Resign in Days, or Face Perjury Charges: Seattle Ultimatum to Two State Officers
Secretary of State Nichols and Insurance Commissioner Schively were given a deadline after a closed-door meeting of the investigating committee — with a hint that worse than perjury could follow.
Seattle — Secretary of State Nichols and Insurance Commissioner Schively have been asked to resign. That they have only a few days in which to make up their minds, or face prosecution for perjury, or worse, became known Saturday, following a secret conference held by Pliny Allen, chairman of the investigating committee; Senator Ruth, Attorney General Bell and others. The determination reached by members of the investigation committee to demand the resignations resulted from a conference held in Seattle Friday night.
“That they have only a few days in which to make up their minds or face prosecution for perjury, or worse.”
An investigation committee meeting behind closed doors, then handing two statewide officeholders a quiet ultimatum — resign or be prosecuted — is the template for every modern scandal where the exit is arranged before the charges are filed. What the 1909 reader could not see was the evidence; the committee's findings stayed in the back room while the resignations did the public work.
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