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Item
Title
D21635-4
Date(s)
- 1946-03-11 (Creation)
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A highly touted and, according to the Tacoma News Tribune, "acrimonious" debate was held on March 11, 1946, between current Mayor Harry P. Cain and mayoral candidate Paul Olson at Jason Lee Junior High. It was standing room only as 1,300 seated and an additional 300 standing persons packed the building. Mayor Cain, speaking in support of C. Val Fawcett, accused Olson of accepting a $2,500 check from contractor Elvind Anderson for Congressman John Coffee as a bribe to get Ft. Lewis work in 1941. Olson, the former secretary to Representative Coffee, rejected the accusation, contending that the check was merely a congressional campaign contribution. Olson lost the election the following day to C. Val Fawcett, the son of former mayor Angelo V. Fawcett, by a margin of 523 votes. (TNT 3-12-46, p. 1)
Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Debates--Tacoma; Olson, Paul A.;