From the archives of the

Bonner County History Museum

611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, ID 83864

208-263-2344

50 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

April 16, 1967 - CITY IN BRIEF

Mr. and Mrs. Leon Lewis and their three children have moved into the J. R. McFarland home, corner of Superior St. and So. First Ave.

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DRIVER CHARGED IN DEATH OF GIBSON

A coroner’s jury ruled on April 12 that the cause of death of William M. Gibson, Jr., 20 on March 26 was by criminal means and the verdict handed to Coroner Barry Nelson further stated that “it is believed that Charles Cutler, 18, is guilty.”

Nelson called the inquest to look into the facts of the fatal accident west of Clark Fork. The verdict by the six jurors is not a conviction. It is merely a decision that there have been enough facts presented to warrant a trial.

Those who served on the jury were Gary Sass, Pat McCrum, Ted Farmin, Clarence Reed, George Harper and Vernon Ruen.

Witnesses called included Charles Wrotenbury, Shelley Spinharney, W. A. Lewis, Howard Scott, Charles Cutler, Janine Pucci, A. Gunderson, Donald C. Hadley and Harvey Riffle.

Cutler waived a preliminary hearing and was bound over to district court. After he posted a $500 bond, he was released pending trial.

100 Years Ago

Pend d’Oreille Review

April 16, 1917 — TO GRAZE 20,000 SHEEP

20,000 sheep from the Pasco, Wash. area will graze on the hillsides of Pend d’Oreille district from about June 1 until Sept. 15. They will be distributed over Grouse, Buck Horn and Trestle Creek mountains. The government gets six cents a head for the season from the sheep owners.

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SANDPOINT BOY GERMAN PRISONER

Mrs. James Folden this week received a letter from her son Heino Rein, written after his release from a German military prison: Dear Mother, I am now in a nice Swiss city. We left Germany night before last. It will be April when we reach the US. If ever there was a hell on earth it is Germany.

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MILITARY GUARDS ESTABLISHED

The first of the railroad military guards was established at the Granite tunnel and bridge of the N.P. this week when a detail of outside soldiers appeared. Two men are stationed at either end of the tunnel and one military guard appears on sentinel duty on the bridge day and night. Section men and signal men need passes to get by the military guard. It is expected that a guard will arrive any day now for the long bridge.

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NO MORE I.W.W. MEN TO BE EMPLOYED

The Humbird Lumber co. is posting notices at their spring camps warning away members of the I.W.W. organization. All northern Idaho lumber companies will ask all employees in the woods to fill out cards giving name, age, dependents, nearest relative, last job, pay rate etc., and are asked: “Are you an I.W.W.? Or sympathizer?”

For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.