Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The Rev. Conrad Bluhm fulminated from his Centenary Presbyterian Church pulpit in a sermon titled “Spokane Orgies and the Weeping Christ.”

He was talking about what he considered the abominable sins committed on New Year’s Eve all over the city.

“King Belshazzar reigned supreme,” the reverend said. “The rummies were there. The sodden in sin were there. The tangoist, the designing, the well-intentioned, the old, the young, even some church folk; all there.”

He said that after midnight “Dante’s Inferno was heaven” compared with what went on. The sinners piled into the taxis and the owl cars (late-night streetcars).

“May God hide the doings in the taxi, while the owl car witnessed maids in the teens with nether limbs athwart the seat backs!”

From the murder beat: Louis Trickel and his wife got into an argument after coming home from the theater. Then he overheard her telling “secrets” to his sister-in-law. He flew into a rage.

He knocked his wife down and struck his sister-in-law when she tried to intervene. He then grabbed a razor “with a wild and terrible look” in his eyes.

His sister-in-law raced for help. But it was too late. When police came, Mrs. Trickel was dead from a slashed throat. Trickel then tried to kill himself, but the officer wrenched the blood-stained razor out of his grip.

He was held for murder.