The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-06
WHYHESTEPPEDOUT.
Real Reason Of Mayor Sharp
stems Resignation.
sEFoRmea BECAME a sooolEs.


Tie true reason why ArFh1s =. sharp
stein suddenly resigned as mayor os Ass-
eortes . year sgo last June has ~ last
cone cat sna Is shoEs hira 70 hare been =
rsforuer ~ the sans stamp - fAose who
borrowed the pualis fan5s Of Seattle. he
xas forced 20 resign because II bad been
discovered that be had forged city var
ranfs TO considerable sEuogut. and rot
becanss be had incurred the sntagonEsEn
oz certain co<poyssions, as be soaght 20
have Il believed 81 the time.
sharpstein vent % Anarsrses during the
early boom days d tAas ambitious tozn
and made some nsoney by fortunate real
estate deals. Later be married an sstSms-
bic young lady, b1iIt . handsome resi-
denee and was elected 20 he council. but
soon resigned because he considered his
associates corrupt and at the following
eIection posed ~ q candidate for mayor st
the head of = ticket composed Of soEns 81
the best men Of the city. White be vas
young, and was considered by mary
s.hsgh roller" be had succeeded in gin
ming the eonsidence az ibe community and
VS. elected mayor By handsome major
ity on save Of reform sentiment.
This success was too much for him.
and hrs hahp1ts, always more or less
dIssfpassd, Became the talk Of the comnsa-
nifty that had given him offscial hon0r.
In the meantime the real estate business
Iagsed ard tie young mans revenue
shruBk, bSs this did not check mis- dissspa-
ton. most Of bis lime being spent in Seat
tis AVID Tacoma. where vices more alIuring
we're to be found. Il Was early in June,
fsgs that evidences Of crookedness became
manifest. a seattle banker. in handling
a a. -.
signatures % clerk and treasurer on three
OF thea. a9ggegssing about 1880 bore
the marks OF rot being genuine. aud the
suspicious warrants were sent 60 Aaa-
eortes fer examination. These we're
promptly pronounced to be foFgeFies; the
Eeatsse BANKER was notiAed and Henry
thurman. the broker through whom the
warrants were bought. Was appfised OF
she fact.
A dramatic scene IL said to have been
enacted when two interested parties went
90 Ahacoftes and confronted sharpsteia
with the evidences ~ BIS gnili. lie pleaded
with them not 10 expose him, and IN the
course Of conversation with them "a they
walked about the streets. he led them down
20 the wharf There the trio are said TO
haze stood behind q warehouse, hen
Eharpsteln pulled revolver and said With
an sir az desperation:
If you insist on exposing me. will
blow ont the brains Of both Of yoa and
then my own. for do not care TO live any
longer as dlsgraeed man: bat If you will
give ne till o'clock this afternoon will
raise the money and you shall lose moth
inc.
The two gentlemen decided to save
tss8ff fAafr nj fh~zr L.
q secret settlement was made. -Four or
i've gentlemen at ADacories had already
been lsboring TO bring about peaceabls
settlement OF the affair. fearing that an ex-
posure and public scandal Of this nature
would injnre the ciiy's credit. Star cham
bsr meetings were held and Sharpsiein
was given until certain time 70 raise the
money he bad received for the warrants
To do this 10 was necessary to borrow. and
about y, 40 was obtained from the Bank
of Anacorfes and the First National bank
of Anaeortes on notes endorsed BY his
friends and partly secured by mortgages
On his property. Some OF his friends who
were in the secret, were induced 20 AID
hin. by threats of suicide from the mayor.
while others knew nothing of the purpose
for whieh the money was needed. Among
these was DR. I. u. Childs. the postmaster.
who inaoFsed \ note for $40 The re-
naming 500 was obtained by draft on
sharpstein's father. Judge ID. II. sharp
stein. OF Waila Walla.
After the money had bean "a ised and
abe evidences of forgery destroyed. Sharp
Etnsn was ARMY requested TO tender his
res gnatioa mayor of AnAcortes This
he at hfsi sIoutly refused 20 do, but tn
ally weakened. and came into the council
chamber somewhat late and evidently dis
turhsd ia mind, Those who attended tie
meeting Of the council of June q, is92. wlii
rensenhsr the ieyRers which marked tie
opening Of the meeting: boa, after the
roll SEs called aud the minutes read.
marked siIsuee peryaaed the elty hail for
many minutes, daring which the mayor
iadwssrsousiy srote what SUBSEQUENT
events proved ia BE- hss last message 10 the
council. and considering the strasa under
which IL sas written. it is somewhat re-
mAFkable epistss ani worthy of reproeue.
ton. IL was sEitten. OF course. without
aim other than 90 misiead the public as TO
the mayors real reason Tor ressgnlne, and
mas az FOLLOWS
ITO tie Common Council of the cifs OF
Anaeostes tseatisaaeR: / herewith tender
psy resignation a. mayor og the csty 81
fer their api5saentary Endorsement Of
nay candidacy and TO express my regret
that ana uuAhle. thraugn the e8uplira.
uons at oiy bHsineS. affairs. 10 longer
staaa As the cbief executive OF the CITY.
My Hffection tewaF4s Anacnytes "a an.
aaaied. bias ! believe SO strong is the lntlu.
snee of the chief property holders agAins.
generous potlcv towards her struggling
people that Is would be futile Tor me- 20
nurse my wrath OF 10 take up the nxht
vigorously ] 40 .eel. however. that the
people w4H have IL rely unon SELF and
shoulder the burden and responsibility 81
her affairs. To orook the pregnant hinges
o. the kaep' - tac chie4 tax PAYERS does
not, II nay OPP aton. assure that thrift wfll
follow fawnlnK Ii - better 80 grAxp the
neite hrnly than - brush il. Ia ms
optnaon. The cfsy council should he liberal
ia encouragement 81 outside capital, there
hy giving prospect Of advancement
y hseA decS aot depend upon the frees3n.
out of smaa Investors. II vii &c marked
advantage 10 the city % osscn highsays
fGr rival = alter company. and especially
since the present company does not cosri-
ply with reasonable requests from the
Municipality. You kAoula Issue beaas ia
such suns that there viii no longer be a
question about the successor esaulov7nent
81 .aeor this tAli. or any doGbs ii sAeir
receiving their pzy. Establish Il nCsxibts
the Idea that % lock To tie OREGON Ina-
pgoNgmens Company or ths McNAushts
AR succur viii be entsresF tra!llcss keiv
upon your incorporation to carry yea
through the duh times that necessarily
mast interviews between this date ans she
tine = hen TIA EhfeF ssFs5raaforx Of "a