Harry M. Daugherty
Encyclopedia
Harry Micajah Daugherty (January 26, 1860 – October 12, 1941) (daw-HER-tee) was an American
politician. He is best known as a Republican Party boss, and member of the Ohio Gang
, the name given to the group of advisors surrounding president Warren G. Harding
.
at the age of 20, but had to wait one year before taking the bar examination
. Over the next 15 years, he practiced law and began his political career as a City Councilman in Washington Court House, Ohio
. From there, he became a prosecutor in Fayette County, Ohio
, then served in the Ohio House of Representatives
from 1890 to 1894. Bids for higher offices, such as U.S. Congress, state attorney general and governor all came up short. His son, Draper Daugherty, was the subject of headlines in 1910 when he married showgirl Dessna Gibson of the "Original Floradora Quintet," and was temporarily disowned by his parents.
presidential nominee at that year's Republican National Convention
in Chicago
. The decision to propel Harding forward, if the nomination wasn't decided on the first ballot, was made in what became known in American politics as the smoke-filled room
in the Blackstone Hotel. Daugherty served as campaign manager
for Harding in the presidential election of 1920. He ran the campaign based on Harding's affable personality and fairly neutral political stance, advocating a return to "normalcy" after World War I
.
Harding won the Republican Party
nomination after the vote deadlocked between Leonard Wood
and Frank Lowden, an event whose possibility Daugherty had suggested months before in an interview.
.
Daugherty's controversial three years in office saw his name surface in connection with veterans bureau
irregularities, alien property conspiracies, as well as his role in the pardoning of Eugene V. Debs
and Charles W. Morse.
) that led to Daugherty's eventual resignation on March 28, 1924. As the subject of a U.S. Senate
investigation begun the year before, spearheaded under the direction of Junior Senator Burton K. Wheeler
of Montana, Daugherty was eventually found not guilty.
Daugherty's son, Draper, served under General John J. Pershing
in his Mexican campaign, rose to the rank of major in the United States Army and later worked in the coal industry. He was wounded in the Battle of Meuse-Argonne. Drapers' first two marriages, to showgirl Dessa Gibson and Jean Bowers, daughter of a West Virginia
Congressman George Bowers, ended in divorce. Draper's third marriage to Estelle Mudge Sturges, the ex-wife of director Preston Sturges
, ended with his death. Draper died of appendicitis in 1930 at the age of 42. Daugherty's daughter, Emily, married Columbus, Ohio, attorney Ralph Rarey.
Daugherty was a first cousin of actress Majel Coleman
.
. The indictment came down one year after his assistant Jesse Smith, Republican political boss John T. King of Connecticut, and former Alien Property Custodian Thomas W. Miller
were charged with the same misconduct. Daugherty's case went to trial twice, with the first jury deadlocking with 7-5 in favor of conviction. He was acquitted after a single juror remained unconvinced of his guilt in the second trial.
Daugherty returned to practicing law until his retirement in 1932, and that year published along with ghostwriter Thomas Dixon
, The Inside Story of the Harding Tragedy about his time in the Harding administration. In the book, he claimed that Albert B. Fall
had become Secretary of the Interior
by forging Daugherty's signature, and that his close friend, Jess Smith
, had killed himself because of diabetes, not a guilty conscience.
Spending many of his final years in Florida
and Mackinac Island, Michigan
, Daugherty planned to write more books to clear his reputation, but in October 1940, he suffered two heart attack
s and was stricken with pneumonia
. Bedridden and blind in one eye during this last year, he died peacefully in his sleep with his son and daughter at his side. His wife, Lucy, had died in 1924, following many years of ill health, while another son died in 1930.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician. He is best known as a Republican Party boss, and member of the Ohio Gang
Ohio Gang
The Ohio Gang was a group of politicians and industry leaders who came to be associated with Warren G. Harding, the twenty-ninth President of the United States of America.-Background:...
, the name given to the group of advisors surrounding president Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
.
Background and early career
Daugherty graduated from the University of Michigan Law SchoolUniversity of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
at the age of 20, but had to wait one year before taking the bar examination
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
. Over the next 15 years, he practiced law and began his political career as a City Councilman in Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House is a city in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. It is the county seat of Fayette County and is located approximately halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. The population was 14,192 in 2010 at the 2010 census...
. From there, he became a prosecutor in Fayette County, Ohio
Fayette County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,433 people, 11,054 households, and 7,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 11,904 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, then served in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
from 1890 to 1894. Bids for higher offices, such as U.S. Congress, state attorney general and governor all came up short. His son, Draper Daugherty, was the subject of headlines in 1910 when he married showgirl Dessna Gibson of the "Original Floradora Quintet," and was temporarily disowned by his parents.
Harding campaign manager
As an Ohio Republican party boss in 1920, Daugherty engineered Harding's ascendancy as the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
presidential nominee at that year's Republican National Convention
1920 Republican National Convention
The 1920 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States nominated Ohio Senator Warren G. Harding for President and Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge for Vice President...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The decision to propel Harding forward, if the nomination wasn't decided on the first ballot, was made in what became known in American politics as the smoke-filled room
Smoke-filled room
In U.S. political slang, a smoke-filled room is a term for a secret political gathering or round table style decision-making process. The phrase is generally used to suggest a cabal of powerful or well-connected, cigar-smoking men such as the Bilderberg group meeting privately to nominate a dark...
in the Blackstone Hotel. Daugherty served as campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
for Harding in the presidential election of 1920. He ran the campaign based on Harding's affable personality and fairly neutral political stance, advocating a return to "normalcy" after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Harding won the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination after the vote deadlocked between Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he received the Medal of Honor. Wood also holds officer service #2 in the Regular Army...
and Frank Lowden, an event whose possibility Daugherty had suggested months before in an interview.
