100 years ago in Spokane: A jury made no statement when acquitting a prohibition agent of manslaughter and a woman named Gertrude got into conflict with the local prison

A Spokane jury acquitted federal prohibition agent William C. Vest of manslaughter.

The jury deliberated two hours before finding Vest not guilty of shooting Ernest Emley of Keller. Vest and two other officers tried to prevent Emley from driving away from a basement dance hall after mistakenly believing Emley was a smuggler.

This was the second trial against the same charge. A jury was unable to reach a verdict in the first trial.

The jury made no statement to reporters immediately after the verdict. Vest’s defenders cast doubts as to whether Vest fired the fatal shot. They also alleged that Ferry County officials tried to pin Vest to divert the blame of itself.

Federal authorities said Vest will now continue his duties as the prohibition officer.

From the prison blow: Gertrude Wiser ran amok in the city prison after she was arrested on narcotics charges.

She fought with several police officers for several minutes. It took several police officers to get the best out of her. Gertrude “weighs 180 pounds and can whip most men their weight.”

During the tussle she fell against the radiator and cut her mouth open. The officers had to take her to the emergency room for sewing. The officers then put her in the padded cell.

Gertrud wasn’t quite finished with the rampage. she apparently had some matches hidden in her dress. She lit the upholstery and when the guards saw what was happening, the flame shot up to the ceiling.

They dragged Gertrude out of the cell and called the fire brigade, who quickly put out the fire. She spent the rest of the night in the “tank”.

The officials said Gertrude was known for her “pugilist accomplishments”. She once had an argument with a lumberjack in Sandpoint, resulting in a three-week hospital stay for the lumberjack.