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107 stories matching bribe
- The Scandalous Dismissal of the State Bribery Case
After three years of legal maneuvers, a landmark bribery case involving state officials and textbook contracts was unceremoniously dropped, sparking local outrage.
- The Man Who Exposed the Bribe: Metcalfe’s Stand Against Olympia’s ‘Boodle’ Gang
In a rare display of moral courage in Washington's early political history, Representative Metcalfe turned a bribe into evidence, sparking a war with corruptionists that the paper defends as necessary for good government.
- The Councilman and the Telephone Promoter
A City Council member swears he was offered a massive bribe, but the accused parties are laughing it off—now the council must decide who is telling the truth.
- The Price of a Free Pass
In 1885, Seattle’s press took on the corrupting influence of Northern Pacific Railroad’s 'free' travel gifts to legislators, arguing that such favors were nothing less than bribes intended to command political obedience.
- The Railway Bribe on the Reservation
A railroad company agent admits to a systematic scheme of paying Puyallup men to secure a right-of-way through their land.
- The Man Who Took the Bribe to Expose It
Representative Metcalfe’s daring sting operation against Senatorial corruption has turned him into a hero for reformers and a target for powerful enemies.
- The Brutal Assault at the Brunswick Hotel
A woman details a violent confrontation after refusing a bribe to perjure herself in a scandal involving a local man.
- The Corruption of the City Council
Mayor John N. Nickols of Tacoma is arrested and indicted for soliciting a $10,000 bribe to approve ordinances ratifying city contracts.
- The Sting That Toppled a Representative
When Washington state lawmaker John L. Metcalfe accepted a bribe to expose corruption, the legislature responded by trying to expel him instead of the briber.
- The Whistleblower Who Risked It All on the House Floor
When Washington legislator Metcalfe turned in a bribe, his colleagues turned on him. In a dramatic trial for expulsion, he dared to tell them their political machine was 'as corrupt as hell.'
- The Battle for the Rails: Monopoly vs. The Public Good
A scathing editorial from 1885 outlines the clash between the Union Pacific’s 'business-first' model and the Northern Pacific's alleged strategy of political bribery and town-site speculation.
- The Fire Department Pay-to-Play Scandal
Mayor J. T. Ronald suspends a fire commissioner over allegations of accepting bribes from a stoker seeking job security and appointment.
- The Councilman Who Said No to $132,000
Councilman Conrad rejects a massive bribe offer, triggering a city-wide scandal and the mysterious flight of a corporate agent.
- Scandal at the State Capital
A political exposé details how legislators used committee clerkships as patronage bribes to maintain illicit affairs, resulting in a public divorce case.
- Buy Our Waterworks, or We'll Sell You to a Syndicate
Tacoma's Light and Water Company files its inventory for a $1.75 million city buyout — and a critic notes that the company has always known how to win a Tacoma election.
- The Bribe, The Bantam, and the Law
A Seattle man stands trial for bribery after a messy encounter with a deputy marshal at the Northern Pacific depot—a case fueled by accusations of corruption and mutual dishonesty.
- The Wells-Fargo Frame-Up
A detective agency is caught attempting to bribe a driver to falsely implicate two men in a $2,000 express heist.
- The Scandalous Governor Who Never Was
A political fixer with a reputation for bribery and forgery was appointed Governor of Washington Territory, triggering a national outcry that exposed the deep corruption of the era's patronage system.
- The Sting at the State Capital
A political whistleblower braves public scorn to expose the bribery and influence-peddling that turned the Washington State legislature into a 'reeking cesspool.'
- The Price of a Blind Eye
A Seattle official rejects a monthly bribe from local gamblers, exposing a deep-seated culture of corruption at City Hall.
- Tacoma’s Water Works Scandal
A grand jury struggles to uncover the truth behind allegations of bribery and corruption in Tacoma's municipal water system purchase.
- The Shadowy Franchise Fight
After accusations of a $132,000 bribe, the Tacoma City Council is forced into a formal inquiry over the Independent Telephone Company’s franchise bid.
- The Councilman Who Turned Down a King's Ransom
A local bribery scandal reveals the absurdity of Tacoma's political culture, where one official boasts of refusing a $132,000 bribe.
- Bribery Allegations Rock the Fire Commission
A city fire commissioner reveals he was offered a $300 bribe to influence a lucrative hose contract, as rival companies trade accusations of fraud.
- The Price of a Vote: Bribery and Betrayal in the Legislature
F.J. Grant defends himself against allegations of attempting to bribe state legislators, accusing political rivals of forgery and perjury.
Also about this, in other words
- The Railway Bribe: Why Editors Shouldn't Take Free Rides
An editorial critique on how railroad corporations use free travel passes to compromise the independence of public officials and journalists.
- The Bribe That Killed the Telephone Franchise
A Tacoma councilman reveals a $132,000 bribery attempt, blowing up a major deal to challenge the local telephone monopoly.
- The Juror Bribery Scandal
A courtroom drama unfolds as attempts to bribe jurors in a Great Northern condemnation case land the perpetrators in legal limbo.
- The Sting on Washington Street
A bold bribery attempt backfires when a Seattle constable and a city official lure a man into a trap, leading to a dramatic arrest.
- When a Railroad Pass Was a Bribe in a Pocket
A Tacoma editor demands Washington's lawmakers enforce the constitutional ban on free train passes, arguing the 'courtesy' bought influence one legislator at a time.
- The Phantom Bribe: A Legislative Ghost Hunt in Olympia
A state representative demands an investigation into a 'phantom' briber, while the legislature becomes deadlocked by scandal and partisan maneuvering.
- A $100 Bribe and a Lifetime Pass: Seattle's Streetcar Scandal Erupts in the Council Chamber
Alderman J. Eugene Jordan accuses Union Trunk Line president K. F. Wittier of trying to buy his silence—then the board turns on itself.
- The Vulgarity of Legislative Gratuities
An editorial critique argues that tipping public officials during legislative sessions undermines the dignity of the state.