Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-04
WH|TMAN'S RAPID RISE
IN POLITICAL WORLD
Begins Career in 1902 and Is Elected
Governor in 1914 at Age of
Forty-Six.

Charles Seymour Whitman, most OF
whose career has been devoted to war
ring upon evildoers, got his first chance
at the political ladder when in 1902 he
was selected by Corporation Counsel
Rives to watch New York city bills at
Albany. He did well at it that Mayor
Seth Low made him his legal adviser.
He was assistant corporation counsel
until 1904, when Mayor Low appointed
him city magistrate. Since then his
rise has been rapid.
AS a magistrate Mr.. Whitman attract
ed wide attention through his personal
ly conducted excise raids and arrests
and his efforts to break up the business
of professional bondsmen for prosti-
tutes. He advocated a night court. and
held sessions in the West 41th street
police station to prove it's feasibility.
He drew up the night court act, and had
| it passed. ter that he was elected
president of the board of magistrates.
Serves as Judge.
Gov Hughes appointed him as judge
in the court of general sessions in 1906
and in the election following he was the
candidate of the republican party and
the Independence League running far
ahead of his ticket
The election to the Office of district
attorney of New York county in 1909
began that career as public prosecutor
which brought him local and national
fame. The prosecution of ex-Police
Lieut.. Charles Becker. after the muir
der, July Is, 1912. of Herman Ros-
enthal. the gambler. who had prom
Used the district attorney revelations
ported and read throughout not only
this country, but the civilized world
Scarcely less important were the sub
sequent resulting prosecutions of cor
rupt police officers, which resulted in
wholesale cleansing of the police
department. and of which the effects
are still visible. The execution last
| April of the four gunner who killed
Rosenthal. before which one of them
confessed. is fresh in the memory of
the public.
Mr.. Whitman was mentioned several
times a possible fusion candidate
for mayor of New York. Politically
can, though he has drawn many indie
pendent votes. He has always been
strong on the East Side, where Whit
man meetings and speeches seldom
have failed to draw crowds.
Throughout his career in the crimi
| nal courts Mr.. Whitmans energy and
logged persistence in prosecuting
criminals have stood forth conspic-
uous, and his skill and force as a
cross-examiner latterly have been
marked Yet with it all. as magistrate
and general sessions judge, he was
courteous to jury and lawyers
Native of Connecticut.
| Born at Norwich, Conn, August %,
| 1868, Mr. Whitman is now forty-six years
old He received his early education in
| the public schools of Norwich, and was
graduated from Amherst in 1890. He
studied law at New York University, sup
porting himself meanwhile by teaching
at Adelph Academy, Brooklyn, and at
Pratt Institute After receiving his
IL B. degree in 1894 he began prac-
ticing law as head of the firm Of Whit
man, Dean g. Bower Although active
| in the city's political affairs, he .eceiv ed
no political appointment until Mayor Low
made him assistant corporation counsel
| in 1901, which led to the Albany mission
that the opening wedge
| Mr. Whitman was married to Miss
Olive Hitchcock of this city December
%, 1905. They have one child. a girl.
named for her mother. MIR. Whitman
held the Henry Ward Reecher lecture
ship at Amherst in 1913 He has re-
ceived honorary degrees from Williams
College, New York University and from
his alma mater Amherst. He is a gov
ernor of the Skin and Cancer Hospital,
a member of the New York Bar Associa-
ton and of the Alpha Delta Phi. Uni
tversity, City, Union League, Century.
! Sleepy Hollow and Republican clubs He
lives at 81 Madison avenue.