100 years ago: Woodrow Wilson schedules address to Congress as tensions grow with Germany

From our archives, 100 years ago

An ominous headline in The Spokesman-Review read: “War Clouds Hovering.”

Tensions between the U.S. and Germany were higher than ever because of depredations by German submarines. Now President Woodrow Wilson had scheduled a joint session of Congress to discuss a matter of “utmost gravity.”

The exact nature of Wilson’s address was not certain, yet it was widely believed that Wilson would deliver an ultimatum to Germany, and possibly sever diplomatic relations. All of official Washington was “fearing the worst and hoping for the best.”

From the court beat: Arson charges were dismissed against Marie Wilkinson, the former Spokane vaudeville singer accused of setting fire to her own house for insurance purposes.

Someone had spread kerosene through the house and ignited it. Yet Mrs. Wilkinson testified that certain “enemies” had set fire to her house while she was gone.

In the end, the jury was unable to come to a decision. The deputy prosecutor concluded that no conviction could be secured.