Fire Commissioner Resigns Amid Bribery Scandal
After the city council clears Fire Commissioner James Foster of bribery charges, he abruptly resigns from his position.
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 trial of Fire Commissioner James Foster, accused of accepting bribes for appointments in the fire department, concluded last night. While the council declared the specific bribery charges 'not proved,' Foster resigned immediately following the verdict. During the hearing, conflicting testimony emerged regarding loans made to Foster by a subordinate, Oswald Vitzthum. Although the council exonerated him of criminal bribery, the proceedings painted a picture of compromised integrity, leading to his swift exit from public office.
“The council was not convened to try Foster for bribery, but to determine whether charges were sufficiently proved to convince them that he was a fit or an unfit person to hold the office.”
Local political corruption and the 'pay-to-play' atmosphere of the 1890s are foundational to Seattle’s early governance. Foster’s resignation highlights the thin line between personal favors and institutional graft that the city has wrestled with for over a century.
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