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William Alexander Vincent

The lead defense attorney in the first Luetgert trial.

Address: Office, Rookery Building, room 443. Home (at time of death), 128 Washington road, Lake Forest.
Born: January 1, 1857, Wheeling, West Virginia.
His father, Dr. John A. Vincent, had been the mayor of Springfield.
Education: Ohio Wesleyan and Columbia universities.
1886: Moves to New Mexico as counsel for the Atchison, Topeka and Sant Fe railroad; president of the New Mexico Bar Association. While in New Mexico, receives a Democratic nomination to run for Congress, but declined to run.
1888: Chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme court.
1889: Chief justice of Montana; refuses the office of chief justice of Utah later.
Circa 1890: Moves to Chicago and practiced law with former Judge Adams A. Goodrich, Judge Lorin C. Collins, and Clarence S. Darrow.
1893: Serves as the attorney for the company that builds the world's first Ferris wheel for the World's Columbian Exposition.
1897: Serves as lead defense counsel in the first Luetgert trial.
Died:
March 21, 1919, at his office, of heart disease.
Survivors: Sons Charles Ridgeley and Lieut. John Alexander Vincent (serving in France at time of Vincent's death) and daughters Mrs. Lloyd Canby and Mrs. Joseph S. Barker.

The Chicago Daily News described Vincent on September 17, 1897:

Vincent has shown himself to be a master of fence … has been cool and reserved, yet always alert and at times poignant…

Mr. Vincent is a man of striking appearance, being of medium height, but of strong build, his massive head being set on a pair of extraordinarily broad shoulders. He has few mannerisms in addressing the court, his favorite attitude being with his left hand tucked in the armhole of his vest. Occasionally, when emphasizing what he considers an important point, he drops this pose and gesticulates with both hands. His voice is always clear and distinct, although seldom being raised above what would be considered a conversational tone.

 

 

 

 

Pictures: Chicago Daily News, Aug. 25, 1897; Chicago Journal, Sept. 11, 1897; Chicago Journal, Sept. 22, 1897.