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 of Cornelius Cole) at his trial for the murder of former state assemblyman L. Harris Hiscock. In the Summer of 1869, he was illegally arrested with other Albany and Susquehanna Railroad executive members during Jay Gould and James Fisk (financier), Jim Fisk's attempt to buy the railroad. He was a United States Republican Party, Republican member of the New York State Assembly (Albany County, New York, Albany Co., 2nd D.) in 90th New York State Legislature, 1867 and 95th New York State Legislature, 1872; and was Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Speaker in 1872. During his Speakership he received a large retainer for legal services rendered to the Erie 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 (New York politician), John Kelly and John F. Smyth. Smith died in Albany on December 1, 1884. He was buried at Cobleskill Rural Cemetery in Cobleskill.References
See also
*William M. Tweed 1829 births 1884 deaths Members of the New York State Assembly Speakers of the New York State Assembly Albany County District Attorneys People from Cobleskill, New York Politicians from Albany, New York 19th-century American politicians Lawyers from Albany, New York 19th-century American lawyers {{NewYork-NYAssembly-stub