The New Student's Reference Work/Jerome, William Travers

Jero′me, William Travers, was born in New York City in 1863, of wealthy parents, and was educated at Amherst College and Columbia Law School, from which he graduated in 1884. He was appointed assistant district-attorney, under Tammany rule, but turned against that organization, assisted in the famous Lexow investigation, which revealed the corrupt condition of the New York police, and was appointed justice of the court of special sessions New York City. He was elected district attorney in 1901, and showed courage and determination in the prosecution of gamblers and of other criminals. In 1905 lie was again elected district attorney, running independently, after both parties had refused to nominate him. Charged with failure to prosecute certain accused corporation-managers, he was vindicated by official investigation.