Fire, Graft, and Feuding at City Hall
A City Council meeting descends into chaos as member F.W. Wusthoff is grilled for accusing the Mayor of corruption.
The story, cleaned up
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The Seattle City Council met last night in a stormy session. The Judiciary Committee presented a report regarding charges made by Councilman F.W. Wusthoff against the Mayor and other councilmen. Wusthoff had alleged that the Mayor had surreptitiously changed a fire ordinance after its passage to benefit certain interests. When demanded to produce proof of his accusations of corruption, Wusthoff provided a lengthy written statement through his attorneys. He claimed he had misunderstood the timeline of the ordinance changes and that the Mayor's office meetings were 'doubtful in policy and dangerous in tendency.' Wusthoff ultimately denied the right of the Council to act as a censor over his opinions expressed outside the chamber, leaving the Council to recommend he either provide evidence or offer a satisfactory explanation.
“Your committee recommends that Mr. Wusthoff be directed by this Council to furnish proof of said alleged corruptions, or make some satisfactory explanation.”
Public bickering, accusations of backroom deals, and the threat of ethics investigations are as native to Seattle's City Hall in 1884 as they are today.
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