Spokane Police Chief Assaults Peddler in Mayor's Office
An altercation over vending licenses in the Mayor's office ends with the city's top cop in the defendant's chair.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Spokane Chief of Police Woydt was arrested on a charge of assault and battery after striking a local peddler, Thomas Golden. The incident took place within the office of Mayor Boyd, in the presence of several city officials. The dispute arose over an order issued by Woydt that forbade peddlers from selling wares in the central district of the city. Golden argued that his city license allowed him to sell anywhere, leading to a heated exchange where the Chief accused Golden of lying and struck him. Woydt ultimately pleaded guilty, paid a $10 fine, and apologized, though Golden vowed to continue his campaign to have the Chief removed from office.
“Spokane's guardian of the peace will lose his official head if Golden is able to accomplish his desires.”
This incident highlights early 20th-century tensions between municipal control over street commerce and the rights of independent laborers. The struggle over who gets to occupy public space remains a central theme in modern urban planning and street vending policy.
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