SHERIFFS 1911-1989. A History of Murders in the Wilderness of Washington's Last County

Hardback. Pend Oreille County on the Canadian border in northeastern Washington State is part of the last American Wilderness. It is a land of crystaline lakes and rugged mountains. But the pristine beauty and seeming peacefulness mask human brutality that sporadically mars the peaceful facade. Since its incorporation in 1911, there have been 40 murders in the county. This book deals with those homicides, and the courageous sheriffs who investigated them. The author served as sheriff of Pend Oreille County from 1978-1991 and puts his expertise to use. He has recreated the tragic events, using facts culled from police records, newspaper clippings, and court documents, as well as interviews with witnesses, family members, and even one of the convicted murderers. Included is the murder of Newport marshal George Conniff, which was the nation's oldest active murder case until the author helped solve the investigation. Involving widespread police corruption and cover-ups, it attacted national attention. Not just a tale of savagery, the book is also a parable about the terrible effects of alcohol and drugs - effects that often turn normal situations into murderous ones. A story of a place where the primitive condition of the land can sometimes be matched by its inhabitants. Illus., Sources and Index. 251pp. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true-crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. in Vg+ dw.