100 years ago in Spokane: Man claims woman he planned to wed already was married and defrauded him

From our archives, 100 years ago

G.W. Nicholl, a Spokane teamster, met a young single woman named Juanita, who professed great affection for Nicholl and a willingness to marry.

At Christmas, Nicholl bought her a ring, took her out for meals and loaned her money.

At one point, she introduced him to her brother, Norman. Only later did Nicholl discover that Norman was not Juanita’s brother. Norman was Juanita’s husband.

As a result, Nicholl filed a suit asking Juanita and Norman to give him back his ring and his money.

“The case is the most unusual one I have run across in many years, said Nicholl’s lawyer. “From what Nicholl tells me, he supposed the girl was unmarried at the time he was blowing in the money. It seems the man he supposed was the brother got in on the entertainment.”

From the insanity beat: H. Herman Rhode, a Spokane hotel employee, was being held in jail as a “dangerous insanity suspect.”

He had written a letter to the president of Stanford University, claiming that a “hazing ring” of Northwest teachers, students, and immoral women” were involved in a plot to drug him and poison him. He said two teachers hired men to drug him at local restaurants. He claimed a Whitworth College professor dashed a dangerous pepper mixture into his face.

He also claimed that the presidents of the University of Washington and Washington State College were involved.

A prosecutor said that he considered Rhode “exceptionally dangerous.”