The First Convict of the Gambling Law
A Spokane saloon operator becomes the first casualty of Washington's strict new anti-gambling statute, landing a one-year sentence at the state penitentiary in Walla Walla.
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Fritz Dietrich, who was caught dealing stud poker in the rear of the Bohemian saloon in Spokane on June 14, 1903, was the first man sentenced under the new state anti-gambling law. Appearing before Judge Richardson in the superior court, Dietrich pleaded guilty through his attorney, Will G. Graves. Despite arguments that the new law was merely an unconstitutional amendment to an 1879 misdemeanor act, Dietrich was sentenced to one year in the state penitentiary at Walla Walla plus court costs. His defense counsel indicated potential plans to appeal via habeas corpus to the state supreme court to challenge the validity of the legislation.
“The first case under the new gambling law which went into effect last Thursday is a matter of history.”
This case highlights the volatility of early 20th-century morality laws in Washington. Just as the 1903 legislature sought to tighten control over 'vice' in saloons, today's local debates over the expansion of digital gaming and card rooms continue to center on the civic line between social entertainment and illegal enterprise.
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