100 years ago in Spokane: President Harding was so charmed by an 8-year-old’s letter that he said he ‘would hardly be fit to be president’ if he didn’t write back

President Warren G. Harding wrote a “most charming” letter in reply to a letter from Kate Farnham, 8, of Spokane.

Harding wrote, in part: “A president who couldn’t find the time to read the interesting letter of a little 8-year-old girl … who is writing essays on banking would hardly be fit to be president of the United States.”

She apparently mentioned his dog, Laddie Boy, because Harding then extended an invitation to Kate “to call on me and I hope Laddie Boy will be here to extend to you his right paw in welcome.”

Kate had shown the letter to so many of her friends at Irving School “that the envelope is becoming somewhat murky with much handling.”

From the assault file: Minnie Way was in police custody, charged with severely beating Nora Reiland, 65, causing serious internal injuries and a fractured jaw.

This all began over some hard feelings about employment at the Oxford Apartments, where both lived. Way, whose age was not specified, had formerly been in charge of the apartment house. But Way was relieved of her duties, and the job given to Reiland.

On the day of the assault, Way sent a message to Reiland asking her to come to her apartment for some linen. When Reiland arrived, Way called her a “liar” and Reiland was “struck down on entering the room.” Doctors said that it “appeared that someone had jumped on her after she had fallen and then kicked her.”

Police were uncertain that Way was solely responsible, saying that eight other people were in the room, including at least one man.

“It seems impossible that a woman, unless she is a champion fighter, could inflict the beating that Mrs. Way is said to have given this aged woman,” a sergeant said.

Way was being held on $500 bond.