The Inspector on Trial
Local steamboat captains revolt against a federal inspector accused of corruption, bullying, and selling life preservers for profit.
A re-examination of the charges filed against Capt. W. J. Bryant, inspector of hulls, by Puget Sound Harbor No. 16 of Masters and Pilots was begun yesterday with John Bermingham, supervising inspector of the coast district, presiding. The proceedings were frequently interrupted by protests from the prosecution against the rulings of Capt. Bermingham in not allowing an attorney to conduct the case, though he allowed one to Capt. Bryant. The charges in substance are that Capt. Bryant is unfair and arbitrary in his rulings and that he allows his personal interests to govern him; that he uses his office to sell life preservers and other articles to vessels; that he gives licenses to incompetent men while withholding them from those entitled to them; and that he resorts to the methods of a bully in the transaction of his office affairs.
“I would not take a position as captain while Bryant is in office. I believe that he would take my license away from me if the slightest opportunity for doing so presented itself.”
This 1895 dispute over the integrity of maritime safety inspections highlights the long-standing tension between federal oversight and the local industries that rely on fair, transparent regulation. The accusations of 'pay-to-play' licensing and personal vendettas mirror modern concerns about regulatory capture in Seattle's maritime and port sectors.
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