Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Juveniles were “running wild” in Spokane, and neither the city nor the county was doing anything about it.

At least that was what some citizens were charging. One Spokane man said that “a gang of young boys have been stealing my fruit and my flowers.” When he remonstrated with them, they responded by throwing rocks at his house.

He called police, who told him to tell his troubles to the county probation officer. The county probation officer said this was the responsibility of the city police.

“The best authorities I can find say the word ‘probation’ does not mean the probation officer is to do police work and to make arrests,” the probation officer said.

Meanwhile, irate citizens said nobody was doing anything to “squelch disorderly young persons.”

From the murder beat: The cousin of miner Guro Knezvich was emerging as one of the suspects in his brutal murder.

Witnesses identified the cousin as one of the men who accompanied the victim to the end of the Maxwell streetcar line on the night of the murder. The victim’s body was found shot and beaten not far from the end of the line.

Another man was also in custody after being identified by witnesses. The victim and suspects were from Montenegro and had been working in the mines at Wardner, Idaho, for several years.