100 years ago today in Spokane: Police arrest woman for morphine party

Nellie Culbertson, 65, one of Spokane’s legendary miscreants, landed in jail again after she threw a “hop party” (a morphine party) in her hotel room. Four other women were “enjoying the morphine” and were also arrested.

This was the latest in a long list of Culbertson’s escapades. Years before, she was supposedly found dead in the ruins of her burned shack on Trent Avenue. Months later, she showed up alive and intoxicated, much to everyone’s surprise (except hers).

In another well-publicized incident, “she thrilled officer Joe Scott when she threw her clothes from a fourth-story window and attempted to jump from the window nude.”

From the drowning beat: B.L. Willis, proprietor of the Willis Lumber Co., stopped at Diamond Lake with his sons to visit his brother-in-law and take a swim.

He went in the water with his son and nephew, 13 and 14. Suddenly, he sank without warning.

The two boys, who were unable to swim, were powerless to help him.

The owner of the Diamond Lake Resort heard the boys cry for help and came to the scene, but it was too late. Artificial respiration failed to revive Willis.

A doctor later determined that Willis died of heart failure.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1934: The first federal prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Island (a former military prison) in San Francisco Bay.

1964: The Beatles movie “A Hard Day’s Night” had its U.S. premiere in New York.