100 years ago in Spokane: Police raid drug house

Spokane police carried out a search warrant on an East Fifth Avenue home and found a “flourishing” cocaine and morphine dispensary.

Police had been tipped off by neighbors, who noticed unusual traffic coming in and out of the residence.

When officers went inside, they found “boxes and vials” of both drugs, as well as as scales and other paraphernalia.

Documents found on one of the residents indicated a “considerable traffic” in the drugs.

Police arrested four occupants of the house, including one woman, although a fifth person escaped out the back door.

While police were searching the house, a knock came at the door. It was a 27-year-old messenger man and a 23-year-old brakeman who were apparently intending to make a purchase. They were arrested, too.

From the gender beat: Mrs. David Foster became the first woman to act as her own attorney in Justice Stocker’s court of small claims – and she emerged victorious.

A grocer had brought suit against her to recover $8.50 which he claimed she owed on her grocery bill.

But Mrs. Foster (the paper never gave her first name) subjected the grocer to a “severe cross-examination” and then brought witnesses to support her contention that the grocer had delivered “frozen apples and potatoes” that were unfit for use. She said she was willing to pay $5, but not the full price.

The judge said $5 sounded fair and he refused the grocer’s request that she cover his court costs.