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 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.
It will be remembered with what a thrill of indignation it was learned three years ago that an attempt had been made to bribe L. H. Leach, a member of the state board of education, to induce him to change his vote so that Barnes' reader and White's or Robinson's arithmetic might be substituted for Franklyn's readers and Wentworth's arithmetics as text books for the state. The amount of the bribe offered was $5000 and it was in the form of a check drawn by C. O. Eames and in favor of C. E. Laughton, lieutenant governor. Indictments were found in Thurston county, and the case came on for trial before Judge Campbell. The supreme court held that Leach was an officer who could be bribed, yet the matter was allowed to drift until yesterday, when the cases were dismissed. The reason given—that the trial would cost something—is an insult to the intelligence of citizens and a sad blot upon the fair name of Thurston county. It is a disgraceful ending to a disgraceful affair. Practically, rich and influential violators of the law are told that they have only to use their money and influence to delay the proceedings of our courts to secure immunity for their crimes.
“Practically rich and influential violators of the law are told that they have only to use their money and influence to delay the proceedings of our courts... to secure immunity for their crimes.”
This case highlights the enduring tension between the state's desire for efficient, cheap governance and the necessity of accountability for high-level corruption. The 'School Book Case' serves as a reminder that political scandals involving public education contracts are not a modern invention, but a recurring feature of Washington's civic history.
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