- Henry Smith (speaker)
Henry Smith (
March 14 ,1829 Cobleskill,Schoharie County, New York -December 1 ,1884 ) was an American lawyer and politician.Life
He was the son of Thomas Smith, a lawyer.
In 1865, he was elected District Attorney of Albany County, and in 1868 he led the prosecution of
George W. Cole (brother ofCornelius Cole ) at his trial for the murder of former state assemblymanL. Harris Hiscock .He was a Republican member from Albany County of the
New York State Assembly in 1867, 1871 and 1872, and was Speaker in 1872. During his Speakership he received a large retainer for legal services rendered to theErie Railroad at a time when Erie Railroad bills were under debate, which led to accusations that he was bribed to support the bills. The next year a State Senate Investigating Committee probed into this matter.In 1883, he pronounced his opinion that a "People's Party" should be formed by both Democratic and Republican politicians to oppose "corporate interests" and politicians like John Kelly and
John F. Smyth .References
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D06E7DB133BE033A25752C0A96F9C94629FD7CF] His view on the forming of a new party, in NYT on September 1, 1883
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/smith4.html] Political Graveyard
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A00EFDE103EE733A25754C0A9679C946797D6CF] Mention in NYT on January 7, 1906
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9906E0DA1639EF34BC4953DFB467838A669FDE] Assemblymen elected for the Session of 1872, in NYT on December 1, 1871
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E04E7DE173BE53BBC4D52DFB6678389669FDE] Controversy about his legal services to Erie Railroad, in NYT on October 15, 1872
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F0CEFD6163BEF34BC4851DFB5668388669FDE] Proceedings of the State Senate's Erie Railroad Investigation in NYT on March 20, 1873
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=9bZDdJpQhSEC&pg=PA211&lpg=PA211&dq=Henry+Smith+albany+lawyer&source=web&ots=5buwodcUkU&sig=zvaNleRhu8r64mVnddtyxKWwPcc#PPA208,M1 Google Book] "Murder on Trial 1620-2002" by Robert Asher, Lawrence B. Goodheart & Alan Rogers (SUNY Press, 2005, ISBN 0-791-46378-8)
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9805E4D71038E033A25751C0A9649D94659FD7CF] Obit notice in NYT on December 2, 1884
* [http://books.google.com.br/books?id=LV04AAAAMAAJ&printsec=titlepage&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA360,M1] "Life Sketches of the State Officers, Senators and Members of Assembly in 1867"
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