100 years ago in central Washington: Elevator fire in Irby, Wash., kills unknown man

A raging fire in a grain elevator claimed the life of an unidentified man in Irby, Washington, about 11 miles west of Odessa.

The fire apparently started in one of the bins in the warehouse elevator. Nobody knew that anyone was inside the elevator until “the man’s shouts could be heard from the interior of the structure as the flames quickly consumed it.”

“The town’s populace stood horrified and helpless to aid him,” said a correspondent.

Irby residents said they believed the man was a “tramp” who had been sleeping in the grain elevator. Searchers were picking through the debris, trying to find his body.

From the Prohibition beat: The Bonner County commissioners were moving to oust Sheriff William Kirkpatrick from his office.

Why?

Because Kirkpatrick had just been convicted of conspiracy to violate liquor laws, after he sold confiscated liquor for his own profit. Kirkpatrick was out on bail pending appeal and “has not relinquished his office and has given no intimidation that he anticipates to do so.”

The commissioners were preparing to vote on declaring the office vacant.

From the divorce beat: A well-known Spokane real estate man filed suit for divorce, claiming that his wife called him names, treated him cruelly, and “threw a table knife at him.”

He also claimed that his wife “held him prisoner in a bedroom … and threatened to kill him if he did not turn over certain funds.” He said he later had to barricade himself in his room to keep her from injuring him.