Andrew Hamilton (1854-1908) [Section 28 Lot 91]
Judge, Lawyer, aided in the creation of New York Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, associated with creator of Yellow Dog Funds.
Andrew Hamilton was born on April 29, 1854, in Lansingburgh, NY. The only child of Elizabeth Gill, an Irish immigrant. He received an education at the Christian Brothers’ Academy and later Albany Boys Academy. He began his career working at Western Union Telegraph Company, and D.D.C. Mink Transportation Company. He worked as a principal for the public night school in Albany while studying law, being admitted to the New York Bar in 1875. The same year he set up a law practice with Hugh Reilly under the name Reilly & Hamilton. In 1878, he married Jessie Reed Walker of Albany and had four children together.
Hamilton became active in politics and served in several political positions: Judge of the City Court of Albany, Assistant District Attorney, District Attorney of Albany County, and Clerk of the State Court of Claims. He is best known for annotating the first editions of the New York Penal Code and the New York Code of Criminal Procedure. He edited many works on insurance and corporation matters, such as New York State Insurance Law. He also worked in the private sector for New York Life Insurance Co. as their counsel. In 1905 a legislative commission within the state Assembly investigated the insurance industry and discovered that Hamilton’s dealing with New York Life lead to what is known today as yellow dog fund, a slush fund used to lobby and bride elected officials on bills which benefited the insurance industry. He testified before the legislative commission, which later dropped the charges against him and the scandal entirely.
The twentieth century was a very unlucky time for Hamilton and his family. In 1900 his son Andrew Hamilton, Jr. passed away who was only seven years old. To pay homage to his son a 20-foot-tall Celtic cross was construction, which was designed by architect Marcus T. Reynolds and carved by John Frances Brine, who did many stone carvings on the State Capitol. Hamilton’s law partner died in 1904, then his wife in 1907. Hamilton died the following year in March of 1908 of a heart attack at the age of 54. All three of his daughters were killed in 1912 when a train plunged down a 30-foot embankment in Westport, Ct. returning from a funeral of a family friend.