July 16, 1921: Murdered man found in river

-Andrew Matyla, age 55, is found in Columbia River near Inchelium

-Robbery may be cause as dead man had around $500 in his pockets on leaving home

After a disappearance of eleven weeks, the body of Andrew Matyla, age 55, a carpenter of Northport, was found on the west side of the Columbia River near Inchelium. No marks were found with the exception of a cut, about three inches long, on the back of the head which would give any clue as to why the body was found in the river.

According to friends of the dead man at Northport, Matyla was well dressed and bald when he left home. His height was given as five feet nine inches. The description of the man found in the river tallied exactly with Matyla, the day he disappeared from his home.

That robbery was the probable motive is the belief expressed by the Stevens County Sheriff's Office. Over $500 was supposed to be in Matyla's pockets when he left for Spokane, when the body was found near Inchelium not an article of any kind could be found on the dead man.

As soon as the body was discovered Sheriff W.H. Graham went to Inchelium where he identified the body as that of Matyla. No inquest was held by Steven's County authorities, due to the fact that the body was found on the Ferry county side of the river. Up to late Friday no report had been received at the sheriff's office from the Ferry county coroner as to the probably cause of the supposed murder.