100 years ago in Spokane: One engrossing trial ended in a conviction and another was just beginning

A jury took only 40 minutes to find Jay E. Hough guilty of forgery in a fraud case that had mesmerized Spokane for weeks.

Hough had attempted to pin all of the blame for the scheme onto his late business partner, John B. Milholland. The scheme defrauded an Idaho mining man of $400,000. However, the fact Hough’s signature was on the forged bonds apparently convinced the jury of his culpability.

Milholland’s side of the story was largely absent, because he had died by suicide when officers arrived at his home to arrest him.

Hough had earlier been acquitted on a previous count of forgery, but 10 days later, he had been re-arrested on two additional forgery counts. During that first trial, a “mighty cheer went up” from his friends in the courtroom when the verdict was read. This time, the courtroom was relatively quiet when the guilty verdict was announced.

The jury’s decision came so quickly that it startled nearly everyone.

“My God, have they got a verdict already?” said a shocked Mrs. Hough.

Also from the court beat: Meanwhile, another sensational trial was just beginning.

Harry Williams, 84, was on trial for the shooting death of Spokane firefighter Jack Batten.

Batten was apparently bringing some food to Williams, an old friend, when he walked into a “rifle trap” that Williams had set up because he feared intruders. The rifle was set to go off when someone opened his cabin door.

However, the case appeared to hinge on whether that rifle shot mortally wounded Batten, or whether a second shot, fired by Williams, had killed Batten when the wounded man tried to drive away. Batten had been found dead in his car.