100 Years Ago Today in Washington: Cusick tribe pushes back on gambling ban

The members of the Cusick Indian tribe said that the new federal Indian agent was taking most of the “sport” out of their annual August festival.

Sport, as in, gambling.

“We ‘sport’ at the festival from time gone by,” said the festival’s sport manager, Charle Somelt. “We play the stick game, the war dance, the wild oats game and the Spanish card game and race horses from time beyond my grandfather, who was manager of the sport festival of camas. Now the new agent, Lashau, comes in and tells us we can not sport except with horse races. We always have sported with wild oats and the Spanish card game. Captain Webster, formerly agent, never interfered.”

The tribe was going to court to seek an injunction on the sporting ban. They were basing it on the fact that this new agent didn’t even live in the same state (he was based in Montana) and should have no jurisdiction over them. They also contended he was exceeding his authority.

W.A. Winfield was sleeping over a garage next to the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Rockford when he heard a commotion in the early hours.

He got up to investigate, with revolver in hand, and foiled a safecracking attempt by a team of burglars. They fled out the back when they heard Winfield approach.

Police investigated and found that the safecrackers had knocked the combination dial off of the safe with a crowbar and hammer. They fled without any loot.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1909: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the Indianapolis 500, first opened.