The Almshouse Graft Scandal
A grand jury report ignores blatant evidence of corruption in the construction of the county almshouse, sparking outrage among taxpayers.
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.
After a long and apparently unnecessary delay, the grand jury has submitted its report upon the matter of the county almshouse. The grand jury has found no indictments against the parties interested in this scandalous attempt to defraud the county, but is content with pointing out in a general way certain defects in the construction of the building. It is a matter of current report that Mr. Ritchie, the architect, and Mr. Rigby, the contractor, narrowly escaped indictment upon the ground of a criminal conspiracy by means of which not only the county but a number of reputable contractors of the city of Seattle suffered great damage. The outcome of this investigation by the grand jury is in the highest degree unsatisfactory. The people of the county believe, and they have good reason to believe, that crime has been committed. They demand that the county commissioners, whose duty it is to protect the interests of the taxpayers, shall not rest satisfied with the action of the grand jury and permit the matter to drop. Ugly rumors are already afloat as to the influences that are at work to screen both Ritchie and Rigby. These rumors can only be stopped by prompt and energetic action on the part of the county commissioners.
“Things have indeed come to a pretty pass if a brazen conspiracy against the county can be successfully consummated and the conspirators allowed to escape punishment.”
Public suspicion of cronyism and municipal corruption has been a constant refrain in Seattle’s history. This 1891 frustration with 'backroom' accountability mirrors modern civic discourse regarding public works spending and the difficulty of holding officials accountable for mismanagement.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.