From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library

It was a criminal story bound to generate headlines. Federal agents storm a mansion in Seattle, the home of a former Governor’s son. In the course of their search they discover a large amount of a white powdery substance hidden behind a sofa and an arrest is made.

It was flour. Around 600 pounds of it.

Here’s the report from the Seattle Daily Times, August 2, 1918:

SEATTLE LAWYER FINED $350 FOR HIDING FLOUR

Pierre P. Ferry, Son of First Governor of State, Offers Compromise Plea.

“Charged with hoarding flour in violation of the food laws, Pierre P. Ferry, wealthy pioneer attorney and son of Elisha P. Ferry, first governor of the state, last night was fined $350 by Judge Edward E. Cushman in the United States District Court. Ferry paid the fine and costs at once.”

“Ferry was the first man to be arrested in Seattle on a charge of food hoarding. He was taken in custody early last month when federal officers found more than 600 pounds of flour behind a sofa in the maid’s room on the third floor of the Ferry residence, and subsequently he was indicted by the grand jury.”

Offers Compromise Plea.

“Arraigned last night, Ferry was permitted by the court to enter a plea of nolle contendere. This is a compromise plea involving neither the guilt nor innocence of the defendant. Speaking for the government Assistant United States Attorney Ben L. Moore declared Ferry should plead either guilty or not guilty.”

“Moore also declined to suggest the amount in which Ferry should be fined or otherwise punished. The government prosecutor merely placed the facts in the case before the court, declining to be heard further than a statement that Ferry either was guilty or not guilty and should be compelled so to plead.”

Denies Attempt to Conceal.

“Former Federal Judge C.H. Hanford, who, with Alfred Battle and J.L. Corrigan, represented Ferry, contended that the defendant had not been guilty of an attempt to violate the spirit and intent of the law and had made no effort to conceal the flour. He said Ferry did not know he held an unlawful amount of flour until so notified by federal agents.”

“Judge Cushman said that while he did not countenance food hoarding, if the country was at a point where it was starving such an offense would call for harsh punishment and the rule of guilt or innocence demanded. He said he was thankful that time is not here.”

Flour hoarding was considered a crime in the United States during most of 1918 as the country mobilized for the Great War. The U.S. Food Administration apparently was seen as the enforcement agency. One curious publication in the WSL collection from this era is The Bride’s Cook Book, which takes wartime food rationing into account. A USFA official writes in the preface, “By following the Wheatless and Sugarless recipes contained therein the Housewife is performing a patriotic duty in the conserving of Food so necessary for our Allies and armies abroad.”

Pierre Peyre Ferry (1868-1932) was a successful Seattle attorney and capitalist. Here’s a WSL connection: his brother, James Peyre Ferry (1853-1914), had served as Territorial Librarian 1880-1881.

The Pierre P. Ferry house, scene of the crime, still stands today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I believe it was listed in spite of the flour caper, not because of it.

[Ferry portrait from: The Cartoon : a Reference Book of Seattle’s Successful Men (1911)]

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library:

You would think that the inauguration of a local area figure to the office of Washington State Governor would be the commanding top of the fold headline. But not in the January 11, 1905 issue of The Bellingham Herald. Albert Mead’s swearing in ceremony does garner a nice spot, but above the gubernatorial news in bold caps across the top of the paper is the seven word declaration, followed by many smaller exciting sub-titles:

LYNDEN IS IN A STATE OF TURMOIL

 MARSHAL IS JAILED

 Lynden’s New Mayor Pro Tem Placed Under Arrest by Old Officers.

 RULE OF FORCE PREVAILS

 Door of City Hall Is Battered Down.

 UNCERTAINTY NOW EXISTS

 Old Administration Refuses to Concede that its Time Has Expired and Ousts New Council by Force of Numbers.

