Clarence J. Shearn
Encyclopedia
Clarence John Shearn was a prominent New York City
lawyer, a judge in the New York Court of Appeals
, and a president of the New York City Bar Association
in 1869. He graduated from Cornell University
in 1890 and New York Law School
in 1893, and was admitted that year to the New York bar.
. With Hearst’s backing, Shearn unsuccessfully ran for New York County District Attorney
in 1905 and Governor of New York
in 1908 on the Independence Party
ticket.
In 1914 Shearn was appointed to the first district of the New York State Supreme Court, and in 1916 was appointed by Governor Charles S. Whitman
to the Court of Appeals, where he served until 1919. In 1919 he left to pursue private practice with the law firm Shearn & Hare
In 1924 Shearn was counsel for the Transit Commission in the New York City subway
investigation conducted for Governor Al Smith
by Supreme Court Justice John V. McAvoy, who found Mayor John F. Hylan
responsible for subway congestion and exonerated the Transit Commission. In 1928 he was Governor Smith’s commissioner in an investigation of the Queens
sewer system that resulted in the conviction of Queens Borough President Maurice E. Connolly
of conspiracy to defraud the city. As president of the New York City Bar Association from 1935 to 1937, Shearn was an initiator of the investigation into the ambulance-chasing racket. In 1938, William Randolph Hearst appointed him a voting trustee to reorganize the vast Hearst publishing and business holdings.
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
lawyer, a judge in the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
, and a president of the New York City Bar Association
Early life and education
Shearn was born in Leeds, MassachusettsLeeds, Massachusetts
Leeds is a neighborhood in the western portion of the city of Northampton, Massachusetts, United States, bordering Williamsburg--along the Mill River—and Florence....
in 1869. He graduated from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1890 and New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
in 1893, and was admitted that year to the New York bar.
Career
Shearn began a highly successful private practice in 1893, and soon became an attorney for William Randolph HearstWilliam Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
. With Hearst’s backing, Shearn unsuccessfully ran for New York County District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
in 1905 and Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
in 1908 on the Independence Party
United States Independence Party
The Independence Party, or Independence League or National Independence League, was a short-lived minor American political party formed by newspaper publisher and United States Representative William Randolph Hearst in 1906 as the successor to the Municipal Ownership League, which had dissolved...
ticket.
In 1914 Shearn was appointed to the first district of the New York State Supreme Court, and in 1916 was appointed by Governor Charles S. Whitman
Charles S. Whitman
Charles Seymour Whitman served as the 41st Governor of New York from January 1915 to December 1918. He was also a delegate to Republican National Convention from New York in 1916.-Biography:...
to the Court of Appeals, where he served until 1919. In 1919 he left to pursue private practice with the law firm Shearn & Hare
In 1924 Shearn was counsel for the Transit Commission in the New York City subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
investigation conducted for Governor Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
by Supreme Court Justice John V. McAvoy, who found Mayor John F. Hylan
John F. Hylan
John Francis Hylan , nicknamed "Red Mike", was the Mayor of New York City from 1918 to 1925.-Biography:Hylan was born in Hunter, New York a town in upstate Greene County where his family owned a farm. Hylan married young, became dissatisfied with farm life and moved to Brooklyn with his bride, and...
responsible for subway congestion and exonerated the Transit Commission. In 1928 he was Governor Smith’s commissioner in an investigation of the Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
sewer system that resulted in the conviction of Queens Borough President Maurice E. Connolly
Maurice E. Connolly
Maurice E. Connolly was the Borough president of Queens, New York, USA from 1911 to 1928.Born in Corona, Queens, Queens County, New York, he was the son of Maurice Connolly and Mary Jane Connolly. He was of Irish ancestry. He married Helen M. Connell and they had one child, Helen. He was a Democrat...
of conspiracy to defraud the city. As president of the New York City Bar Association from 1935 to 1937, Shearn was an initiator of the investigation into the ambulance-chasing racket. In 1938, William Randolph Hearst appointed him a voting trustee to reorganize the vast Hearst publishing and business holdings.
Death
Shearn died of a cerebral hemorrhage on February 12, 1953 at the age of 83 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.