An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 146

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524


USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 146
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 146
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 146
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 146


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The following were the nominees of the Prohibi- tion party: State senator, Charles E. Gibson, Mos- cow ; representatives, Jennie G. Headley, Moscow, James W. Carrick, American ridge, Ernest Thorn- quest, Mansfield, C. McGrew, Kendrick, Ida Moody, Moscow; commissioners, Ist district, Andrew Smith, Palouse precinct. 2d district, Wylie A. Lauder, Mos- cow, 3d district, Charles W. Yockey, Little Potlatch ; sheriff, Henry M. Asbury, Moscow ; treasurer, Ella T. Anderson, Moscow ; probate judge, Henry C. McFar- land. Moscow; school superintendent, John J. An- thony, Moscow : assessor, Colden B. Sanders; cor- oner. William E. Talbott ; surveyor, Gilbert Hogue, Moscow.


The Republicans convened September 5th and placed the following candidates in the field: State senator, William C. Fowler, Genesee ; representatives, Burton L. French. Juliaetta. Charles J. Munson, Mos- cow, Thomas H. Brewer, Genesee, D. W. Driskel, Moscow, C. L. Kinman, Palouse precinct ; county at-


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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.


torney, Harvey R. Smith, Moscow ; commissioners, Ist district, John H. Horton, Palouse precinct, 2d dis- trict, Hans C. J. Tweedt, Genesee, 3d district, A. H. Charles, Troy; sheriff, Joseph R. Collins, Juliaetta ; treasurer, Elmina E. Fry, Moscow ; probate judge, J. R. Strong. Cora; school superintendent, Hattie Headington, Moscow : assessor, B. J. Jones, Palouse precinct ; coroner, L. D. Jameson, Moscow ; surveyor, Benjamin E. Bush, Moscow.


Congressional and state candidates were as fol- lows: Congressman, John T. Morrison, Republican, Thomas L. Glenn, Fusionist, John F. Stark, Populist, Amanda M. Way, Prohibitionist ; governor, Drew W. Standrod, Republican, Frank W. Hunt, Fusionist, John S. Randolph, Populist, William J. Boone, Pro- hibitionist.


The official account of the election, which occurred November 6th, was as follows: Representative in congress, Morrison 1.996, Glenn 1,920, Stark 34, Miss Way 145, Morrison's plurality in Latah county 76; governor, Standrod 1,981, Hunt 1,934, Randolph 56, Boone 158, Standrod's plurality 47; state senator, Fowler 1,920, Moore 2,049, Gibson 154, Moore's plur- ality 129 ; representatives, French 2,112, Munson 1.977, Brewer 1,864, Driskel 1,952, Kinman 1,885, Crawford 1,879, Ogden 1,938, Hunter 2,113, Bangs, 1,962, Sar- dam 1,934, Miss Headley 144, Carrick 141, Thorn- quest 140, McGrew 143, Miss Moody 146, French's majority 89, Munson's plurality 39, Hunter's major- ity 109, Bangs's plurality 10, Sardam's plurality 49; attorney, Smith 1,944, Coutts 2,091, Coutts' majority 147 ; commissioners, Ist district, Horton 1,935, Irvine 1,948, Smith 160, Irvine's plurality 13, 2d district, Tweedt 1,870, Beardsley 2,059, Lauder 157, Beards- ley's majority 32, 3d district, Charles 1,972, Benscot- ter 1,936, Yockey 148, Charles's plurality 36; sheriff, Collins 2,024, Driscoll 1,970, Asbury 158, Wild Davie 5, Collins's plurality 55; treasurer, Fry 2,178, Ham- mond 1,825. Anderson 123, Miss Fry's majority 230; probate judge, Strong 2,112, Griffin 1,809, McFarland 141, Strong's majority 162; school superintendent, Headington 2,147, Plummer 1,887, Anthony 115, Miss Headington's majority 145 : assessor, Jones 2,036, Bel- vail 1,916, Sanders 138, Jones's plurality 120; cor- oner, Jameson 1,962, Beck 1,933, Talboot 134, Jam- eson's plurality 29; surveyor, Bush 1,906, Hannah 1,994. Hogue 144, Hannah's plurality 88.


