Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives,

100 years ago

A shocking apparition in the woods suddenly appeared in front of a rancher and a young woman who were out for a pleasant ride three miles north of Hillyard.

A form, like a ghostly scarecrow, suddenly swung out in their path. They were too frightened to investigate – they rode away as fast as they could. But the man became curious and went back two days later.

What he found was almost more frightening than a ghost. It was the body of a man who had hung himself from a tree and remained undiscovered for many months. The body was described as nearly “mummified.”

Police said the man, a Norwegian, had been despondent in his new country. He was unable to master English and find a job.

From the Wobbly file: Members of the Wobblies (Industrial Workers of the World) gave a series of triumphant speeches at Front and Stevens streets.

This marked a significant victory for the Wobblies. The city had earlier banned street-corner speaking, sparking Spokane’s Free Speech Fight of 1909, which made national news. Under pressure, the city changed the law – which allowed the Wobblies finally to “revel chin-deep in oratory.”

Also on this date

(Associated Press)

1919: The New York Daily News was first published.