100 years ago today in Spokane: City commissioner urges detention of people with venereal disease

Spokane city commissioner Charles A. Fleming was leading a “state-wide crusade against diseases arising out of the social evil.”

In other words, venereal diseases. Fleming was in Seattle to be part of a committee to stamp out social diseases in the state.

One of the proposals was to establish a state detention station, in which people “afflicted with the vice diseases” can be detained and given scientific treatment.

“We are going to go at this thing in a vigorous manner,” said Fleming.

From the bootlegging beat: Frank “Red” Sullivan, who made sensational bootlegging charges against two city detectives, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $100 fine.

“Red” Sullivan had been in the news earlier when he made his accusations and then vanished — presumably on another bootlegging trip.