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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

100 years ago: Local girl thought to have run off with lumberjack

 (Spokesman-Review archives)

The town of Harrison, Idaho, was in an uproar over the disappearance of Ada Loftin, 14, the daughter of local pioneers.

The girl was “believed to have been spirited away” by Chester Russell, 25, a local lumberjack.

Her father told authorities that Russell had been forbidden to see the girl, but that “he seemed to hold the girl in his power.” Other than that, she had “always been an obedient daughter.”

Russell was believed to have gone into the forest with her, with food and camping gear. He was also believed to be armed. He recently bought a gun, ammunition, a tent and other supplies.

Armed searchers had been combing the woods for two days.

From the movie beat: Howard S. Clemmer, the proprietor of the Clemmer Theater (today’s Bing Crosby Theater) announced that his theater would not host a repeat showing of the smash movie hit, “The Birth of a Nation.”

He made the announcement after appearing before the County Council of Defense. The council had passed a resolution “condemning the presentation of the (film) as being detrimental to the best ends of patriotism.” The previous showing of the movie in Spokane sparked protests from the city’s black community.