A. J. Eddy (1880-1976) was an American politician from Arizona. He served a single term in the Arizona State Senate during the 5th Arizona State Legislature, holding the two seat from Yuma County.[1] He also served two terms in the Arizona House of Representatives, and was a long time deputy attorney for Yuma County. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War, and in 1922 set a legal precedent when his testimony became the first time forensic ballistics was used in the conviction of a murderer in the United States.
A. J. Eddy | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Arizona Senate from the Yuma County district | |
| In office January 1921 – December 1922 | |
| Preceded by | Mulford Winsor |
| Succeeded by | Mulford Winsor |
| Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the Yuma County district | |
| In office January 1917 – December 1920 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1880 |
| Died | January 1976 Yuma, Arizona |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Marion |
| Residence(s) | Yuma, Arizona |
| Profession | Politician |
Biography
editEddy was born in 1880.[2] At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Eddy enlisted in the U. S. Navy. He was only 16 at the time, but told the recruiter he was 21. During his three years of service, he was assigned to the USS Monterey, which was assigned to the waters surrounding the Philippine Islands. He was present when Admiral Dewey took Manila. He moved to Arizona in 1908.[3][4] Eddy lived in Bouse, Arizona, where he operated the Bouse Auto Livery, until he moved his family and the business to Yuma in 1913, and bought a share of Riley's Garage. He put himself through correspondence school in the 1910s and became an attorney, entering the Arizona Bar in 1918.[5][4]
In 1916 he ran for the Democrat nomination for the Arizona House of Representatives for one of the two seats from Yuma County.[6] Along with James L. Edwards, Eddy won the Democrat nomination,[7] and the two Democrats easily defeated their Republican opponents in the November general election.[8][9] In 1918 Eddy ran for, and won, re-election to the House.[10] In 1920, Eddy ran for and won the Arizona State Senate seat from Yuma County.[11] During the regular session in 1921, he sponsored more bills than any other senator.[12]
In 1922 he testified at the trial of Paul Hadley, alias William S. Estaver for first degree murder in the killing of Anna C. Johnson. Eddy testified that he had conducted tests which showed that the markings on bullets fired from a gun taken from Estaver matched the markings on the bullets recovered from Johnson's corpse. The defense vigorously attacked Eddy's claim of being a pistol expert.[13][14][15] Hadley/Estaver was convicted, and his conviction was appealed to the Arizona State Supreme Court, one of the grounds being the standing of Eddy as a pistol expert. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction.[16][17] It became a landmark case for being the first time ballistics were used to help convict a suspect.[2][4][18]
From the early 1920s through the 1940s, Eddy served on and off as the deputy Yuma County attorney.[19][20][21] Eddy died in January 1976 in Yuma, Arizona.[2]
References
edit- ^ "History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912-1966". State of Arizona. p. 81. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ a b c "A. J. Eddy Dies; Lawyer in Yuma". Arizona Republic. January 9, 1976. p. 28. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Life Card Given Yuman by VFW". The Yuma Daily Sun. September 11, 1975. p. 6. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "A. J. Eddy First Used Ballistics in Trial". Arizona Republic. March 23, 1969. p. 46. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bouse Auto Livery Is Moved To Yuma". Arizona Sentinel. November 20, 1913. p. 4. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Eddy". Arizona Sentinel. June 29, 1916. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Returns Coming in Slowly in County". Bisbee Daily Review. September 15, 1916. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Who's Who in the Legislature of Arizona". The Tucson Citizen. November 18, 1916. p. 9. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Big Sombrero Leads By 318 For Governor". The Arizona Republican. November 11, 1916. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Political Complexion of Next Legislature Decided by Last Election". The Arizona Republican. November 14, 1918. p. 3. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Legislature Is Certain To Be Battle Ground". The Coconino Sun. November 26, 1920. p. 10. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Eddy Is Champion Bill Introducer". The Tucson Citizen. November 24, 1921. p. 10. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Defense Attacks Eddy's Testimony As Pistol Expert". The Tucson Citizen. April 12, 1922. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Night Sessions In Hadley Case". Bisbee Daily Review. May 23, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Resumes Presentation of Evidence in Trial of Hadley". Arizona Daily Star. May 23, 1922. p. 4. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Condemned Man's Case Is Argued In Supreme Court". The Arizona Republican. January 18, 1923. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hadley Is To Hang On April 13 For Johnson Murder". The Arizona Republican. February 7, 1923. p. 8. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dan Dedera (January 23, 1966). "1922 Arizona Case Set a Precedent". Arizona Republic. p. 20. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Town Talk". The Morning Sun. January 7, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Slaying Held in Self Defense". The Arizona Republican. February 9, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hospital Inquiry At Yuma is Ended". The Arizona Republican. October 21, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved September 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.