A. J. Rosier | |
|---|---|
 Rosier in 1920 | |
| Member of theWyoming Senate forCarbon County | |
| In office January 1927 – April 15, 1932 | |
| Prosecuting Attorney forCarbon County | |
| In office November 1916 – November 1920 | |
| Preceded by | ? |
| Succeeded by | Revelle McMicken |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Arthur John Rosier (1880-10-31)October 31, 1880 West Union, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 1932(1932-04-15) (aged 51) Rawlins, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Resting place | Rawlins Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of South Dakota University of Minnesota |
Arthur John Rosier (October 31, 1880 – April 15, 1932) was an American lawyer and politician who served in theWyoming Senate from 1927 until his murder in 1932. Rosier was a member of theRepublican Party and representedCarbon County in the legislature. He was also a prominent lawyer inMontana andWyoming, and took part in several noteworthy trials. Prior to his political career, Rosier was theprosecuting attorney for Carbon County from 1916 until 1920.
On April 15, 1932, Rosier was shot and killed by Thomas Lacey, a disgruntled prospective client, after he refused to file a lawsuit for Lacey.
Arthur John Rosier was born inWest Union, Minnesota, on October 31, 1880. He was the third of five children of wealthy farmer and inventor Thomas R. Rosier, and Helen M. Wolcott, both of whom wereNew York residents who had moved to Minnesota. Arthur Rosier was raised inSioux Falls, South Dakota, where he attended the local public school. He spent three years studying at theUniversity of South Dakota before attending theUniversity of Minnesota Law School, where he spent another three years and graduated in 1906. On June 6, 1906, Rosier was admitted to theState Bar of Montana and he opened a law practice in the city ofButte the following month.[1]
Rosier began his law career inMontana, where he was involved in several prominent cases. Between 1909 and 1911, he represented Edward Moxley, apawnbroker who having inadvertently bought and re-sold a set of stolen tools, was arrested for receiving and selling stolen property. Moxley was convicted and sentenced to six months in jail but Rosier appealed the decision, arguing the evidence provided was insufficient to prove Moxley's guilt. The appeal reached theMontana Supreme Court, which agreed with Rosier and ordered a re-trial. The supreme court's decision set case lawprecedent that when a defendant in Montana is accused of receiving specific stolen goods, evidence that the defendant subsequently received other stolen goods is not admissible as evidence to prove the defendant had knowledge that the initial goods were stolen.[2][3] The case was later dismissed due to a lack of new evidence.[4][5]
In 1910, Rosier represented Anna Wilkes Barnes in a personal injury lawsuit against a man whose automobile allegedly spooked the horse that was leading Barnes's carriage. Barnes was ejected from the carriage and sought $5,000 in the lawsuit for the serious injuries she sustained. At trial, a jury found the automobile owner was not negligent and dismissed the case. The trial drew significant media coverage and the result was called a "victory for [the] automobile".[6][7] Rosier took part in other civil and criminal trials.[8][9]
While in Montana, Rosier became involved in the oil and mining industries, working as the manager of the Trail Creek Coal Company in 1907 and as secretary of the Summit Gold and Silver Mining Company in 1910.[10][11] He was also active in localRepublican Party politics, serving as an alternate delegate to the 1908Montana Republican Party state convention. In 1910, he joined several other local lawyers endorsingGeorge M. Bourquin, a former state judge, for a vacancy on theUnited States District Court for the District of Montana.[12][13] Bourquin was nominated for the position two years later by PresidentWilliam Howard Taft and subsequently confirmed by theUnited States Senate.[14]
Rosier left Montana in September 1911 and moved toRawlins, Wyoming. He was admitted to theWyoming State Bar on October 30, 1911, and opened a law office in Rawlins. During this period, he represented several regional banks, including theFirst State Bank of Baggs and the Stock Growers Bank inSaratoga.[1] In 1914, Rosier was electedprosecuting attorney forCarbon County,[15] and was re-elected in 1916 and 1918.[1][16] According to writer Ichabod Sargent Bartlett, Rosier was well-regarded in the role of prosecuting attorney:
He always prepares his cases with great thoroughness and care, is clear in his reasoning, logical in his deductions and his arguments are characterized by great strength ... and he possesses a law library of rare value. His office equipment is most comprehensive and in preparing a case for the court he looks up every authority bearing upon the question and therefore enters the court well qualified for defense as well as for attack.[1]
In 1917 and 1918, Rosier was the prosecutor during the highly publicized murder trial of John Leibig, a naturalized German-American rancher who was accused of shooting his neighbor during a land dispute. After a week-long trial in March 1918, a jury found Leibig not guilty of murder, agreeing with his argument the victim had accidentally shot himself while picking up Leibig's shotgun. Despite this, after making a series of statements in support of theGerman Empire, Leibig was tried and convicted infederal court for violating theEspionage andSedition Acts.[17][18]
Rosier represented the Carbon County Board of Commissioners in a 1918 lawsuit against theUnion Pacific Railroad.[19] During his tenure, Rosier strongly prosecutedbootleggers and gamblers, leading to him having "many bitter enemies". As a result of a strong campaign against him, Rosier was defeated in his 1920 re-election bid byDemocratic nominee Revelle McMicken.[20]
