Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Judge George Turner wanted the city of Spokane to stay out of the morality business.

“The function of the city government of Spokane is not to look after the morals of any man or woman, but to preserve law and order,” the judge told the Spokane Realty Board. “It is not the function of the police department to club a man and throw him in the city bastille when found in an intoxicated condition on the street.”

“These restrictions hurt business,” he said. Miners and loggers who come to Spokane for “recreation and rest” have not been “treated liberally enough” by police and are now spending their money in other cities.

From the Wobbly beat: The City Council issued a permit to the Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) for a mass street meeting at the south end of the Monroe Street Bridge.

They wanted to protest the jailing of some Wobblies in Lawrence, Mass. One city commissioner objected, but the others apparently had no appetite for another Wobbly free-speech controversy.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1962: The Beatles fired their original drummer, Pete Best, replacing him with Ringo Starr. … 1987: Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed during takeoff from Detroit. Out of 156 passengers the sole survivor was 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan.