50 years ago in Expo history: An ‘Impeach Nixon’ rally planned for the president’s arrival at the fair was the source of a local dispute

President Richard Nixon would be greeted by an “Impeach Nixon” rally when he showed up for the Expo ’74 opening ceremonies – and even local Democratic Party leaders condemned the planned rally as “giving Spokane and Expo a black eye.”

The rally was sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Spokane chapter of Washington Democratic Council, but local Democratic Party leaders said the rally had neither been proposed nor condoned by the party. The Washington Democratic Council was apparently a faction that had been “disowned” by the state’s central committee.

The rally’s organizers said it would be canceled if the House Judiciary Committee acted on impeachment over the next few days.

From 100 years ago: Forgery suspect and escape artist J.F. Maddox was back in the city jail after his fourth sensational escape.

Several days earlier, he had locked two detectives in a closet when they tried to arrest him at a Spokane hotel. Then he fled out the window and down a fire escape.

Sgt. Fred Pearson had been on his tail for days when he received a tip that Maddox was staying in an apartment, posing as a college boy. Pearson and two other officers went to the apartment, but Maddox was not there. So the officers hid in the garage until Maddox returned. One officer tiptoed up the stairs, kicked the door open and uncovered Maddox with a revolver.

“You are a lucky man,” Maddox reportedly said. “I’d a shot you hadn’t had the drop on me. I would have shot you anyway if I thought you wouldn’t a got me. I wouldn’t have cared if they hung me for it, but there was no use when I didn’t have a chance.”