Kootenai County Newspaper Articles

Kootenai County, Idaho Newspaper Articles

September 10, 1904
The Washington Post, Washington DC

Spokane Wash Sept. 9-Forest fires are raging violently on the shores of Spirit Lake and near Coeur d'Alene City and Rathdrum, all in Kootenai County, Idaho. Wild beasts are being driven from the timber into the open. Five bears, fleeing from the flames, were killed near Athol, Idaho. Many summer homes owned by Spokane people, on Spirit Lake, are threatened.

December 1, 190
The Iowa Recorder, Greene Iowa

Miss Jennie Christmas bade good bye to her friends in Greene Tuesday and departed for Pierre, S.D., to visit her sister before going to Athol, Idaho, where she will make her home.

Prichard Elected Irrigation Chief
M. A. Prichard was elected chairman of the Dalton Gardens irrigation board at a meeting last night. John Willey was named secretary. Fred Brown, treasurer, is a holdover member of the board.
Source: Spokane Daily Chronicle - January 8, 1936
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

H. P. Knight and Wife Called by Death
Mrs. Knight Succumbs to Ptomaine Poisoning and Sick Husband Quickly Follows
Within 12 hours death called both Attorney H. P. Knight and his wife, of Coeur d'Alene. Mrs. Knight died at 6 o'clock Wednesday night, death being due to ptomaine poisoning. Mr. Knight passed away at 6 o'clock this morning. Knight has been suffering from blood poison ever since December 5.

When Mr. Knight was first taken sick his wife, then in Honolulu, was summoned home. Tuesday she was stricken with sickness after eating some canned goods. When Mr. Knight heard of his wife's death he suffered a relapse from which he never rallied.

Mr. Knight was one of the prominent attorneys of the inland empire. He was also city attorney of Wallace. He moved to Coeur d'Alene in 1907 and was associated in the law business with John P. Gray of Wallace.
Source: Idaho Statesman, March 3, 1911
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Killed In Airplane Wreck
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho, July 18 - Three men were instantly killed when an airplane in which they were riding crashed to the ground here today.

The dead are Cleo Shelton Miller, pilot, Pullman, Wash.; Peter Savage, Kellogg, Idaho, and Gus Erickson, Bonner's Ferry, Idaho.
Source: The New York Times - July 19, 1920
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

County Treasurer Dead
Ross of Rathdrum Had Been Ill But Death Not Expected
A dispatch of last Friday to the Spokane Review from Rathdrum, after stating that County Treasurer Ross was found dead in his room at the Russell house that morning, says:

Mr. Ross has complained of ill health for several days, but his sudden death was unexpected. As the treasurer failed to report at his office at the usual time, the officials became uneasy and Sheriff Doust visited Ross' apartments. Finding the door locked, an entrance was effected over the transom, and the treasurer's body, clad in night robes, was found stretched on the floor, where death in the form of heart disease had overtaken him. Coroner Sabin of Coeur d'Alene was summoned, but decided no inquest was necessary.

The county commissioners were notified and will appoint a successor for the remainder of the year. Treasurer Ross was 56 years old. He has visited nearly every land in the world. His wife died while he was in the German government service in Africa. He had no relatives, but was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Porthill, Ida.
Source: Idaho Statesman - May 22, 1906
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

A Hunter's Death
Killed by a Cut Inflicted in His Thigh with His Own Knife
Leonia, May 18 - (Special). The coroner of Kootenai county held an inquest on the remains of William Murphy, hunter, so long missing. The sheath of Murphy's hunting knife was cut open at the bottom from having been in constant use, and, in bending over, his stomach caught the handle and drove the point of the knife into his thigh, cutting the femoral artery. The supposition is he did not live more than 20 minutes. His hammerless rifle was found standing by a stump, not having been shot.
Source: Idaho Statesman - May 19, 1896
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

