100 years ago in Spokane: Hotel manager denies brothel, beer charges

From our archives,

100 years ago

Eliza Anderson vigorously denied charges that she ran a disorderly house at the Miner’s Hotel on Sprague Avenue − and she further said that police had persecuted her and “framed up” the charges.

She was hauled into court on “abatement proceedings” against her hotel following a raid several weeks earlier.

During the raid, police and the Rev. M.A. Covington − part of a ministerial crusade against brothels − said they discovered Anderson selling beer in the parlor and that “girls in abbreviated costumes were found entertaining men.”

Anderson had a rebuttal to every charge. The beer, she said, was the property of a sick relative. She had served beer on occasion to friends, but she had never sold a bottle.

The girl found “wearing a low-necked dress” was ill that night and had “put on the light gown to be more comfortable.”

When requested to explain why three other girls, who had been arrested in previous raids at other houses, happened to be in her hotel that night. Anderson explained that, too.

She had invited the girls there in order to go to the theater with her. But one of the girls became ill and frustrated their plans.

An undercover agent told the court that he had been paid $3 a day to secure evidence against this and other hotels.