About nine o'clock Sunday morning, August 4, 1901, Moscow was the scene of a tragedy fearful in its conception, terrible in its execution. That it was con- ceived in deliberate thought by a responsible being, however, cannot be confirmed with any degree of cer- tainty. As the perpetrator of the crime was not known to have cause for the acts committed the most charita- ble view that can be taken of the matter is that the criminal was temporarily insane. On the morning named, William Steffen, who lived with his mother just out of town, rode in on horseback and meeting Dr. W. W. Watkins on the street, drew a revolver from his pocket and shot him through the body, killing him almost instantly. A moment later Steffen shot George V. Creighton in the right arm, and but a few


moments afterward, seriously wounded Deputy Sher- iff W. E. Cool, who was attempting to arrest him, and who died a few hours later from the effects of the wounds. Leaving Cool, he rode on toward the court- house. Just beyond the courthouse square, Steffen was accosted by Sheriff Joseph Collins, who for some rea- son permitted him to escape. A little further on. Stef- fen encountered Sherman Mix and a running fight ensued. Steffen shooting at Mix four times, missing him, while Mix took several shots at Steffen with equal lack of success. The last shot struck Steffen's horse in the hind leg, breaking the bones. He then de- serted his horse and ran to his mother's house, which was within a quarter of a mile. The house in which he had taken refuge was quickly surrounded, while Sheriff Collins went for rifles and more men. Within an hour there were at least fifty men about the place, all armed with rifles and an attempt was made to ad- vance in a body. Steffen then began shooting. the bullets passing within close proximity to the heads of several of the sheriff's posse. Although the posse was driven back to a distance of four or five hundred yards, Steffen for a time continued his fusilade, which was replied to by many of the posse and it is thought that at least 200 shots were fired into the house.


After a time, no further firing being observed from the house, a part of the posse was formed into a charging party and the house was rushed. Steffen's dead body being found in the upper story lying on a floor near the window. It was supposed that, realiz- ing the hopelessness of any further attempt to escape, he shot himself in the left breast, the powder scorched clothing and skin, furnishing evidence of self destruc- tion. At the coroner's inquest held on the body of Steffen, evidence was found that leads to the belief that Steffen had intended to kill not only Watkins, but also a number of others. Written in ink on the envel- ope on his pocket were the names W. W. Watkins. George Langdon, August Held and E. E. Jolly. On an- other envelope Steffen had written with pencil. "If the inevitable comes. I want to rest in Pullman." On still another envelope he had written in large letters, "I didn't get the right ones after all."


Just prior to the killing of Dr. Watkins, Dr. Francis J. Ledbrook located in Moscow. He came here the first time about a year previous from Lakefield, Minne- sota. Shortly after his first visit to Moscow, he bought some land on Camas prairie and spent a portion of his time attending to property interests there. He had not yet rented an office and settled down to practice his profession when Dr. Watkins's tragic death oc- cuirred in August. 1901. He then rented the office that had been occupied by Dr. Watkins and at once stepped into his large practice, most of which he continued to hold. He came highly recommended as a man and physician, was an active worker in the Methodist Epis- copal church and rapidly grew in the public esteem. Persons who had known him since boyhood said that up to the time of his settling in Moscow there had been no blot upon his name. On May 12, 1902, this man committed a crime that horrified and mystified the community as nothing had ever done before or has


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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.


done since. Although a man of family, with a devoted wife. he enticed, by deceit and misrepresentations, one of the most estimable young ladies of Moscow, over whom he exercised hypnotic influence, to Orofino, where. on Monday morning, May 12th, he murdered her by injecting morphine into the arteries at the wrists, supposedly while she was under the influence of his hypnotic power. After the commission of this fearful crime. Dr. Ledbrook then died by his own hand and in the same manner that he had murdered his in- nocent victim. It will be many long years before the citizens of Moscow can forget this appalling bloody murder that removed from their midst so suddenly and under such mysterious and unfortunate circumstances, a hitherto respected citizen and physician and a much loved and greatly esteemed member of the young peo- pie's religious and social circles.