U.S. Attorney General
After Harding won the general election, he appointed Daugherty United States Attorney GeneralUnited States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
.
Daugherty's controversial three years in office saw his name surface in connection with veterans bureau
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
irregularities, alien property conspiracies, as well as his role in the pardoning of Eugene V. Debs
Eugene V. Debs
Eugene Victor Debs was an American union leader, one of the founding members of the International Labor Union and the Industrial Workers of the World , and several times the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States...
and Charles W. Morse.
Resignation
However it was his alleged knowledge of a kickback scam involving bootleggers (operated by his chief aide Jess SmithJess Smith
Jesse W. Smith also known as Jess Smith, was a member of President Warren G. Harding's Ohio Gang. He was born and raised in Washington Court House, Ohio, where he became a friend of Harry M. Daugherty. There, Daugherty helped him to become the successful owner of a department store...
) that led to Daugherty's eventual resignation on March 28, 1924. As the subject of a U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
investigation begun the year before, spearheaded under the direction of Junior Senator Burton K. Wheeler
Burton K. Wheeler
Burton Kendall Wheeler was an American politician of the Democratic Party and a United States Senator from 1923 until 1947.-Early life:...
of Montana, Daugherty was eventually found not guilty.
Family
Daugherty married Lucille Walker of Wellston, Ohio, in 1887.Daugherty's son, Draper, served under General John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
in his Mexican campaign, rose to the rank of major in the United States Army and later worked in the coal industry. He was wounded in the Battle of Meuse-Argonne. Drapers' first two marriages, to showgirl Dessa Gibson and Jean Bowers, daughter of a West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Congressman George Bowers, ended in divorce. Draper's third marriage to Estelle Mudge Sturges, the ex-wife of director Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
, ended with his death. Draper died of appendicitis in 1930 at the age of 42. Daugherty's daughter, Emily, married Columbus, Ohio, attorney Ralph Rarey.
Daugherty was a first cousin of actress Majel Coleman
Majel Coleman
Majel Coleman was a movie actressfrom Cincinnati, Ohio. Most of her eleven film credits are silent movie features. The name Majel means wood dove.-Film actress:...
.
Later life
In 1926, Daugherty was indicted on charges that he improperly received funds in the sale of American Metal Company assets seized during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The indictment came down one year after his assistant Jesse Smith, Republican political boss John T. King of Connecticut, and former Alien Property Custodian Thomas W. Miller
Thomas W. Miller
Thomas Woodnutt Miller was an American businessman, lawyer and politician, from Wilmington, Delaware, and Reno, Nevada. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of the Republican Party, who served as U. S. Representative from Delaware.-Early life and family:Miller was born in Wilmington,...
were charged with the same misconduct. Daugherty's case went to trial twice, with the first jury deadlocking with 7-5 in favor of conviction. He was acquitted after a single juror remained unconvinced of his guilt in the second trial.
Daugherty returned to practicing law until his retirement in 1932, and that year published along with ghostwriter Thomas Dixon
Thomas Dixon, Jr.
Thomas F. Dixon, Jr. was an American Baptist minister, playwright, lecturer, North Carolina state legislator, lawyer, and author, perhaps best known for writing The Clansman — which was to become the inspiration for D. W...
, The Inside Story of the Harding Tragedy about his time in the Harding administration. In the book, he claimed that Albert B. Fall
Albert B. Fall
Albert Bacon Fall was a United States Senator from New Mexico and the Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding, infamous for his involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal.-Early life and family:...
had become Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
by forging Daugherty's signature, and that his close friend, Jess Smith
Jess Smith
Jesse W. Smith also known as Jess Smith, was a member of President Warren G. Harding's Ohio Gang. He was born and raised in Washington Court House, Ohio, where he became a friend of Harry M. Daugherty. There, Daugherty helped him to become the successful owner of a department store...
, had killed himself because of diabetes, not a guilty conscience.
Spending many of his final years in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mackinac Island is a city in Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. In the 2010 census, the city had a permanent population of 492, although there are thousands more seasonal workers and tourists during the summer months. From 1818–1882, the city was the county seat of the former...
, Daugherty planned to write more books to clear his reputation, but in October 1940, he suffered two heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
s and was stricken with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. Bedridden and blind in one eye during this last year, he died peacefully in his sleep with his son and daughter at his side. His wife, Lucy, had died in 1924, following many years of ill health, while another son died in 1930.
Popular Culture
The fictional character Harry Daugherty, played by Christopher McDonald, on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire is based on the real life Harry M. Daugherty. Like the real life Daugherty, the character is portrayed as Warren G. Harding's 1920 campaign manager and later as his Attorney General.External links
- MCGRAIN v. DAUGHERTY, 273 U.S. 135 (1927) - US Supreme Court case