100 years ago today in Spokane: Gun-wielding priest nabs ‘Meanest thief in Spokane’

Francis Le Roy earned the title of “meanest thief in Spokane” two years ago, when he was caught in the act of robbing the poor box at the Our Lady of Lourdes church. After the donation box had been robbed numerous times, a Spokane detective hid behind a door and caught him in the act.

Now, news came from Seattle that he was also the meanest thief in the Puget Sound area. After poor boxes were pilfered at several Seattle churches, the priest at the city’s Sacred Heart church rigged up an electric alarm system which rang when the box was disturbed.

The priest found that same Francis Le Roy with his paws in the poor box. The gun-wielding priest held him until police arrived and arrested him.

Le Roy admitted he had a weakness for robbing poor boxes. They were “never securely locked,” he said, and he “never could pass one up without taking the money out of it.” Seattle police reported, however, he was suddenly “conscience stricken” about robbing the poor.

In the Spokane case, he spent 90 days in jail. In the Seattle case, he was now looking at perhaps a longer sentence as a repeat offender.

From the transit beat: A new “automobile stage service” – a small bus line – was scheduled to begin daily trips from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene and back. The Overland Stage, as it was named, would use seven-passenger Willys-Overland cars.

Two daily round trips were planned, with more to be added according to demand.