{{Short description|American judge}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} alt=Head of a man|thumb
'''Richard Harper Laimbeer Jr.''' (July 11, 1857 − February 19, 1934) was a judge of the Court of Special Sessions and a Deputy Fire Commissioner in New York City.
== Life == Laimbeer was born in Brooklyn on July 11, 1857.<ref name=":0" /> His father was Richard H. Laimbeer, who emigrated from Britain in 1849, settling in Brooklyn, where he ran a grain storage business and became a millionaire.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 16, 1900 |title=Obituary: Richard H. Laimbeer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-obituary-for-richard-h/148092804/ |newspaper=New-York Tribune |page=4 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> His mother was Catherine J. Laimbeer, ''née'' Radcliffe.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 8, 1912 |title=Catherine J. Laimbeer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union/54645583/ |newspaper=The Daily Standard Union |location=Brooklyn, New York |page=3 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Laimbeer was educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and Columbia Law School, and practiced law after graduating in 1878.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 21, 1901 |title=Richard H. Laimbeer, Jr. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-biographical-notes-on-richar/148096625/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Times |page=1 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1883 he married Belle Meafoy, of South Brooklyn.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=May 2, 1895 |title=Justice Laimbeer on Duty |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-times-laimbeer-starts/148096985/ |newspaper=Times Union |location=Brooklyn, New York |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 1, 1883 |title=Brief Locals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-union-laimbeer-marries-bell/148159406/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Times |page=1 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
== Career == He was one of the commissioners who determined the route of the subway running from City Hall in Manhattan to Borough Hall in Brooklyn.<ref name=":0" />
In 1884 he ran for the Brooklyn assembly in the First District, as a Republican, but was defeated by Moses Wafer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 28, 1884 |title=The Assembly Nominees |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-laimbeer-nomina/148094161/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |page=4 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 21, 1884 |title=The Illumination |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-union-mose-wafer-was-electe/148094267/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Union |page=1 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In April 1895 Laimbeer was appointed by Charles Schieren, mayor of Brooklyn, to fill a vacated magistrate position at the Ewen Street court, succeeding William Watson. He served the remainder of Watson's term, leaving the post in April 1896. During his term he was especially severe in sentencing wife-beaters.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 30, 1896 |title=Two Police Justices Retire |newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |page=14}}</ref>
alt=Head and shoulders of a man wearing a cravat|thumb|Laimbeer in 1896
Laimbeer enlisted in the New York National Guard's 7th Regiment in 1879, serving as a private until 1884.<ref name=":4" /> During the Spanish-American War, he helped organize the 114th Regiment, serving in it as a captain.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=March 25, 1916 |title=Brooklyn Life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-life-bio-of-richard-laimbeer/148159534/ |newspaper=Brooklyn Life |page=112}}</ref> He served in the 2nd Brigade, initially, in 1900, as regimental quartermaster, and then as aide-de-camp, and was briefly an aide-de-camp to the governor before being promoted to major in 1903. He became quartermaster in 1903 and judge advocate in 1904.<ref name=":4">New York AG report 1904, pp. 6, 26.</ref> He retired from the National Guard in 1910.<ref name=":5" />
He was twice given the post of Deputy Fire Commissioner. He was appointed by Mayor Seth Low in January 1902,<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 2, 1902 |title=Low's First Day as Mayor of the Greater New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-standard-union-mayoral-appointments/147992748/ |newspaper=The Standard Union |location=Brooklyn, New York |page=12}}</ref> and again in January 1914 by Mayor John Purroy Mitchel.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=February 20, 1934 |title=R. H. Laimbeer Jr., Once Judge, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1934/02/20/archives/r-h-laimbeer-jr-once-judge-dies-sat-on-benoh-of-old-brooklyn-court.html |newspaper=The New York Times |page=24}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=January 16, 1914 |title=Laimbeer New Fire Head for This Borough |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-laimbeer-appointed-deputy-fi/147986517/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Times |page=1}}</ref> The latter appointment was at a salary of $5,000 per year.<ref name=":1" /> He was expected to be appointed Commissioner of Records in 1921, but the Register, Edward Maddox, refused to appoint him, as part of a fight over political patronage.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 5, 1921 |title=County Boss Not in Raptures Over the Coalition Outfit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-citizen-laimbeer-not-appoin/148160370/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Citizen |page=1}}</ref>
Laimbeer was a relative of Benjamin Odell, the Governor of New York, and in 1903 Odell attempted to appoint Laimbeer as the chair of the party's executive committee, replacing Jacob Brenner, but met with resistance from the committee members and senior party members such as Timothy Woodruff.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 11, 1903 |title=Boss Odell Angers Kings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-odell-tries-to-appoint-laimbeer/148161272/ |newspaper=The Sun |location=New York |page=5}}</ref>
Laimbeer was for a while the Republican leader of the Third Assembly District, in Brooklyn.<ref name=":2" /> He was elected to the district leadership in 1899, but lost two years later, and then won the position back in 1903, competing against M. C. Hanton in each election.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1899 |title=Candidates are Plenty |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-laimbeer-defeats-hanson-for/148099630/ |newspaper=The Daily Standard Union |page=2 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 16, 1903 |title=Republican Primaries Make But Two Changes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-times-laimbeer-become/148093000/|newspaper=The Brooklyn Times |page=8 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> An ally of his was accused of paying a voter to vote for Laimbeer in the 1903 election.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 1903 |title=Andrew Jacobs Accused |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-citizen-bribery-for-laimbee/148093163/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Citizen |page=1 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Laimbeer resigned in 1922, and was succeeded by Anthony De Martini, an ally of Laimbeer's.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=March 5, 1930 |title=De Martini Out of G. O. P. Third A. D. Leadership |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-standard-union-de-martini-succeeded/147988387/ |newspaper=The Standard Union |location=Brooklyn, New York |page=24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 19, 1922 |title=De Martini Seeks Warrant as Leader |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-laimbeer-resigns-as-third-ad/148093245/ |newspaper=The Brooklyn Standard Union |page=4 |access-date=2025-05-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
== References == <references />
== Sources == * {{Cite book |url=https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/application/files/7815/8015/5024/AG_Report_1904_v2.pdf |title=Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York for the Year 1904 Vol. II |publisher=Brandon Printing Company |year=1905 |location=Albany, New York}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laimbeer, Richard Harper}} Category:1934 deaths Category:1857 births