Seattle's New Plumbing Inspector Called His Kickbacks 'Customary'
Summoned before the aldermen over charges that he steered city work to a friendly iron works, John L. Sweeney admitted taking a percentage — and said every architect and plumber did the same.
A meeting of the board of aldermen's committee on sewer and drainage was held yesterday morning in the council rooms to investigate the charges against John L. Sweeney, the recently appointed plumbing inspector. Mr. Sweeney was present and denied the charges and offered himself for examination.
He said that the charges, preferred by the architect, were the result of his having divided his commissions received from the iron works for placing its materials and specifying that concern for plumbing supplies. He said that it was customary among architects and plumbers and others to suggest where the material can be secured, and for such influence a percentage is received.
Touching the charge that he had taken pipe from the [Pioneer] building, he said there was no truth in it. He explained that he needed some pipe for another building and took some from the building, intending to return it when he was done, but Mr. Boyd saw it and protested, and he immediately returned the pipe and bought what he needed for the other building elsewhere.
The committee took no action with reference to the charges, but will report on them at the meeting of the board of aldermen on Monday evening.
“He said that it was customary among architects and plumbers and others to suggest where the material can be secured, and for such influence a percentage is received.”
The inspector's defence — that a percentage for steering business to a supplier is simply how the trade works — is the oldest line in municipal procurement, and it was offered in Seattle within months of the post being created. The aldermen who heard it took no action and promised a report Monday evening; the modern version comes with an ethics commission and a case number.
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