 “The political turmoil in Lynden during the last few weeks came near resulting in a riot last night. The old administration, backed up by a mob of over one hundred citizens, battered in the doors of the city hall, placed the new town marshal and the new mayor pro tem under arrest and took possession of the city’s property. The new council, which had been organized and elected its officers and assumed that it was in control, was put to rout and is now seeking advise as to what should be done in the premises.”

“The three anti-saloon councilmen recently elected assumed that the old administration ceased to exist at midnight Monday. Accordingly they met at 12:30 o’clock yesterday, and proceeded to elect Councilman M. Dame [i.e. N. Bame] as mayor pro tem, the election having resulted in a tie vote for mayor. T.H. Day [i.e. F.B. Day] was elected town marshal.”

“Since the old council had called a meeting to be held at the city hall at 8 o’clock in the evening, trouble was anticipated. The new council adjourned its midday session with the understanding that another meeting was to be held at the hall at 8 o’clock in the evening. Marshal Day was left in charge with instructions to hold the fort at all hazards. At 7:15 o’clock the rival forces arrived on the scene and proceeded to take possession by force. Day was placed in jail for two hours and the mayor pro tem, who was in the hall at the time and who found himself helpless, was informed that he was under arrest. The old council proceeded to hold a session and then took the city books away from the hall, having placed them in charge of a man who is said to live outside of city limits.”

 Looked Like Fierce Battle.

 “For a time it seemed that a battle royal would ensue, and all because of the fact that as yet no one knows who constitutes the city government. Lynden has been in a state of ferment ever since the city election held December 6, 1904. It was a memorable election and will go down in the history of that former quiet little city as one of the fiercest contests ever waged at a municipal election. The clash which occurred last night causes the election episode to pale into insignificance.”

“At the time of the general election held in December it was found that there was a tie vote for the office of mayor and that is the beginning of the present chaotic condition of affairs. At a subsequent meeting of the council it was held that there was no election for the office of mayor. It appears from the testimony of Charles E. Cline, a resident of Lynden, that the old officials found a statute which they interpreted as giving them the authority to appoint a mayor for the entire year and who would serve up to the time of the next election. The other persons in the general vernacular known as the ‘antis’ denied that the law which they cited would give them such authority. Mr. Cline says the town charter provides that the new council shall hold office from and after the second Tuesday in January of each year, but the charter does not designate any hour of that date when they shall begin to hold office. The ordinance of Lynden fixing the time for holding the meetings of the council is silent in regard to the time for any meeting on that day.”

 New Council Meets

 “On Tuesday, January 10, the second Tuesday of the new year, there being no established law for the time of meeting a majority of the incoming council called a meeting by giving, as Mr. Cline says, legal notice to each member of the new council-elect that a meeting would be held at 12:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Mr. Cline says that the clerk, whose term of office expired with the old council, upon request gave to Mr. Dame [i.e. Bame], a member of the new council, the key to the city hall and access to all of the records and ordinances. A meeting of the incoming council was held, and a recess was taken until 8 o’clock p.m. At the meeting N. Dame [i.e. Bame] was elected mayor pro tem, W.H. Towner, clerk; F.B. Day, town marshal. Meantime the hall was left in charge of the new marshal, F.B. Day, with instructions to hold possession and allow no one to secure possession without due authority. At about 7:30 o’clock Hugh Breckenridge, who alleges that he is the legal mayor of the city by reason that he was elected by the old council, rapped at the door and was admitted by Mr. Day.”

“Later there was a rap at the door of the city hall and Mr. Day says he asked who was there and what was wanted.”

“The reply was, ‘I am the city marshal; let me in.'”

“Mr. Day says he replied as follows:”

“‘I am the new city marshal and cannot let you in this room, which is the instruction of the city council.'”

“To this Mr. Day says that the person outside replied: ‘Open this door or I will batter it down.’ The door was not opened as commanded and backed by a surging mob outside the door was broken down. Mr. Day says that the old town marshal, George Erz, at once said to him, ‘You can consider yourself under arrest,’ and, continued Mr. Day, ‘he forced me to go into the city jail at the rear of the city hall where I was held for about two hours. Mr. Dame [i.e. Bame], mayor pro tem, who was in the room at the time of the mob, was also told by Mr. Erz that he, too, was under arrest.'”

