| Charles Seymour Whitman | |
|---|---|
| 41st Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 1915 – December 31, 1918 |
|
| Lieutenant | Edward Schoeneck |
| Preceded by | Martin H. Glynn |
| Succeeded by | Alfred E. Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 29, 1868 Village of Hanover, in the Town of Sprague, Connecticut |
| Died | March 29, 1947 (aged 78) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Charles Seymour Whitman (September 29, 1868 – March 29, 1947) 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.
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He was born on September 29, 1868, and graduated from Amherst College in 1890. He served as a New York City municipal judge and as New York County District Attorney.
As District Attorney, he gained national fame in prosecuting New York City Police Lt. Charles Becker for the July 16, 1912 murder of Times Square gambling house operator Herman Rosenthal in front of West 43rd Street's Hotel Metropole (owned by Lower East Side Tammany Hall leader "Big Tim" Sullivan). Later, as Governor, Whitman signed Becker's death warrant and presided over his electrocution. Whitman was a member of the Union League Club of New York and, fearing he was under surveillance, used the clubhouse to secretly interview witnesses during the Becker case.
He served as the 41st Governor of New York from January 1915 to December 1918
In 1916, Whitman won re-election as Governor against reform Democratic Judge Samuel Seabury. In 1918, he was defeated for re-election by Tammany Hall Democrat Alfred E. Smith (then President of the New York City Board of Aldermen.)
He died on March 29, 1947.[1]
His portrait was painted in 1921 by the Swiss-born American portrait painter Adolfo Müller-Ury (1862-1947) and is the property of the New York State Capitol at Albany; Müller-Ury had previously painted a portrait of his baby daughter, Olive (the future Mrs Parsons), which was much admired when exhibited, and was given by her to the Preservation Society of Newport County, R.I. where it now hangs at Green Animals.
His grandson, John R. Whitman, married Christine Todd, who went on to be a Republican Governor of New Jersey and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Travers Jerome |
New York County District Attorney 1910 - 1914 |
Succeeded by Charles A. Perkins |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Martin H. Glynn |
Governor of New York 1915 - 1918 |
Succeeded by Al Smith |
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