Harrington news

Quickly and prior to the fall season of music lessons, former Mayor Paul Gilliland had a private moving company from Spokane transport his Yamaha M2-G Italian Provincial piano made of American walnut from his home in Spokane to the Art Room of the Harrington Opera House building. The piano is 43 inches high and appears flawless. Heather Safe, music instructor, said that it has a beautiful quality; Billie Herron stated that it has a beautiful responsive touch. HOHS is most grateful to Paul and Lorraine Gilliland for their loan of this lovely piano. Heather Safe will soon be organizing her schedule for lessons this fall; interested parties need to contact her.

Senator Judy Warnick, (R) Moses Lake, Karen Keiser, (D) from the 33rd Legislative District on the coast (a member of the Ways and Means Committee), Nicole Vukonich, Communications Specialist for the Senate Democratic Caucus, and a photographer came to the Harrington Opera House on Tuesday, August 23, to take videos to document the capital projects that the legislature funded and which made the elevator possible this year. They toured the entire building, giving special attention to the elevator and getting pictures of it at both floors. They investigated all the ADA accesses points and restrooms. These four were met by Opera House Society members Ed Haugan, Mark Stedman, Gordon and Billie Herron and Karen Robertson. The group left Harrington for Ellensburg where they would take more videos.

Evidence in the store

Austin and Jenna Fries have been gradually making changes in the Harrington Food Mart and recently discovered a board with “J.O. Kerrick” on it. This building, which is on the Harrington Historic Register, was built 100 years ago by none other than John O. Kerrick. He and his brother, Lee B. Kerrick came to the Harrington vicinity in 1901 when Lee married Emma Rosebaugh, a teacher and the daughter of Samuel Rosebaugh. Emma’s brother, J.P. Rosebaugh was town constable in 1898 and later postmaster for many years. The Rosebaughs owned and sold (in 1900) the lot that the Evangelical Church was built on in 1901. Mrs. J.P. Rosebaugh was the daughter of Mrs. W.H. Coombs.

Lee Kerrick was first associated with Armagost in construction in Ritzville and locally on the new John Cormana residence (1901). The Kerrick brothers had the contracts for many buildings in the area including the J.E. Russell ranch home, a large barn and granary for Berry Luper (1905), a cottage on the Faulding property (1905), the Van Natter & Pelky brick block (1906), the J.M. Yadon country residence (1915) for $6,000 and homes for Warren Gough, J.E. Mayer and Wilbert Dobson and a warehouse for J.E. Russell. In Mohler they built an addition to a warehouse for the Mohler Union Warehouse Company. In 1916, they built the McInnis brick building to replace the OK Stables that had burned (this is now the Studebaker Garage owned by Allen Barth). In 1916, Kerrick built the Joe Coombs bungalow for $4,000 north of the Bethel Spanish mansion. Notes can be found which show that Kerrick also did odd jobs such as the painting of city hall in 1906. Much of the time these contractors were increasing the housing situation in Harrington; the Kerricks actually resided in Spokane.

A stranger among us

While continuing research on the Krumholz Bros. Mercantile store and family members, an interesting article was discovered which some of The Record’s readers might appreciate, to help them find records when they are doing family history:

“Stranger Found Dead. Saturday morning an unknown man was found dead in one of the rooms of R. Brenchley & Co.’s lodging house, and the condition of the body indicated that he had passed to the Great Beyond several hours before as he was cold and stiff in that last sleep from which the body awakes not. The room in which the stranger was found had been for several days occupied by a man giving his name as G. Franklain, and was still assigned to and occupied by him. G. Franklain had taken the strange man to his room by a back stairway that night. Two men, both of whom have been employed for the past two or three weeks at the B&B cafe, were seen with the unknown Friday. It is thought that foul play hastened his death, as the autopsy, held by Coroner O.L. Adams and Dr. E.E. Langley, it was shown that he was in good health and normal in every respect. Others say he had considerable money upon his person Friday, but when he was searched, not a cent was found in his pockets. Matches, cigarette papers and a bit of chewing tobacco were found in his pockets. The stomach and some of the tissues and secretions were sent away for a chemical analysis, as it was thought indications pointed strongly to poison. He was of stout build, weighing 180 pounds, about 5 feet 10 inches, dark glossy hair inclined to be wavy at the ends, perfect features with high, broad and prominent forehead, dark eyes and was supposed to be about 26 years old. He was smoothly shaven. It is reported he came from Wenatchee. He wore a soft hat, the sweatband of which bore the name ‘R. B. Wilson & Co., Ellensburg, Wash.’ He wore a pair of almost new corduroy trousers, No. 9 heavy tan shoes, black sateen work shirt and dark gray or drab coat and vest. The body was taken in charge by undertaker J.E. Turner. Coroner O.L. Adams empanelled a jury composed of O.W. Stone, G.A. Matthews, I.K. Charlton, George W. Cameron, Ole K. Hong and W.P. Hill. G. Franklain was held by Marshall O.J. Smalley and on Monday was taken to Davenport. The man was buried on Monday in the Harrington cemetery. The cook who was with him before he died was placed in custody by Bert Baker and was taken to Davenport.” (Citizen: 10-23-1911)

Quiet speculation has long existed that the rooms over the Brenchley “Stag” tavern were the “red-light district” of the earliest years of the town of Harrington. Never has word been heard of this poor man, poisoned and left penniless, dying over what is now city hall. Local historians are not familiar with any photos of the rear of this building, which might have shown the stairway that led to the stranger’s place of death.

Nearly 105 years have elapsed since the passing of this soul. A great description was given at the time, but if you were hunting for an ancestor who was perhaps last seen in Kittitas or Chelan counties, would you think to come to Lincoln County and search the records of the Harrington cemetery? In 1911, if a man rode out of town on his trusty steed and was never heard from again, many conclusions might be drawn. Optimists would assume that he carved out a niche in the world to his liking and found no need to return to familiar country. A pessimist might well deduce that he met with foul play.