We have yet to record one more fatality to a prom- inent physician of Moscow, this time and accidental death. A few months after the suicide of Dr. Led- brook, Dr. C. D. Parsons came to Moscow from Mich- igan, settling here in the practice of his profession and occupying the same down town office that had been occupied by Drs. Watkins and Ledbrook. In the latter part of May, 1903, a party consisting of Dr. C. D. Parsons, James Canham, G. A. Rubedew and others of Moscow, and Ramsey Walker, of Kendrick, went to Pierce City, and there securing saddle hor- ses, went one day's ride northeast of Pierce into the timbered section for the purpose of locating home- steads. G. A. Rubedew was the locator in charge of the party. On an early morning. after having se- lected a claim, Dr. Parsons, wishing to hasten back to his practice in Moscow, left the remainder of the party and started alone on the return to Pierce City. When about an hour out of camp he was met by a pack train going into the timber with supplies. When hailed by the driver of the train he was apparently aroused from a stupor and fell from his horse into the brush by the side of the trail. When he was picked up, he was in a dazed condition, evidently not realiz- ing what was happening about him, and a deep cut above one of the eyes showed that he had met with a serious accident previous to meeting the pack train. It developed later that some time after leaving camp, and before being seen by the driver, he had in some manner been thrown from his horse and in falling struck his head against a log or stone and as shown by the autopsy had fractured the skull bone just above the eye. He was first taken back to camp and, the following day, the party started with him to Pierce City, occupying two days in making the trip. Doctors Carruthers and Gritman of Moscow met him at Pierce City and per- formed a surgical operation in an effort to save his life. It was ineffectual, however, and, after suffering for fully a week following the date of the accident, the doctor died at Pierce City.


By the year 1902 the days of fusion in political mat- ters were over. The two old parties had absorbed the advocates of the "new issues" of the 'nineties and were back in the tracks they had traveled "since the war," each of course expressing platform opinions on the is-


sues of later days that resulted from the breach with Spain in 1898, as well as on the tariff and currency questions. While there was a Populist candidate for governor this year, the county organization of that party had been abandoned and there was no Populist ticket in the field. During the years 1899 and 1900 the Socialists had been agitating the question of organization and in 1902 they were to place a ticket in the field, which they did.


Their candidates for the various offices were as follows: State senator, Peter S. Beck ; representatives, Samuel R. Greenwood, Bear creek ; Aage M. Hoidale, Troy; Alexander A. Anderson : clerk and auditor, William Perkins, Moscow ; sheriff, Amon K. Biddison, Juliaetta ; treasurer, Belle Anderson, Moscow ; assess- or, Sylvester G. Curtis, Moscow : probate judge, Will- iam W. Witham, Moscow : school superintendent, Anna Clyde, Moscow : coroner, Thomas J. Bray, Troy ; surveyor, Evelyn H. Swan, Moscow ; commissioners, Ist district, Porter D. Sardam, 2d district, George Sievers, 3d district, Peter Mattson, Troy.


Democratic nominees were: State senator, Will- iam Hunter, Moscow : representatives, Henry H. Bangs, Thorn creek, David Spurbeck, Genesee, Will- iam W. Young, Palous precinct : clerk and auditor, Samuel R. H. McGowan, Moscow ; sheriff, James K. Keane, Genesee; treasurer, Anna Tierney ; assessor, Robert G. Plunket, Troy ; probate judge, Manford W. Harland. Kendrick: school superintendent. Emma Mande Mix, Moscow ; county attorney, George W. Coutts, Kendrick ; coroner, William P. Lumpkin, Mos- cow : surveyor, Daniel W. Hannah, Moscow : commis- sioners, Ist district, Albert E. Daily, Palouse precinct ; 2d district, Peter Hagan, Thorn creek; 3d district, Albert C. White, Kendrick.


