Case Summary

Frankie Sutsinger was arrested on the accusation that she was keeping a house in Spokane Falls or the purpose of using opium, violating a local ordinance and being forced to pay a fee. Sutsinger petitioned, arguing that improper jurisdiction and complaint without offense, as well as the ordinance itself, made said warrant void. The judge ruled that she be discharged from custody.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Running an opium den

Outcome

Writ allowed

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

Spokane County Government, Clerk, Territorial Case Files, 1879-1889, No. 1731

Source material(s)

Case File

Case document transcriptions

• hc.case.wa.0144.001
• hc.case.wa.0144.002
• hc.case.wa.0144.003
• hc.case.wa.0144.004
• hc.case.wa.0144.005
• hc.case.wa.0144.006
• hc.case.wa.0144.007
• hc.case.wa.0144.008
• hc.case.wa.0144.009

Related petitions

• City of Spokane v. Frankie Sutsinger

Repository(s)

• Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch (Cheney, WA) (Cheney, Washington)

State

• Washington

Point(s) of law cited

#15 An ordinance prohibiting the smoking or inhaling of opium (circa. 1885 in Spokane Falls, WA)

People

• Sutsinger, Franklin (Frankie) (petitioner)
• Sutsinger, Franklin (Frankie) (bound party)
• Turner, George M. (judge)
• Peel, J. J. L. (Paul) (authority ordering detention)
• Murray, W. M. (petitioner attorney)
• Graves, Frank H. (petitioner attorney)

• Additional parties

  Rusk, R. J. (author of complaint)

  Glispen, James A. (city Marshal)

  Hanna, J. C. (city clerk)

  Cannon, A. M. (mayor)

  Clements, D. A. (clerk)

  Willows, Dolly

  Mebleu, Fannie

  Webber, Frank

  Whittier, C. F. (sheriff)