100 years ago in Spokane: Reporters see the alleged “oil well” in South Hill

Eastern Washington Oil Co., under investigation for fraud, invited newspaper reporters to investigate the “oil well” in the basement of a house on Southeast Boulevard.

The Chronicle reporter said he had observed a persistent trickle of liquid “that has the appearance, smell and taste of oil similar to what was previously stated to have come from seepage”.

Oil company officials offered this as evidence that the well was a real natural oil well and had unmistakable traces of petroleum.

But it could also be handled differently. Previous samples had been found to be a mixture of kerosene, cottonseed and linseed oil, which is why the residents of the house, Mr and Mrs Alfred L’Ecuyer, were released on bail for federal fraud.

If the seepage did indeed resemble the previous samples, that was hardly the justification the oil company was looking for. On the other hand, it didn’t exactly match the federal prosecutor’s charge that the L’Escuyers had thrown counterfeit oil in the cellar.

Still, new evidence emerged to support the fraud theory. The owner of the Hatch Street grocery store said a man who worked on the L’Escuyer Fountain bought up to 15 gallons of kerosene every week.

Also, a neighbor said the L’Escuyers had a “large amount of kerosene” delivered to their house next door. Then the couple would come and get it after all the visitors were gone for the day.

Also on the date

(From Associated Press)

2000: Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the US Supreme Court dropped further reports of controversial Florida elections; The Democrat Al Gore admitted and called for national unity.