Candidates of the Republican party were as fol- lows: State senator, J. W. Brigham, Little Potlatch ; representatives, Francis Jenkins, Moscow, Richard Price, Princeton, James A. Nelson, Bear creek : clerk and auditor, Axel P. Ramstedt, Moscow ; sheriff, Jesse E. Randall ; Little Potlach ; treasurer, Pauline Moerder. Moscow : assessor, James Langdon, Ken- drick ; probate judge, Charles M. Lukins, Kendrick ; school superintendent, Clara Ransom, Moscow ; coun- ty attorney, William P. Stillinger, Moscow ; coroner, L. D. Jameson, Moscow ; surveyor, Benjamin E. Bush, Moscow : commissioners, Ist district, George W. An- derson, Palouse precinct, 2d district, Rees Pickering, Genesee ; 3d district, LaFayette Keene, Kendrick.


State, congressional and judicial candidates of the various parties were as follows: Congress, Burton L. French, Republican, Joseph H. Hutchinson, Democrat, John A. Davis, Socialist, Albert H. Lee, Prohibition- ist : governor, John P. Morrison, Republican, Frank W. Hunt, Democrat. Augustus M. Slattery, Socialist, DeForrest H. Andrews, Populist, Albert Gipson, Pro- hibitionist; judge second judicial district, Edgar C. Steele, Republican, Moscow, Wallace N. Scales, Grangeville, Democrat.


Following is the official record of the election oc- curring November 4, 1902, at which time the Repub- licans were victorious, but one office, that of sheriff,


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being held by a Democrat : Representative in con- gress, French 2,423. Hutchinson 1,183, Davis 218, Lee 59, Frenchs' majority in Latah county, 963 : gov- ernor, Morrison 2,168, Hunt 1.364, Slattery 217, An- drews 10. Gipson 76, Morrison's majority in Latah county, 501 ; judge second judicial district, Steele 2,550, Scales 1,036, Steele's majority in Latah county, 1,514; state senator Brigham 2,024, Hunter 1,558. Beck 217, Brigham's majority, 248; representative, Jenkins 2,076, Price 2,029, Nelson 2,089, Bangs 1.417, Spurbeck, 1394, Young 1,362, Greenwood 223, Hoidale 231, Anderson 222, Jenkin's majority, 436: Price's majority, 404: Nelson's majority, 405 :


clerk and auditor, Ramstedt 2,138, McGowan 1,428, Perkins 229, Ramstedt's majority, 481 ; sheriff, Ran- dall 1,732, Keane 1,868, Biddison 163, Poyeson ( In- dependent) 21, Keane's plurality, 136; treasurer, Moerder 2,177, Tierney 1,387, Anderson 224, Miss Moerder's majority, 566; assessor, Langdon 2,092, Plunkett 1,371, Curtis 243, Langdon's majority 478: probate judge, Lukins 2,003, Harland 1,458, Witham 227, Lukins' majority, 318: school superintendent. Ransom 2,189, Mix 1,380, Clyde 220, Miss Ransom's majority, 589; county attorney, Stillinger 2,216, Coutts 1,404, Stilinger's majority, 812; coroner, Jameson 2,113, Lumpkins 1.367, Bray 228, Jameson's majority, 518; surveyor, Bush 2,062, Hannah 1,440, Swan 219. Bush's majority 403 ; commissioners, first district, Anderson 2,025, Daly 1,428, Sardam 220, An- derson's majority, 377; second district, Pickering 2,035, Hagan 1,388, Sievers 226, Pickering's major- ity, 421 ; third district, Keene 1.915. White 1,498, Matt- son 257, Keene's majority, 160.


