The Scandal That Nearly Ruined the Colonel
A prominent Seattle businessman finds himself the center of a moral firestorm when rumors spread that he was ‘squeezing’ the factory girls—but the truth was far more mundane.
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.
Major Braytogle, recounting a local drama, spoke of the esteemed Colonel Jones, a man who once held the love and affection of all in Seattle. The Colonel was a model citizen, a pillar of the community, and an employer of many. However, a strange metamorphosis happened right here in our city. Our idol fell from his pedestal. A terrible scandal filled the air: the rumor that Colonel Jones had been ‘squeezing’ his girls—the women he employed in his factory.
Mrs. Jones, fueled by the gossip, sought a divorce, and the Colonel’s reputation was in ruins. He aged years in a matter of months, haunted by the public shaming. But the Colonel did not give up. He fought back and proved that he had never been in the least to blame for any impropriety. It appeared that Colonel Jones had simply been reducing the salaries of his girls. Corners were tight at that time, and he could only keep them employed by cutting down their wages 10 or 15 per cent, which he did regardless of the red lips that pouted and the bright eyes that blazed in indignation at the 'squeeze.'
To be sure, this was 'squeezing' the girls, but it was not in the sense the gossips took it and spread broadcast like a deadly contagion. The divorce proceedings were stopped, and now the Colonel and Mrs. Jones are again the happiest couple in all Seattle, and the Colonel has once more taken his place in the love and affection of everyone.
“It appeared that Colonel Jones had reduced the salaries of his girls... this was 'squeezing' the girls, but it was not in the sense the gossips took it and spread broadcast like a deadly contagion.”
This 19th-century tale of a 'scandal' built on a misunderstanding of labor relations is a sharp reminder of how quickly public opinion can turn on local employers. It echoes modern debates over wage cuts, corporate transparency, and the way hyper-local gossip (now digital) can wreck reputations before the truth—or a lack of evidence—comes to light.
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