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

100 years ago in Spokane: Neighborhood ice cream raid turns serious

From our archives, 100 years ago

What began as relatively innocent “ice cream raid” turned ugly in a Spokane neighborhood.

A “gang of boys” tried to steal ice cream intended for a girl’s birthday party. The girls resisted and a ruckus ensued. Peace was eventually restored.

However, some time later, Marion Siegle, 15, was walking in the neighborhood. One of the “gang” of boys, a 17-year-old, apparently mistook her for one of the girls who had resisted the ice cream raid.

So he ran up to her from behind and “struck her on the back with all of his strength.”

He ruptured her kidney. She was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital, where doctors initially feared for her life. However, later reports said that she was improving.

The 17-year-old was arrested and two other members of the gang were arrested.

From the desperado beat: Fred Johnson, aka Louis Coynt, was lying unconscious in the “strong cell” at the county jail after his desperate escape from the courthouse the day before. He had been shot while attempting to swim across the Spokane River.

He was reported to be bleeding from the mouth and probably dying.

However, county jailers suspected he was faking. He had a long record of feigning helplessness before lashing out.