In closing this chapter it is a pleasure to state that a more prosperous condition than that now en- joyed by the citizens of Latah county could scarcely be anticipated if desired. Public spirited capitalists, business and profesional men have planned for the future advancement of the general interest of the people. There are railroad schemes and factory plans and mill projects that promise consummation and that will add to the wealth, comfort and happiness of the citizens when perfected and put into execution. But all are to be congratulated on the present propitious state of affairs in the commercial, industrial, rural and educational pursuits. There are 416,469 acres of land now patented in the county, the greater por- tion of which is under cultivation. There are up- wards of 25,000 head of livestock being fed or grazed in the county. There are twenty-six flour and saw-


mills in operation. The total valuation of property is now $4.238,845. County Auditor Ramstedt reports that during the first quarter of the present year end- ing April IIth, there were received for record in his office over one thousand instruments, the auditor's of- fice receiving in fees $1.415. During the fiscal year ending April HIth, warrants were issued aggregating $120,080. Warrants were redeemed during the same time to the amount of $107,003. At the end of the year there was cash on hand in the treasury to the amount of $30,741. Of this amount, $25.783 was credited to the school fund. From School Superin- tendent's Mattie Headington's annual report for the year ending August 31, 1902, we learn that the en- rollment this year was 4,676 pupils in the schools of the county. The teachers of the county were paid $32.727 ; on school bonds and interest there were paid $6,164; the total expenditures during the year for school purposes were $51,410. Everywhere we find figures that represent progress and a very great de- gree of prosperity.


The pioneers of the 'seventies in Genesee and Paradise valleys and in the Potlatch country can con- template with pride the wonderful development of this great agricultural and fruit raising county. They did not bring with them the capital that built the rail- roads, the business houses, the mills, the schools and church edifices and the palatial homes of the present day. They brought with them few of the comforts and none of the luxuries by which they are now sur- rounded. They came to perform a most difficult and trying task, to open up and make habitable a new and untried country. Willis Sweet in addressing the pioneers of Latah county in 1893 said, "Every age, every nation, every state is the creation of the com- bined courage, hope and sacrifice of its pioneers." The decade of the 'seventies was a period of experi- ment, fraught with dangers and fretted with poverty and crude appliances. But those who came at that time had the courage of the adventurer together with the determination of the builder. The prosperity of today is based on the work of the pioneers of the 'seventies ; they contributed to the civilization of to- day years of sacrifice, years of suffering, years of toil : they gave the vigor and daring of their youth and the strength of their manhood to the development of this magnificent county which 20,000 people now call "Home."


All honor to the pioneer.


CHAPTER III.


CITIES AND TOWNS.


MOSCOW.


The pioneer is as a rule not a city finder. He is frequently given to platting townsites but commerce and industry usually ignore his accommodations and busy themselves at other points. Usually they rea- soned on conditions that changed with the flying years ; they could not foresee the advent of railroads and the distribution of products and merchandise along arbi- trary lines and to markets which then did not exist. In almost every county in the state may be found rem- nants of towns, perhaps but a single ruined shack, about which have centered at one time the business energy and social life of a pioneer community. The railroad eventually came through the county, left the village a few miles to the right or left, the business houses and the homes moved to the railroad, and the shack alone is left as a reminder of the townsite pro- ject of the pioneer.


The locators of Moscow must either have been wiser or more fortunate than the ordinary pioneers. The site was chosen after due deliberation and much discussion. No railroads were pointed in this direction and there were no prospects of railroads. When '71 was in its infancy a man in the prime of life left the gold field of the land of sun and flowers for the unsettled plains of Idaho to make a home and grow up with the country. Fate directed him from Lewis- ton and on a dreary, stormy day he landed and located in Paradise valley, known a little later as "hog heaven." With logs hauled from the mountains on the east, a commodious cabin was hastily erected for the accom- modation of his family. Within sight of the cabin was one other, two miles up the valley was another, and five miles down the Palouse was a third. There were no fences, no schoohouses, no churches, no fields of grain, no roads, nothing but the Indian trails that wound over the rolling hills and through the valleys covered with bunchgrass from a foot and a half to two feet high that waved and tossed like the sea in a wind. Indians roamed over the country on the wiry cayuse decked in primitive picturesque fashion, some of them friendly and sociable, other solemn and stoical, resent- ing in look, if not act, the coming of the white settler to their forage and hunting grounds. A short distance


