In Spokane 100 years ago: The man accused of orchestrating the South Hill oil fraud had some loyal supporters and drilling continued

The Spokane Daily Chronicle reported that “virtually every major shareholder in Eastern Washington Oil Co.” rallied for the support of their President Alfred L’Ecuyer – although he had just been arrested for fraud.

L’Ecuyer and his wife were charged with dumping an oil-like substance into the basement of their home on Southeast Boulevard to mislead investors into believing it was a natural flow of oil.

Some of the big investors said they still thought L’Ecuyer was an honest man. Others blamed the people who uncovered the scam, including the Better Business Bureau.

A major investor, a local jeweler, said he wished “a few people in this town would mind their own business”.

Meanwhile, the company continued to drill its giant drill rig outside of L’Ecuyer’s home. And another company announced they would be drilling near Latah Creek and 21st Avenue.

From the rockpile beat: John Daly, serving a sentence for vagrancy, was the first prisoner to attempt to escape from the town’s new pile of stones.

He didn’t succeed.

As Daly dropped his hammer and ran away, Officer TB (Tiny) Stafford fired a shot past Daly’s ear.

Daly threw up her hands and “decided to stay longer with the other prisoners”.

The pile of stones was part of the city’s new plan to use forced labor on prisoners for even relatively minor offenses.