The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-01-15
Charge of Posing as an Officer
Lands w. M. Wilkie in Jair
in Yakima. ..#
OPERATED in KENNEWICK
Fake Detective Told of Foul Conspir-
aeies of /. w. w. Against
Kennewick.

Some time ago a stranger who gave
his name as w. M. Wilkie came into
the Courier Reporter office and re-
uuested a private interview with the
editor. Before beginning the inter-
view he flashed an officers star out of
his uocket and another from under
his coat saying he was special agent
for somebody or something or the
other and also one of Sheriff Rolph's
special deputies.
The tale unfolded to the editor
would have done credit to a Craig
Kennedy. There were bootlegging
plots and /. w. w. conspiracies galore.
According to his story the 1. w. w.
we're secretly assembling in Pasco
with the avowed purpose of doing
some really terrible things to Kenne-
wick in return for the "red" roundup
here some time ago.
The stranger gave evidence that he
was tolerably well fabricated with 30
per cent hair tonic, and the editor,
after he left, Investigated sufficiently
to satisfy himself that the double star
red officer was fake. The fellow
loafed around Kennewick for a day
or two and disappeared. Here is
what happened to him in Yakima as
told by the Yakima Republic: ri
wanted on charge of impersonat-
ing an officer, w. M Wilkie, who is
said to claim to be special inves-
tigator in the employ of H. M. Gilbert
and of the Good Government league,
was arrested this morning by Deputy
Sheriff j. E. Kenney in the Shasta
pool room and is now lodged in the
county jail. Mr.. Wilkie has not been
employed by Mr.. Gilbert, the latter
says.
3The charge against Wilkie grew
out of his actions last night, when
be twice searched the house of Claude
G. Clark, I'll So. Second st. and later
took the owner into custody, while
representing himself to be deputy
! sheriff.
Associated with Willlie were man
giving his name as Otto Davis and
his wife. During Wilkes activities
Mrs. Davis is said by the officers to
have posed as matron of the county
Jail, while Davis claimed at different
times to have been a deputy sheriff
and federal officer. Both Davis and
his wife are being detained in the
equity Jail, following their arrest.
"Wilkie first came to the attention
q local authorities when, about 10 o.
dock last evening Chief of Detectives
y. G. Buckley went to the room in
me Wilcox hotel where Wilkie was
saying, following a telephone sum-
mons. Wilkie showed Buckley COM
paint which he had sworn out before
'ustice Of the Peace C. Roy King yes
.uay afternoon, in which he declar-
ait to be his belief that drugs would
iound by search of the premises
VII First street. He also held a
arch warrant issued by Justice King
~ected to the sheriff Of Yakima
uunty.
sU Ioing to the house on South First
eet Buckley and Wilkie searched
premises, but no trace of drugs,
U0rdlng to Buckley. In small wal
carried by Clark was found vial
'ainlng number of strychnine
-0'sss and a packet of hypodermic
ules. Clark is said to have claim
mat ne used the tablets to stimu-
% ms heart action. r..
search of the room also revealed
ausomatic pistol and loaded shot
~ l oesides a quantity of money in a
N ull in dresser drawer. This
"llkie desired to confscate as ev-
NE stated Buckley this morning,
A.. .suing that it was unreasonable
,m ma private family should keep that
NJ ' on the premises and that it
peen received from the sale of
o. he also questioned Clark's
sssslon nv of the fire arms, according
'me police officer.
Nm; 'nls point Buckley declared that
sna w urged him to confscate the
h,,, found as bail for Clark's ap-
my m. In police court this morn
sps.a nus proposal, Buckley says, he
~, and declared that he. would