Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

A number of boys playing in a downtown neighborhood became angry at one of their number, Arthur Fay, 10, over “some trifling thing.”

So they held him down on the ground and two of them sat on him while he fought for breath. They didn’t let up until he lost consciousness – and then they panicked.

They ran for help. Police steward Ned Edris arrived on the scene and discovered two people passed out: The boy’s mother had run to the scene and immediately fainted.

Edris performed artificial respiration on young Arthur, who soon regained consciousness. Then Edris revived the mother.

Both were doing fine.

From the soldier beat: An Ione, Wash., farm boy named Napoleon Bonaparte Johnson, 21, decided to read a biography of his illustrious namesake.

It was so inspiring that the boy decided to embark on a military career. He came to Spokane and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

“I want to learn the ‘how’ of being a soldier,” Napoleon said. “And then I may go into the business on my own hook in South America or some place.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1812: The Battle of Fort Dearborn took place as Potawatomi warriors attacked a U.S. military garrison of about 100 people.