This day in history: Deputy rescued rafter. Theft victim said thief might suffer consequences

From 1976: Two Spokane men narrowly avoided drowning in the frigid Spokane River after one of them was pulled ashore by a Spokane County deputy and the other managed to wade ashore.

The two men, 26 and 31, launched an eight-man rubber raft near Sullivan Park in Spokane Valley. The raft flipped in turbulent water near Plante’s Ferry Park.

The two men were swept downstream for about a mile before one of them was able to make it to shore. Deputy Thomas D. Shaw arrived on the scene near the Argonne Road bridge and pulled the other to safety.

Neither of the rafters was injured, but Shaw cut his hand on barbed wire as he raced to the rescue on the riverbank.

From 1926: Protei, “a grinning four-inch jade idol,” was stolen from the desk of H.J. Gibbons, secretary of the Spokane Park Board.

Protei had sat on a “black lacquer stand” in Gibbon’s desk, “with his foolish grin amusing all who saw him.”

Whoever stole Protei might have also stolen a stretch of bad luck.

The idol had been given to Gibbons by an elderly man in Chinatown, San Francisco, who informed Gibbons that Protei brings “much good luck,” but “much bad luck” to anyone who steals him.

Gibbons believed Protei had been whisked into the pocket of some Park Board visitor.

The Chronicle reported that “Mr. Gibbons, although he does not wish evil on anyone, hopes the little god does his stuff.”