Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The theatrical show of “A Stubborn Cinderella” at the American Theater in Spokane ended abruptly when the entire cast refused to perform without a guarantee of pay.

“Well, you’ll excuse me, I’m sure, if I don’t work anymore,” said Eddie O’Brien, the show’s veteran comedian. “I have to eat, and so has Lottie (his daughter). No hard feelings, but if you don’t mind, I’ll just sever my connection with the company tonight.”

The show did well in its first week, but attendance dropped off in the second week. Management was four days behind in paying salaries.

The American hastily switched to movies.

From the murder beat: Mrs. Cassie Sheppard coolly recounted the events at her Hillyard home two weeks earlier during a sanity hearing. Her husband was asleep, and she got up to use the bathroom and returned with a razor. 

“I returned to the bedroom and bent over my husband and said, ‘Daddy, do you love me?’ Then I drew the razor across his throat this way (indicating a cut from ear to ear). I never felt so happy, tranquil and peaceful in my life.”

She said she and her husband never had any serious quarrels and he was good to her. She said she had no idea why she killed him, except she thought he was “keeping things from her” and possibly trying to poison her.

She said, “To me, it all seems as a dream.”

A commission ruled her to be incurably insane.