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For sale is a fascinating, original 1921 legal brief from the Supreme Court of the State of Washington (Brown v. Hoffman, 116 Wash. 430). This is a surviving artifact from a dramatic Pacific Northwest true-crime scandal involving real estate fraud, a vulnerable widow, and an illegal downtown Spokane brothel.
The Incredible "Red-Light District" Story Inside:
In June 1918, a predatory couple (the Hoffmans) tricked an inexperienced widow named Anna Brown into buying the 24-room Winters Hotel at 119 N. Washington Street, Spokane for $1,700. She paid $540 in cash upfront.
Pages 2 through 5 read like a movie script, detailing exactly what happened next:
- The Setup: The sellers claimed the hotel was a clean, full business making $200/month in net profit from 50-cent-a-night rooms. Anna brought along an "advisor," Mr. Scholl, whose only qualification was driving a hotel laundry wagon 10 years prior.
- The Shocking Discovery: Upon moving in, the widow discovered the hotel was actually a notorious "house of prostitution." Crowds of men flooded the building "continually and frequently" looking for women.
- The Madam Proposal: Because Anna insisted on running a clean, legitimate business, the hotel lost all its income and she couldn't afford rent. When she confronted Mr. Hoffman, he shamelessly told her to bring back the old manager, Nellie Cook, or "get a couple of girls and 'rustle' [solicit] to fill up the rooms."
- The Legal Battle: Proudly refusing to "stoop to immorality," the widow packed up after just one month and sued to get her $540 back. This brief documents her hard-fought victory against the scammers.
Collector Value & Condition:
This softcover booklet is in great antique condition with fully readable pages. It features prominent Spokane architectural history, listing lawyers operating out of the historic Peyton Building and Paulsen Building.
This is a premier display piece for Pacific Northwest history buffs, true crime collectors, or a local Spokane law firm looking for a unique, frameable conversation piece.
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