100 years ago in Spokane: ‘Tiger man’ gets hackles up

From our archives,

100 years ago

Fred Johnson, dubbed “Spokane’s tiger man,” for his snarling attitude toward being caged up, uttered one further bit of defiance after a jury convicted him of robbery.

“Don’t put those handcuffs on me,” he told deputies. “I will tear them to pieces before this time tomorrow.”

His jailers said they were “willing to take a chance” on that.

However, they had plenty of reason to be wary of Johnson. After being arrested for robbing a streetcar conductor, Johnson had proven that he would do anything to escape.

First, he assaulted a deputy while being led to a court hearing and was re-arrested only after fleeing through the streets of Spokane, and jumping in the Spokane River. He was fished out after being shot twice.

Then he attempted to dig his way out of his cell and was discovered after he had already removed a number of bricks.

Then he used a razor to nearly cut through his cell bars. Then he fashioned a dummy to make it look like he was asleep, tore steel slats from his cot to use as a bludgeon and hid in an adjoining cell with the intention of assaulting his jailers. Wary jailers discovered the ruse.

However, his conviction for the robbery – on top of his earlier conviction for assaulting a deputy – meant that the “tiger man” was now facing 40 years behind bars.

Johnson responded by telling jailers, “I will get you fellows yet.”