“After the crowd rushed into the council room Mr. Cline states that the alleged mayor, Hugh Breckenridge and the old council, proceeded to the transaction of business for the city. Several warrants were ordered paid and other business transacted.”

 In Peculiar Position.

 “The condition in which Lynden is now placed is a peculiar one and one in which the aid of the court will be invoked in order to determine which set of officers are in control. There are now two sets of officers each of which claims to be clothed with legal power to transact the business of the city.”

“Attorneys are now in consultation over the affair and quo warranto proceedings will probably be instituted against each of the alleged officers who composed the meeting that gained entrance to the city hall last night by the breaking of the doors of the hall.”

“A delegation of Lynden citizens is in the city today consulting attorneys relative to the affair. The representatives are: Charles E. Cline, Marshal F.B. Day, Councilmen Carr Bailey and D.J. Steffe.”

This article is a window into a political battle between the pro-liquor and anti-saloon factions in Lynden during the first decade of the 20th century. A very Calvinistic community (Lynden was once known for having the most churches per square mile in Washington State), the town didn’t have a saloon at all until 1903. Since the mob that broke into City Hall represented the pro-liquor faction, one has to wonder if alcohol was a factor in more than just political philosophy.

For awhile Lynden actually had two different city councils meeting during the same period of time, until the court sided with the anti-saloon crowd. Ultimately by 1910 the “antis” emerged victorious and liquor would not be served again in Lynden until the 1930s.

A very entertaining and detailed account of this episode can be found in Ed Nelson’s A History of Lynden (1995).

The same two gentlemen who tied for mayor also tied in the next election. This also happened in the town of McCleary in the late 1960s-early 1970s where the same candidates tied twice. In the McCleary case, the issue was settled both times by drawing a name out of the Sheriff’s hat– a much more peaceful solution.

[Thanks to Kim Smeenk for providing a nice copy of the Jan. 11, 1905 front page]

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library:

Pennsylvania-born Dr. Albert Henry Fehr appears to have arrived in the then independent city of Georgetown, Washington around 1908, at age 36. He specialized in horses, and even had a patent in 1899 on a toe-weight for equines. In 1906 he was a one-day national news sensation when he blew the whistle on a horse he was ordered to drug in order to fix a race in Memphis.

Georgetown had only been incorporated since 1904 when newcomer Dr. Fehr tossed his hat in the ring during the 1909 election after the original Mayor decided to retire from the office. Fehr placed third out of three candidates, gaining only a dozen votes.

This week’s grabbed at random reel of microfilm is from The Seattle Daily Times, Jan. 14, 1910. It describes the consequences of an unusual campaign promise made by Dr. Fehr:

 SOMEBODY LIED, NOW BURDEN OF SONG BY FEHR

 Georgetown Mayoralty Aspirant, Who Promised Dinner to Supporters, Gets 12 Votes but 137 Want Feed

ALL SAY THEY GAVE HIM THEIR BALLOTS

 Only Thing to Do, He Says, Is to Entertain Whole Town at Barbecue — Leases Long String of Sausages.

 “One hundred and thirty seven legal voters of Georgetown solemnly declare they cast their ballots for Dr. A.H. Fehr, candidate for the mayoralty nomination on the Citizen’s ticket at the recent primaries. The election clerks and judges as solemnly declare that the official count of the ballots gave Dr. Fehr exactly twelve votes. The ever-growing list of men who say they voted for Dr. Fehr is reaching such proportions that there is now an issue of veracity between the election boards and the remainder of Georgetown.”

