Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The wife of Preston Thayer, a man wanted in connection with the murder of a chauffeur/cab driver, “was stricken last night with nervous hysteria.”

The problem: Detectives were spying on her, trying to find clues about the whereabouts of her husband.

She was described as lying prostrate in her bed at her downtown apartment, sobbing and bemoaning her fate.

“Wherever I go, someone follows me,” she said, crying. “A man has apartments directly across from my own and has bored a hole in the door, through which he is gazing constantly.”

She claimed she had no idea where her husband might be. Neither did the police.

From the prohibition beat: A petition to place a “local option” vote – a prohibition vote – on Spokane’s ballot was struck down by the courts.

A five-judge panel unanimously ruled that the petitions were faulty. For one thing, some signers were allowed to sign for everyone in their families. Also, a handful of petition organizers filled in all of the details of date, precinct and address for most signers. Finally, the petition required 22,000 signatures to be valid, not the 10,262 it actually had.

The upshot? A prohibition measure would not be on the ballot in November, nor could one be submitted for another two years.