down the valley was their race track, and at nearly all times could be seen their tepees or wickiups in clusters or groups on either side of the valley at the foot of the hills. The prospects were not inviting, but the heart of the sturdy pioneer did not fail him. He had turned his back on the pleasant environments of youth and early manhood, not because he did not love them, but because the promise of better things held out to him by the new west had charmed him from the old haunts and made of him at first an argonaut and eventually a homeseeker. He had put his hand to the plow and nature had so endowed him with the sterner, better qualities of the human kind that there was no thought of turning back. It was the typical honored pioneer, who, undismayed by his isolated location, no railroads in the country, thirty miles from a post- office and supply point, broke the sod and made his home three miles east of the site of the present city of Moscow.


Asbury Lieuallen was the first man in the valley, coming in the summer of 1871. A little later a num- ber of families found their way to locations along Paradise creek. and by fall there were several cabins within sight of each other a few miles east of the Moscow of today. Among these, beside Mr. Lieu- allen, were George W. Tomer, L. Haskens, William Ewing, John Russell, Henry Trimble, James Deakin, Henry McGregor. Thomas Tierney, William Taylor, Noah Lieuallen, William Calbraith, John and Bart Niemyer. James and Albert Howard, Reuben Cox, O. P. H. Beagle and James Montgomery. Lewiston was the nearest post-office and was reached over the worst roads that could be imagined. A deter- mined effort was made in the summer of 1872 to se- cure the establishment of a post-office in the valley. About this time A. Leland, afterwards the publisher of the Lewiston Teller, drove across the country from Lewiston to the Spokane bridge, obtaining signatures to a petition praying for the establishment of a mail route between these two points. In the same summer a post-office was established and George W. Tomer was appointed postmaster, but not wishing to serve, he secured the appointment of V. Craig in his stead. The office was named Paradise, or some say Paradise City, and had an official existence of about three years.


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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.


During the winter of 1874 and 1875 the question of es- tablishing a store was agitated in the settlement. The schoolhouse built in 1871 on the Haskens place was used for all public gatherings of the community, and here the question of location was frequently discussed. Some favored the Paradise post-office location and others a site farther down the valley as being more central to the homes of the settlers. On the west side of what is now Main street the land had been taken as a homestead by William Neff. Mr. Neff had opened a small stock of goods late in 1874, but he did not attempt to supply the demands for general mer- chandise, and the store was unsatisfactory. In the spring of 1875 Asbury A. Lieuallen purchased Mr. Neff's land, put up a small store building and, going to Walla Walla, purchased a small stock of general merchandise with which, in the latter part of May, he opened the pioneer store of Paradise valley and of what is now Latah county. At the time the store was established, or shortly afterwards, the Paradise post office was moved over, Mr. Lieuallen was appointed postmaster and changed the name to Moscow. The pioneers tell us that an ordinary shoe box was used as the receptacle for the mail, and from this box set- tlers helped themselves when coming to the store.


The energy of man rightly applied can overcome all obstacles and make a prosperous community in the midst of a desert, or make a barren waste blossom like a rose. When the same energy is aided by nature the result is the same in a much greater degree, for man naturally is better repaid for his labor through being relieved from combating sterile surroundings, and consequently finds more in life to enjoy. The ever living energy of man who settled on broad acres. reclaiming them from the wilderness, has made thou- sands of homes and millions of wealth. Moscow be- gan in a small way. Two wagon loads of merchandise constituted Mr. Lieuallen's stock. But his patrons did not have to waste their energies in the cultivation of a desert, and the rose bloomed by its own efforts. There were difficulties to overcome, but there was energy to perform the task. The Paradise valley settler was full of energy and his farm was phenomen- ally fertile. The transformation of an unbounded wilderness, a vast, almost unknown expanse, the abode of savagery, the hunting grounds of the nomads of the plains to happy homes, blessed abundantly with the fruits of honest toil, was rapid, but not without its equivalent in the development of Moscow. In one brief decade the character of the immediate surround- ings was totally changed ; the tepee of the Indian was swept away to make room for the business house, the schoolhouse and the church.




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