Jim Kershner’s This day in history » On the Web: spokesman.com/topics/local-history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Police were called out repeatedly to what were called “disturbances” involving soldiers from Fort George Wright’s black regiments – but it turned out to be nothing but noise.

Police said they found several “paynight festivities” going on at “colored haunts” in the West Grove addition. Yet they found no reason to arrest anybody.

“In every case, investigation showed that the complaints were greatly exaggerated and came chiefly from women who were left alone at home,” said the paper. “A birthday party was found to be under way in one home, where a large number of soldiers were assembled. Singing, dancing, plantation shuffles and drinking seemed to be the chief diversions, and were so strenuously partaken of that the shouts and laughter could be heard for several blocks.”

Police did confiscate one case of beer. And, sometime around 2:30 a.m, “considerable shooting occurred.” Police could not determine what that was all about, except to confirm that there was no fighting and nobody got shot.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1795: The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, dealing with states’ sovereign immunity, was ratified. … 1962: President John F. Kennedy imposed a full trade embargo on Cuba.