 “Little attention would be given to the wide difference in the figures were it not for the campaign promise of Dr. Fehr that he would invite each man who voted for him to a dinner after election. Many promised to vote for him, but only eleven kept the pledge, and Dr. Fehr voted for himself.”

 “When the last vote was counted Dr. Fehr slapped his pocketbook in satisfaction and next morning started to round up the faithful eleven.”

 Number Keeps Increasing

 “The first day of his canvass he found twenty-six who swore they voted for him. Dr. Fehr scratched his head in amazement, asked each member of the election boards if they were honest, consulted City Attorney Charles Ennis about throwing out the whole election on account of fraud, and then decided to feed the twenty-six. That night Fehr’s telephone bell rang repeatedly and each time he answered it a voter promised to attend the banquet in accordance with the preelection arrangement.”

“By sunrise Fehr had a list of thirty-five who voted for him, and the next night his intended guests numbered fifty-three. Then Fehr began to stave off the banquet. He refused to be called a ‘quitter’ but he acknowledged that he was sparring for time. It was believed that an indefinite postponement of the banquet would discourage the remaining voters in Georgetown. The voters not only knew their game but were hungry.”

 Will Feed Whole Town

 “‘There is only one way to give that banquet and not slight anyone,’ said Dr. Fehr today, ‘and that is to feed the whole town. I thought the matter over last night and have decided to barbecue a big, fat hog and invite everybody to come. I have rented the old livery stable of Roy Wilson, now being fitted up for a Georgetown theatre, and as soon as the alterations are finished, I will give that banquet. I have taken options on a half barrel of sauerkraut, a half barrel of dill pickles, 150 loaves of bread, leased a strong of sausages that will reach from Frye-Bruhn’s to the city hall, and, with a 300-pound hog I believe I shall be able to feed all who voted for me.'”

“‘There also will be two or three barrels of coffee and tea. Just as soon as Wilson gets his new theatre ready I shall keep my election promise and feed everybody who voted for me.'”

June Peterson Robinson in her book, The Georgetown Story (2nd ed., 2000) picks up where the above story left off:

“A number of Georgetown residents could be classed as ‘characters’ but none captured the attention of the media more than Dr. A.H. Fehr during the spring of 1910.”

“The little dandy with the small mustache and close-cropped hair had been an unsuccessful mayoral candidate the previous fall, polling only twelve votes in the primaries. His public offer to buy dinner for the eleven persons who voted for him turned up twenty-six voters the first day and rose to one hundred thirty-seven by January. He advised the town fathers that he could either ask for a recount or charge election fraud, but decided to keep his election promise and feed the whole town.”

“The dinner would take place as soon as alterations changing Roy Wilson’s livery stable to a theater had taken place. The date was finally fixed for March 3, Fehr’s birthday, and was to be held out of doors– weather permitting. Hi Gill, Seattle mayor John Miller and the Seattle City Council, the Georgetown mayor and Council and all King County Veterinarians were invited to be special guests. The menu would include one barrel sauerkraut, one half barrel dill pickles, three gallons mustard, one bear, one veal, one mutton, one shoat, two dozen Belgian hares and wieners containing the meat of twelve animals (to correspond with the votes cast in the election). Paper plates and napkins would be used. Dr. Fehr announced that he was having iron forks made, twelve would bear the words ‘I did,’ the remainder would say ‘I didn’t.’ Those who picked ‘I did’ out of the basket would be considered the only honest men– the ones who really voted for Fehr. Unfortunately, the story of the end of the celebration has been lost. No account has been found of the actual event and what really happened.”

Although Dr. Fehr can be found in the Seattle directories for 1908-1910, he vanishes from that source 1911-1914. Interestingly, he does not appear in the 1912 Year Book of the Washington State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners as someone licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Washington State. He died in Seattle at age 41 on Jan. 12, 1914, two days shy of the 4th anniversary of The Seattle Daily Times article above.

As for Georgetown, it came to an end as an incorporated entity on Apr. 4, 1910, when it was annexed by Seattle.