The 'Opium Bribe' Scandal That Wasn't
A sensationalized investigation into Seattle police corruption collapses as the city council realizes the accusations were entirely fabricated.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The alleged corruption of certain city officials by Chinese opium smokers, which furnished the text of many sensational newspaper articles a few weeks ago, has been finally killed in an official investigation by the city council at the lot of Mr. McArdle. Now the federal government is beginning to inquire into the matter. The special committee dropped the inquiry in disgust and is looking around for the author of the charges, to inquire into his mental condition. No evidence whatever was forthcoming to support the accusations that members of the police department received bribes from the opium smokers. When the charges were first heralded, Chief Breze began a quiet investigation and was convinced that no proof in substantiation was forthcoming. He succeeded, however, in his demand of the city council to thoroughly probe the matter, and the official inquiry was made, ending yesterday. Witnesses were summoned and most of them appeared and stated that they knew nothing. The climax came on Tuesday afternoon when the committee held its final session and resolved to adjourn sine die. One of the committeemen, Councilman Miller, stated that the investigation was 'a pure bluff' and should be dropped immediately. Other members of the committee expressed themselves in the same tone. Mr. Miller concluded with the words: 'That's the great investigation over, and it amounted to nothing but an out-and-out fake. There is not a shred of evidence to substantiate the accusations made by the newspaper.' Then the committee adjourned.
“That's the great investigation over, and it amounted to nothing but an out-and-out fake. There is not a shred of evidence to substantiate the accusations.”
This 1899 story captures a very modern cycle: sensationalist headlines targeting local government based on 'tips' that evaporate under scrutiny. It serves as a reminder that the tension between investigative journalism and accountability is as old as the city itself, and that 'fake news' is a recurring anxiety in Seattle’s political life.
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