North Idaho Drowning
Matt Smith Loses His Life in Lake Coeur d'Alene
Was Working on Boom of Logs Sorting Them at Mouth of Spokane Bay and Becoming Overbalanced, Fell Into Water
Harrison, Sept. 23 -- (Special) -- Matt Smith was drowned this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the mouth of Spokane bay, about two miles from here, on the opposite side of the lake. He, with several other workmen, was on a large boom of logs sorting them with long pike poles. He dropped his and, becoming overbalanced, fell into the water. He was seen swimming and was called to swim to the end of a certain log. He headed in that direction and then went down. He never came to the surface again until brought up by Mr. Adair some two hours later.
Source: Idaho Statesman - September 26, 1902
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Idaho Man Arrested Charged With Felony
J. J. Wright in Custody at Venice, Cal., on Complaint of Coeur d'Alene Officers
LOS ANGELES -- John J. Wright, said to be a member of a wealthy family in Coeur d'Alene, Ida., was arrested Wednesday at Venice, Cal., and placed in the county jail here on a telegraphic request from the Idaho authorities which stated he was wanted there on a felony charge.

Wright, it was said, left Coeur d'Alene immediately after he was married, August 26, to Selma Beers. He claimed he wed the girl under duress and asserted he would resist extradition.
Source: Idaho Statesman - September 14, 1916
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

News Notes From All Over Idaho
Coeur d'Alene
Amos Green, who was hurt in a runaway about a month ago, being dragged over stumps and rocks for several hundred yards, died at his home Sunday night.
Source: Idaho Statesman - September 29, 1921
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Caught in Dakota
Coeurd d'Alene Kidnapper Apprehended in that State
Rathdrum, July 9 -- The mystery surrounding the recent disappearance of Agnes and Metha Monlkenthin was cleared up today when Sheriff Bradbury received word of the presence of the girls at Valley City, N. D., and the capture there of Gust Johnson, who had abducted them.

The girls are aged 14 and 11 years respectively, and are the daughters of Herman Monlkenthin, who lives on a farm on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Johnson, who is known also as Gus Nelson and Alfred Larson, is 28 years old and lives on a small farm near Mica bay. He was deeply in love with an elder Monlkenthin girl, who on July 4 married Chas Stark. The marriage angered Johnson, who next day visited the Monlkenthin home and abducted the younger girls.

He took them in his boat up Coeur d'Alene River to Miedemont. At the latter place they bought tickets for Valley, where they were captured today.

The wire announcing the arrest says that Johnson's willing to come back and will waive extradiction. Sheriff Bradbury will leave here tomorrow to bring Johnson and the girls home.
Source: Idaho Statesman - July 13, 1900
Submitted by Sandra Davis

She Defied Father
Coeur d'Alene Girl Flies to Montana and is Married
A dispatch from Missoula, Mont., says: Escaping a father's wrath at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Ada C. Dickerson this evening was married to Clarence E. Wilbur in this city. Judge Hayes performed the ceremony. A dispatch from Coeur d'Alene stated that Ada's father attempted to shoot her yesterday, the girl's mother grappling with her husband and thwarting his murderous designs. The girl escaped to the street and later joined Wilbur, over whom the trouble with her father arose, and announced she intended to marry him.
Source: Idaho Statesman - April 9, 1903
Submitted by Sandra Davis

Coeur d'Alene Children Lost in the Woods
Coeur d'Alene Press: For almost 24 hours the two children of Mr. and Mrs. William Kelly, George, aged 11 years, and Agnes, aged 9 years, wandered through the woods and away from home. The Kellys live in the French gulch neighborhood and the cows range over the hills in that vicinity. Thursday evening the two children, as had been their custom, started out to hunt the cows and bring them home. Darkness came on and they did not return, when the family became alarmed and began a search without success. Neighbors were called upon and joined in the hunt. All night long, weary and footsore, the searchers scoured the hills and dales without getting a trace of the children. Daylight came and the search was kept up without success. A messenger came to town about noon and organized another party to join in the search and their efforts were rewarded during the afternoon by finding the children near the head of a long canyon six miles from home. When found they were going directly away from their home and would have soon reached the snow line in the mountains south of Pend d'Oreille lake. They said that they laid down during the night and slept without feeling cold, and had no idea that they were so far from home. There was joy in the Kelly home when the lost children were returned to their parents.
Source: Idaho Statesman - May 1, 1901
Submitted by Sandra Davis

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