WHITMAN, Charles Seymour, American lawyer: b. Hanover, Conn., 28 Aug. 1868. He studied at Amherst College and then studied law at New York University, and was ad mitted to the bar in 1894. In 1901 he was ap pointed assistant corporation counsel of New York City where his effective work won for him the post of city magistrate. In this capac ity he founded the Night Court in that city for the immediate trial of all offenders arrested at night. In 1907 Governor Hughes appointed him a judge of the Court of Sessions, and in the following year deputy attorney-general in the investigation of election frauds in the north ern part of the State. In 1909 he was elected district-attorney of New York City on a Fis sion ticket. In this capacity he secured repre sentation of the district-attorney's staff in the city magistrate's office, and was active in sup pressing arson offenders. The noted Becker trial came up during his tenancy of office. and Whitman's mastery of the case was most effective in unearthing and reforming the re lations between certain members of the New York City police and professional criminal:. The handling of the Schmidt murder case, the prosecution of the poultry trust and of elec tion frauds won for Mr. NVhitman the highest
commendation. He was renominated in 1913 and elected almost unanimously. In 1914 Whit man was elected to the governorship of New York State. His principal plank was the refor mation of the State finances, which he pro ceeded to institute vigorously by a reorganiza tion of State departments and a thorough in vestigation of the salaries of Civil Service em ployees. In 1916 he was elected chairman of the Republican National Convention,, where he urged the nomination of Charles E Hughes for President. In September of the same year he was re-elected to the governorship and es tablished a precedent by sending to every en rolled voter a report of his first term as gov ernor, containing also reports of the heads of other State departments. In connection with the European War, the governor ably supported the Federal administration in war policies and effectively mobilized the State's resources. He also inaugurated a State Constabulary, and a new State Guard to replace the National Guard on service in France. In 1918 he was again nomi nated for governor on the Republican ticket, but was defeated by Alfred E. Smith, the Democratic candidate.