Samuel Seabury (judge)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Seabury was an American lawyer and politician from New York
.
and descendant of Bishop Samuel Seabury, and Alice Van Wyck Beare. He graduated from New York Law School
in 1893, and was admitted to the bar in 1894. In 1899, he ran on the Independent Labor, Republican, and other minor parties', tickets for the New York City Court but was defeated by the Tammany Hall
candidate. On June 6, 1900, he married Maud Richey (d. 1950), but they had no children. In 1901, he ran again for the City Court, this time on the Citizens Union
ticket, and was elected to a ten-year term.
In 1905, Seabury ran for the New York Supreme Court
on the Municipal Ownership League
ticket headed by William Randolph Hearst
for Mayor, but was defeated. In 1906, he ran again, this time on the Democratic and Independence League fusion ticket headed by Hearst for Governor, and was elected to a fourteen-year term.
In 1913
, he ran on the Progressive ticket for the New York Court of Appeals
, but was defeated. In November 1914, he ran again, this time on the Democratic, Progressive
, Independence League, and American
tickets, and was elected to a fourteen-year term, being the only Democrat elected that year. On December 8, 1914, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals (three weeks before his elective term would begin) to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William B. Hornblower
.
In 1916, he was nominated by the Democrats for Governor of New York
, and resigned from the bench believing that the Progressive Party would nominate him too as Theodore Roosevelt
had promised him. The Progressives however endorsed the Republican incumbent Charles S. Whitman
after Roosevelt told them that "no Progressive should vote for Seabury," which led Seabury to tell Roosevelt to his face that he was a "blatherskite." Seabury was defeated by Whitman, and afterward resumed the practice of law.
In 1930-1932, he headed the Seabury Commission
whose investigations forced Jimmy Walker
out of the office of Mayor of New York City
. From 1939 to 1941, he served as president of the New York City Bar Association.
He died at Hand's Nursing Home in East Hampton
, where he had been as an invalid for several years.
on the island of Manhattan
in New York City
. The Park was recently renovated from 2005-2006.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Life
He was the son of William Jones Seabury, professor of canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
and descendant of Bishop Samuel Seabury, and Alice Van Wyck Beare. He graduated from 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 to the bar in 1894. In 1899, he ran on the Independent Labor, Republican, and other minor parties', tickets for the New York City Court but was defeated by the Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
candidate. On June 6, 1900, he married Maud Richey (d. 1950), but they had no children. In 1901, he ran again for the City Court, this time on the Citizens Union
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is one of the United States' first good government groups. Founded in 1897 as a political party, the group was reconstituted in 1908 as a non-partisan member organization with the broad mission of serving "as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for the common...
ticket, and was elected to a ten-year term.
In 1905, Seabury ran for the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
on the Municipal Ownership League
Municipal Ownership League
The Municipal Ownership League was an American third party formed in 1904 by controversial newspaper magnate and Congressman William Randolph Hearst for the purpose of contesting elections in New York City....
ticket headed by William Randolph Hearst
William 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...
for Mayor, but was defeated. In 1906, he ran again, this time on the Democratic and Independence League fusion ticket headed by Hearst for Governor, and was elected to a fourteen-year term.
In 1913
New York state election, 1913
The 1913 New York state election was held on November 4, 1913, to elect the Chief Judge and an associate judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly.-Background:...
, he ran on the Progressive ticket for 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...
, but was defeated. In November 1914, he ran again, this time on the Democratic, Progressive
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
, Independence League, and American
American Party (1914)
The American Party was a short-lived minor political party during the early 20th century. It was "formed by a number of disgruntled Democrats and admirers of William Sulzer." The party was incorporated on April 13, 1914 at Albany.-Background:...
tickets, and was elected to a fourteen-year term, being the only Democrat elected that year. On December 8, 1914, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals (three weeks before his elective term would begin) to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William B. Hornblower
William B. Hornblower
William Butler Hornblower was a New York jurist who was unsuccessfully nominated to the United States Supreme Court by President Grover Cleveland in 1893.-Early life and education:...
.
In 1916, he was nominated by the Democrats for 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...
, and resigned from the bench believing that the Progressive Party would nominate him too as Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
had promised him. The Progressives however endorsed the Republican incumbent 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:...
after Roosevelt told them that "no Progressive should vote for Seabury," which led Seabury to tell Roosevelt to his face that he was a "blatherskite." Seabury was defeated by Whitman, and afterward resumed the practice of law.
In 1930-1932, he headed the Seabury Commission
Seabury Commission
The Seabury Commission investigations into the New York magistrate's courts and police department in the early 1930s led to wholesale changes in the method of arrest, bail and litigation of suspects in New York City....
whose investigations forced Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker
James John Walker, often known as Jimmy Walker and colloquially as Beau James , was the mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932...
out of the office of Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
. From 1939 to 1941, he served as president of the New York City Bar Association.
He died at Hand's Nursing Home in East Hampton
East Hampton (town), New York
The Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
, where he had been as an invalid for several years.
Popular Society
Judge Seabury has a park named in his honor on the corner of 96th street and Lexington AvenueLexington Avenue (Manhattan)
Lexington Avenue, often colloquially abbreviated by New Yorkers as "Lex," is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries southbound one-way traffic from East 131st Street to Gramercy Park at East 21st Street...
on the island of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
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...
. The Park was recently renovated from 2005-2006.
External links
- Court of Appeals judges at New York Court History
- Great American Judges by John R. Vile, Kermit Hall & John R. Vile (ABC-CLIO, 2003, ISBN 1576079899 , ISBN 9781576079898 ; pages 683ff) [with portrait]