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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Jim Kershner’s This day in history » On the Web: spokesman.com/topics/local-history

From our archives, 100 years ago

William Byrd, on trial for the murder of three men in the Dishman area, “smiled” and showed “apparent relish” when witnesses recounted his murderous skills as a rifleman.

He shot one man, the Dishman justice of the peace, from a distance of 230 yards. Byrd had already killed two men at close range and was fleeing the scene when he turned and shot the justice of the peace, who was in pursuit.

Byrd was captured after a four-day chase and had subsequently expressed little remorse over shooting the first two men. He said they “needed it.” They had threatened to shoot him on sight, he said, and he merely “beat them to it.”

But he was sorry about the justice of the peace.

From the fraud beat: In another courtroom, a census taker was on trial for padding the U.S. Census figures.

He reported surprisingly large populations living in what turned out to be vacant lots. He also reported 355 residents in a 98-room hotel.

When his lawyer attempted to explain, the judge cut him off by saying, “It will take you a long time to prove to me that those men were all at the hotel.”

The motive: Census takers were paid by the head.