This day in history: As prosecution rested in mail bombing murder case, defense argues evidence is lacking

From 1974: The prosecution rested in the Ricky A. Young mail-bomb trial.

The case against Young consisted of the following points: He feared Judge James Lawless would revoke his probation following a second felony arrest; he mailed a pipe bomb to the judge, which exploded and killed the judge; a scrap of paper with his fingerprint on it was found at the crime scene.

Young’s defense lawyer opened his case by saying that the scrap of paper “could have been placed there at any time in the past.” He also said there was no evidence that Young participated in the making of the bomb.

The defense attorney also said that a group called the “People’s Army” sent letters to news media in the Tri-Cities claiming responsibility for the bomb.

From 1924: Prospects looked promising for one of the Inland Northwest’s major industries – lumber.

Most of the region’s lumber mills were “running full and in some cases, double-shifts.”

“Buyers, who held off before the election, are now releasing their orders,” the Chronicle said.

A spokesman for the Potlatch Lumber Co., said, “The lumber industry is looking up, but I do not think there is any occasion for predicting a boom. Conditions have assumed a normal level again and the market does not fluctuate as was the case some time ago.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1620: Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay, traditionally thought to be at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.