100 years ago in Spokane: Police uncover illegal booze, drug operation in South Hill home

From our archive, 100 years ago

Two women and three men were arrested after police found opium, cocaine, morphine and 125 quarts of whisky in a house on the lower South Hill.

It all began when the delivery man for the operation was arrested for selling a quart of whisky. Police then searched the house and found the contraband hidden in the garage. The young couple living in the house and several other people were taken into custody.

While police were searching the house, the phone rang and a woman asked, “Is Doughnuts there?”

The detective answered in the affirmative and handed the phone to another officer, who said he was “Doughnuts.”

The woman said, “Send one up right away to the Sprague Hotel.”

When the officer asked for a room number, the person became alarmed and hung up “with a bang.” The officer later learned that he had neglected to respond with the code word, “Swan.”

From the love and marriage beat: Frances M. Sams sued Julia Sams for stealing her husband away.

Frances told the court she had been living happily with Charles A. Sams when Julia “enticed” him away to her farm in Stevens County with “offers of marriage and other inducements.”

Frances was subsequently granted a divorce, and Julia and Charles were married. Yet Frances was in no mood to let the matter drop. She was suing Julia for $10,000 in damages.