The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-23
WEEKS NEWS IN SPOKANE.
HyGHwAYMAN's EASY ROBBERY OF
GAMBLING HOUSE.
smith -Mudxett Contest Goes to the
supreme Court ON Appeal of the
PIaintin-smaIlpox Is Again Get
ting n Foothold In the city.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligeneer.
SPOKANE. Dec. 22.-The third holdup
experienced by Spokane gambling houses
occurred here early last Tuesday morn
ing, when the club rooms conducted by
j. j. Malone, formerly of Tacoma, were
the scene of operations of a bold high
wayman, who has since been identified
as a man named Blake, who, two years
ago, held up house I'm Prescott, Ariz.
The haste displayed by Malone and the
five dealers to comply with the order
Hands up, made by the lone robber,
has made them the laughing stock of the
city.
Malone was Just relating to the en-
ployes of the house the incidents con-
nected with the holdup OF his gambling
house In Tacoma some years ago, and he
remarked: Il don't know what ia do
II a holdup man came in now" He was
not given long to decide on that point.
for almost at the moment a man sprang
into the room. and, with leveled revolver.
he ordered all hands mp. After ranging
the six gamblers In row against the
wall. he proceeded to go from table to
table and empty the money into his pock-
cts, with never a protest from the VIC
tins. After scooping In little over 5000,
all the visible cash, the nervy highway
ifeh Dcehtt dVWH tug TCdF StttlTs anu
fled.
Malone was the first to recover from
the shock. and he followed down stairs
closely on the heels of the robber, who
was making tracks up the alley, Being
heavyweight, Malone was being distanc-
ed when ne clambered up into passing
wagon and ordered the astonishedf driver
TO take after the fleeing man just AS the
house Malone drew a bead on him. but he
ueslsted from shooting on the earnest
protest OF the driver, who did not want to
the police patrol arrived, with Police
5ergt. Sullivan. The latter sped up the
dark stairway to the top floor, and at the
W ,an1lng d met the rcbber who had re-
IVAN grabbed for the gun just as the rob-
Der was about to fire. The trigger came
down on the officers finger, thus saving
closest call he has experienced In his
more than ten years Of service on the
Spokane police force. 1t was with no
gentle hands that the officer disarmed
taken TO the police station Blake remark
ed; That was the softest gang to hold
up that ! ever ran across" The prisoner
mas waived preliminary hearing and
was bound over in the sum OF IS, 900 for
trial In the superior court.
The Smith Mudgett contest for the Of
nee OF county treasurer has been the alb
sorbing topic in political and legal circles
for the past two weeks. The hearing came
70 an abrupt close. as far as the superior
when George Belt, superior ' iudss-el sct'
Defore whom the case was being heard
denied the plaintiff, Smith, q recount OF
me m, ballots and gave Judgment awarding
candidate To state II briefly. Judge
Belts decision, II IL said. holds that TIN,
contest statute Of the state is of no force
a recount Of the ballots, while the court
held that they could not do this until they
could prove misconduct on the part OF
the election officers. as was alleged in the
complaint.
The court. however, permitted the ex-
animation of the ballots of certain pre-
cincts, In order to give the plaintiffs an
opportunity to prove misconduct. Under
the guise OF doing this the attorneys
made a recount OF ten precincts, with the
result that smith made gain in nearly
him In the lead This fact win be brought
up before the supreme court on an an
peal. when an EFFORT will be made TO get
a reversal OF Judge Belts ruling denying
As the result of an animated discussion
o. several weeks duration over the ques-
ton OF retrenchment In the administra-
ton OF the city Councilman Dawson
spranE sensation at the meeting OF the
council this week by the introduction OF
the Following resolution.
city of Spokane That the present water
onice of the city be combined with the
treasurers Office, and all the collecting
OF funds and the clerical work Of saiS
onice be done by and through the CITY
tre .pnur OFFICE and be It further
10 nssoived, Ihat the heads of all de-
partments of the city be and are hereby
requested TO report to the council al is
next regular meeting as TO the work 10
pe done IN their departments. and heip
extra clerical and other help now emplov
ed by the city of Spokane may be ais
pensed with, and the expenses OF the city
curtailed 10 the lowest possible figure
compatible with the needs Of the civ and
proper government thereof" Z
AFTER warm debate on the motion ~
asoie tne resolutions, u was defeated. ani
nnance committee was carried the pres
ident OF the council casting the deciding
vo ,is Sn i, revision and retrenchment
OF the municipal election next spring
Republicans to the number of about $50
met IN mass meeting at the municipal
court room In this city on last Wednes-
day evening. and proceeded to organic
The Republican Club OF Spokane coun-
~" The objects OF the organization. as
announced By the promoters. was solely
for the purpose Of promoting harmony
within the ranks OF The party. Many Of
those who we're in attendance went main
" out of curiosity and 10 try to fathom
the real purposes Of the movement Sns-
picion prevailed that something besides
harmony was behind II. This suspicion was
not ailayed In the least when the very
first action Of the promoters was 10 spring
slate on the meeting in the makeup or
the officers and executive COMMITTEES OF
the proposed new organization.
Instead, II precipitated a most lively de-
bate, In which harmony was nearly
swampcd, Out OF a chaos OF motions and
substitute motions a committee vas anal
~ appointed to select the names for the
officers and report them 70 the meeting
This committee In less than Ave min
utes, returned and announced that after
due elaboration they were ready 10 re-
port. The report was adopted The
names OF the officers have already been
published IN these columus. Charles r
Cblman. who was made president ~
comparatively a stranger TO local poiitick
He formerly resided In Tacoma and il
nov engaged IN the butcher business IN
Spokane.