In January 1921, Rosier was elected a member of theWyoming State Bar Association and in 1928, he was included inThe Bar Register, an annual publication of the most prominent lawyers in the United States.[21][22] He also continued his business career in Wyoming, sitting on the board of directors of the Alameda Oil Company and serving as the agent-in-charge of the Shoshoni Development Company.[23][24]
Rosier was a candidate for theWyoming Senate in the1926 Wyoming state elections as a member of the Republican Party to represent Carbon County.[25] He defeated Henry Perret in the Republicanprimary, receiving 1,145 votes to Perret's 640. There was no Democratic opponent so Rosier won the general election unopposed.[26][27] His four-year term began in January 1927.[28]
In the 1927 legislative session, Rosier served on the Judiciary, Education, County Affairs, Mines, Engrossment, and Public Utilities committees. Among his first acts in the legislature was the filing of a bill that proposed transferring a tract of land belonging to theWyoming State Penitentiary to the city of Rawlins; the bill passed unanimously through both theHouse of Representatives and the Senate.[29] He also introduced an amendment to a divorce-residency bill that had staunch opposition from theWoman's Christian Temperance Union; his proposed amendment would disqualify a divorce from proceeding if it was determined the couple moved to Wyoming for the sole purpose of getting a divorce.[30]
Additionally, Rosier also led arguments against a bill which would define and outlaw fraudulentconveyances, arguing the proposed change would lead to women being charged of a crime when husbands transferred land to their wives prior to becoming insolvent. Due to his arguments, action on the conveyances bill was indefinitely postponed.[31] A few days later, during a debate on abank guarantee fund bill, Rosier questioned whether it would be "constitutional for the state to protect private institutions"; this bill was also defeated.[32]
In the 1929 legislative session, Rosier served on the Judiciary, Railroad, Elections, Public Highways, Public Accounts, and Public Utilities committees.[33] He was also a member of the temporary Credentials Committee and was elected vice president of the Senate.[34] Rosier introduced two noteworthy bills in 1929. One bill would allow mechanics, engineers, and other laborers to put amechanic's lien on personal property.[35] The other bill proposed the allocation of $150,000 in state funds to the Wyoming State Penitentiary for the construction of a new cell block and other improvements.[36]
During this session, Rosier was also part of an investigatory committee that investigated the state department of law enforcement over alleged crimes, financial mismanagement, and a "lack of diligence and honesty".[37] The investigation centered on state commissioner of law enforcement William C. Irving, who was accused of corruption and prohibition law violations for protectingspeakeasies which paid a monthly bribe. Though the committee found no connection between Irving and the accusations, Irving and a number of co-conspirators were indicted, tried, and found guilty by a federal court, and he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison.[38]
Rosier was re-elected unopposed in the1930 state election.[39][40] In the 1931 legislative session, he was a member of theSteering Committee.[41] Along with Democratic senatorBayard Wilson, he co-sponsored a bipartisan bill that would amend the state highway budget. The amendment would allocate one-fourth of the $2.8 million raised through the sale of voter-approved highwaybonds to thecounties for the construction and improvement ofcounty highways that were excluded from the state-federal highway system.[42][43]
In February 1931, at the end of the short legislative session,Governor of WyomingFrank Emerson died andsecretary of stateAlonzo M. Clark succeeded him. Because the Senate was going into recess and the President of the Senate is the next-in-line of succession, this made the normally uncontroversial election of Presidentad interim significantly more important than usual.[44] Rosier was nominated as a candidate for Presidentad interim but was defeated byEarl Wright by one vote.[45]
On April 15, 1932, while Rosier was inside the Rawlins National Bank, he was shot and killed by Thomas Lacey, a local gambler.[46][47] Lacey had followed Rosier into the bank just after 1 p.m. and shot him once in the back with anautomatic revolver,[48] piercing his heart and instantly killing him.[49][50] After bank employees raised their hands in surrender, Lacey responded: "This is not astickup. I am just getting even with a fellow."[51] He then fled the bank and shot himself in the head, dying at the local hospital a few hours later.[52] According to the police investigation, Lacey had asked Rosier to file a lawsuit against the authorities who had arrested and convicted him on gambling charges; Rosier had refused.[53] His funeral service was held at the localMasonic Temple on April 17, 1932, and he was buried in Rawlins Cemetery.[50][54]
On June 15, 1914, Rosier married Grace G. Arthaud ofBurwell, Nebraska, inDenver.[1] They had three children together.[55] Kraft Hall, the Rosier family home in Rawlins, remained in the family's possession until the 1970s and is a contributing structure to theDowntown Rawlins Historic District.[56]
Rosier was a high-rankingFreemason and was a member of theShriners, theBenevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and theImproved Order of Red Men.[1] In 1923, he was president of the localLions Club.[57]