The Sad Downfall of City Treasurer Adolph Krug
Seattle's disgraced city treasurer is apprehended in St. Paul, blaming 'friends' and mounting political pressure for his embezzlement of public funds.
Adolph Krug's own pitiful story has at last been told. Krug was apprehended in St. Paul, and when confronted by M. D. Ballard, he broke down completely, sobbing like a child. Regarding the embezzlement of city funds, Krug explained: 'Friends came after me to engage with them in the purchase of warrants with city money. I refused at first, but they brought more and more pressure. By and by I let a little go out for that purpose, then it seemed to be all up, and friends poured in as if to eat me up.' Krug maintained he was not a thief and claimed there were sufficient securities in the vault to cover the amounts. He admitted he fled Seattle because he was 'nearly crazy' and could not face his wife after reports of his misconduct surfaced. Meanwhile, legal proceedings are underway to extradite him, though his attorneys have filed for a writ of habeas corpus to delay his return.
“Friends came after me to engage with them in the purchase of warrants, etc., with city money. I refused at first, but they brought more and more pressure.”
Krug’s defense—that he was pressured by 'friends' into using public money for private speculation—echoes recurring scandals regarding the intersection of city finance and private development. Today, the tension between municipal fiduciary responsibility and the pressure from well-connected 'investors' remains a central feature of Seattle civic discourse.
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