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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

This day in history: Golf superstars were scheduled to play a charity round at Spokane Country Club; witness alters testimony in manslaughter trial

A passenger in the car of Bernard Newman when he struck and killed a pedestrian recanted her previous statement that Newman had a bottle of liquor in his pocket at the time of the collision, the Spokane Daily Chronicle reported on Feb. 4, 1924. Ruth Pollei, testifying on the stand at Newman’s trial on a manslaughter trial, blamed nerves for previously giving incorrect information. The newspaper also reported that Charles R. Forbes, former director of the U.S. Veterans Bureau, was sentenced to two years in prison on fraud charges. Forbes, who had been appointed to the veterans positions by President Warren Harding, previously lived in Spokane when he led the Spokane office of the Hurley-Mason construction company.  (Spokesman-Review archives)
By Jim Kershner The Spokesman-Review

From 1975: Two of golf’s superstars – Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller – were coming to Spokane to play an exhibition match at the Spokane Country Club.

“A while back, Spokane’s Junior League announced another avalanche in exhibition golf – it’s sponsorship of Jack Nicklaus’ appearance …,” wrote Spokesman-Review Sports Editor Harry Missildine. “On Monday, the Junior League decided to make it an earthquake by adding Johnny Miller to the foursome.”

They would be joined by Rod Funseth, a touring professional with Spokane roots. A fourth member would be announced soon.

The match was to be held on April 29, which was also Johnny Miller’s birthday. Proceeds would go to the Junior League’s projects and charities. Organizers were confident it would match or exceed their “immensely successful” Arnold Palmer exhibition in 1971.

From 1925: A witness in the sensational Bernard Newman manslaughter trial once admitted to prosecutors that a bottle of liquor was in Newman’s pocket when his car struck and killed pedestrian Joseph Kennedy.

Yet when put on the witness stand, she attempted to retract that statement.

“I was very nervous at the time I made those answers and I could have said almost anything,” said Ruth Pollei, who was in Newman’s car at the time. “I do not wish to testify whose pocket the liquor was in.”

Another witness testified that Newman’s car was zig-zagging down the highway when it struck the witness’s car, which was stopped at a cider stand. Newman’s car glanced off the witness’s car and struck Kennedy, who was putting a box of apples in his car.

Then Newman’s car swerved into Kennedy’s car, smashed into a third car, and turned over.

A third witness said he stopped to help after the accident and was disgusted to see a bottle of liquor in Newman’s car.