George Olin Potter

          Submitted by Eric Potter

          My grandfather, George Olin Potter, was marshal of the town of Oroville in the late '30's. He had to go to Wenatchee on business once, as I recall, it was a Friday through Sunday trip. He contacted sheriff John McGraw, I think his name was, to keep an eye on the town until he got back.

          Well, Saturday nights in Oroville ususally involved drinking and breaking up the cafe, and late Saturday night a fight started in the local cafe. Someone ran to the marshal's office and hollared for the marshal, probobly not realizing that it was the sheriff there. Well, the sheriff came running, quite excited, and got in the middle of the room. He pulled his revolver, shouted "Hold it!", fired a shot into the ceiling, "Okanogan County sheriff", fired two shots into the ceiling, "You're all under arrest!" and emptied his revolver into the ceiling, bringing most of the plaster down.

          This would have been OK, except everyone ignored him and kept on with the celebratory knock-down-drag-out. The sheriff just quietly left, and when my grandfather got back, he was met by the owner of the cafe who complained that not only had his customers (again!) demolished the cafe, the sheriff had pretty much shot the ceiling out and would Marshal Potter mind not turning the town over the Okanogan County Sheriff again!