100 years ago in Spokane: Sheriff accuses county commissioners of ‘childish displays’

Sheriff George L. Reid declared that two county commissioners played a “most contemptible trick” on him.

They asked him to go along with them on a tour of warehouses where food is stored, to discuss plans for placing guards around them. The commissioners, Charles R. Howard and W.H. McVay, told the sheriff to meet them at 8 a.m.

The sheriff showed up at the courthouse on time, with coat and hat, and met one of the commissioners in the corridor. The commissioner asked him to wait a few minutes until the other commissioner was ready.

Sheriff Reid waited. And waited.

He finally realized the commissioners had left without him, in a county vehicle.

Apparently, ill feelings had existed between the sheriff and the commissioners for months, which the sheriff attributed to their refusal to provide him with an auto for chasing bootleggers. The sheriff said he was sick and tired of the games.

“In this time when we should all be working in harmony and for the best interests of the county and government, they will stop for childish displays of spite work,” said the sheriff.