G. Aaron Youngquist
Encyclopedia
Gustav Aaron Youngquist was a Swedish-American lawyer
from Minnesota
. He served as Minnesota Attorney General and as the Assistant U.S. Attorney General who successfully prosecuted Al Capone
for federal income tax evasion.
Youngquist was born near Gothenborg, Sweden and moved to the United States
as a small child with his family. Without any formal education, he enrolled at William Mitchell College of Law
(then the St. Paul College of Law) and graduated in 1909. Following graduation, he entered into partnership with Charles Loring
, a future Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
. Later, he successfully ran for the offices of Carver County Attorney and Minnesota Attorney General, the latter in 1928.
In 1929, the state Republican Party tried to draft Youngquist as their gubernatorial candidate for the next year's election. Instead, U.S. Attorney General William D. Mitchell
convinced Youngquist to accept a position at the Department of Justice
, where he was charged with enforcing national prohibition laws. He remained there until 1933, having argued between sixty and seventy cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and overseen the trial and sentencing of Al Capone
.
Youngquist practiced actively following his return to Minnesota. He also served on the U.S. Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on the Rules of Federal Criminal Procedure.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He served as Minnesota Attorney General and as the Assistant U.S. Attorney General who successfully prosecuted Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
for federal income tax evasion.
Youngquist was born near Gothenborg, Sweden and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a small child with his family. Without any formal education, he enrolled at William Mitchell College of Law
William Mitchell College of Law
William Mitchell College of Law, or WMCL, is a private, independent law school located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Accredited by the American Bar Association , it offers full and part-time legal education in pursuit of the Juris Doctor degree....
(then the St. Paul College of Law) and graduated in 1909. Following graduation, he entered into partnership with Charles Loring
Charles Loring (judge)
Charles Loring was an American lawyer and judge from Minnesota. He served as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from January 1944 to July 1953....
, a future Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota and consists of seven members. The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside of the region who were appointed by...
. Later, he successfully ran for the offices of Carver County Attorney and Minnesota Attorney General, the latter in 1928.
In 1929, the state Republican Party tried to draft Youngquist as their gubernatorial candidate for the next year's election. Instead, U.S. Attorney General William D. Mitchell
William D. Mitchell
William DeWitt Mitchell was appointed to the position of U.S. Solicitor General by Calvin Coolidge on June 4, 1925, which he held until he was appointed to the position of U.S. Attorney General for the entirety of Herbert Hoover's Presidency.Born in Winona, Minnesota to William B...
convinced Youngquist to accept a position at the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, where he was charged with enforcing national prohibition laws. He remained there until 1933, having argued between sixty and seventy cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and overseen the trial and sentencing of Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
.
Youngquist practiced actively following his return to Minnesota. He also served on the U.S. Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on the Rules of Federal Criminal Procedure.