100 years ago in Spokane: Prominent Republican dies soon after casting vote for sister-in-law

From our archives, 100 years ago

Joseph S. Allen, 66, of Spokane was a diehard Republican – and he, unfortunately, died right after casting his vote.

Allen had been particularly anxious about this state primary, because his brother’s widow was seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. senator.

That morning, he excitedly read the news to his wife of Republican victories in the Maine’s primary. Then he left early to go to the polls, where he cast his vote. He began to feel ill while there, and returned home, exhausted.

His doctor arrived soon after, yet Allen died a few minutes later.

Allen had been a prominent Spokane lawyer who practiced with his brother, John R. Allen, former U.S. senator.

From the land office beat: Mrs. Minnie Coultas was one of the lucky winners of the Colville Reservation land lottery, so she set out on horseback to scope out a suitable homestead.

The trip did not go well. She and her cayuse (horse) got lost on the first night. She had to sleep without blankets and she had no food except a few tomatoes and watermelon.

She and the cayuse suffered from lack of water, so she found a clump of cottonwood trees and dug down far enough to find water. Apparently, she was also able to shoot or catch three grouse. Yet she had to spend another night without blankets before she was able to make her way out. She did, however, succeed in her purpose, selecting a 200-acre plot that she had found on her wanderings.