100 years ago in Spokane: Four young women assaulted by perpetrator who was still at large

From our archive, 100 years ago

Four girls and young women had been victims of attempted assaults in the last few days, and the unidentified perpetrator or perpetrators were still at large.

The latest incident occurred on Summit Boulevard, when Miss Maude Whitney, 20, was walking home from the department store where she worked.

A man came up behind her, threw an arm under her chin and hurled her into snow.

Miss Whitney screamed repeatedly and “continued striking blindly at the thug’s face and eyes, and scratched him with her nails.” She put up such a fierce fight that the man “desisted and ran down over the hill.” She raced to her home, but was reported to be “in a highly nervous condition, bordering on hysterics.” She was being calmed by a physician.

Because of the snow, police were able to track the assailant down to the Spokane River, where he appeared to have slipped and slid, almost into the water. Then the tracks went back up to Summit Boulevard, where they were lost.

This series of assaults and attempted assaults had women on edge all over the city. One woman reported that a man, fitting the description of the assailant, came to her door and “began to ask queer questions.” He beat a hasty retreat when her husband walked into the room.

Another woman called police to report that a young man had been behaving strangely outside the Davenport Hotel. He approached her and said, “Hello, kid.” The woman was reported to be “highly indignant” at this insulting behavior.