Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

A “young and pretty” 21-year-old Western Union clerk fell into a stupor and died – a victim of morphine addiction.

Her landlady said she had noticed that the young woman had begun “acting queerly.” The woman at first denied being a dope “fiend,” but finally admitted it after her landlady saw her “take something” right before bed and fall into a stupor. The landlady threatened to tell her mother in Seattle, and the young clerk promised to stop.

But she could not keep her promise. Authorities later discovered she kept secret supplies of morphine at her desk.

From the love and marriage beat: A judge castigated a young woman whose husband, an elderly mining tycoon, was seeking a divorce. The judge said the wife had planned to dupe him from the beginning – and that this was not the first time she had “sought gain” by marrying a rich, old man.

“It has been said that there is no fool like an old fool, and this plaintiff is not far removed,” said the judge.

The judge said she “got him going” and then tried to blackmail him into handing over his money and stock.

The judge granted the divorce and left all of the stock and property with the husband.