.

The sight which met their eyes was horrifying, Grant Dickinson’s body lay near the door and blood and brains were scattered on the floor and the ceiling. Eastep had been farther in the room and his body lay in an arched doorway. The body of the murderer and suicide lay at the end of the bar at the back end of the narrow room and the bullet which riddled his head had gone through the floor above and threw splinters in the face of a man in the Commercial Hotel which was located in the rooms over the basement saloon.

The murderer had $487 dollars in his pocket including the silver and small change that he had taken from the cash register. The bar was a regular fortress and was equipped with three rifles, two revolvers and a bowie knife.

Marshal Grant Dickinson had told the council in the morning that if they did not revoke the Gardner license they could have his star as he would not put up with that kind of business. Mr. Dickinson was a candidate for the democratic nomination for sheriff.

Riley Roby, known as “Crookneck Riley,” was the bar tender and he was brought to the county jail on a gambling charge. He has a police record in Spokane, according to Captain M. J. Burns.

Following the shooting Sheriff Carter, Deputy Sheriff William Cole and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney F. L. Satotler went to Tekoa and assisted in the investigation and in bringing “Curley” Gardner and Riley Roby to the county jail. Tekoa people were considerably agitated over the shooting and many substantial citizens “packed” guns the remainder of the day for their own protection.

Ernest Gardner leaves a wife but no children. Milford Gardner has a wife and two children.

Grant Dickinson was 39 years of age and leaves a wife and four children aged 9, 7, 4 and 2 years. He carried $1,000 insurance in the Woodmen and was a member of the Eagles. His parents Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Dickinson live at Plaza. Mr. Dickinson has been Marshal of Tekoa for several years and also served two years as deputy sheriff under F. S. Ratliff.

The body of Patrick Collins was brought to Colfax. Following the publication of the tragedy, an acquaintance in Toppenish telegraphed the exact description of Collins and said if the description filled to notify Tom Collins, father of the dead man at Enumclaw. The father directed that the body be shipped to Enumclaw.

The Eastep Connection

Gary Eastep reports a photo of his great-grandfather, Deputy John B. Eastep, hangs in the living room of their home in Sagle, Idaho. Deputy Eastep was photographed “staring into the camera with his leather hat squarely on his head, handlebar mustache bristling, and star-shaped badge pinned above his heart.

“My great-grandfather cuts an impressive figure in the sepia-toned photograph,” he notes.

Deputy John B. Eastep and Tekoa Marshall Grant L. Dickinson, the other lawman who died 100 years ago in a Tekoa bar, are among those recognized by the state of Washington. Their names are engraved on a memorial at the Spokane County Courthouse.

Deputy Eastep came to Colfax in 1900, and he operated a blacksmith shop on Mill Street before joining the sheriff’s office in 1910. Two of his sons were operating the shop at the time of his death.

Mr. Eastep and his first wife had four sons, and he and his second wife, Elizabeth Roberts, had two sons.

All businesses in Colfax closed and an estimated 800 people attended the deputy’s funeral at the United Methodist Church on Mill Street.

The Eastep shop trade extended into the next generation when the late Clarence Eastep operated his repair shop on Main Street.

Gary, the son of Eugene Eastep, was raised in Thornton. He and his brother, Larry Eastep, are graduates of Rosalia High School.

The Eastep line of law officers continues with Chad Eastep, Larry’s son, who is now an officer with the Cheney Police Dept.

Deputy Sheriff John B. Eastep was buried in the Colfax Cemetery.

Tekoa Marshall Dickinson was buried in the Tekoa Cemetery. He and his wife, the former Naomi Ann Sterans, were married at Tekoa in 1904. He was survived by three children. Their youngest, Mary Elvvir, was 19 month old when her father was killed. She died in Portland in 1984.