Born: Wednesday, October 11th, 1882
Died: Tuesday, March 25th, 1947
Birthplace: Wells County, Indiana
Education: George Washington University, LL.B. (1906)
Career: State Legislature (1921-1928)
Superior Court (1928-1930)
Served: Tuesday, September 30th, 1930 to Monday, May 23rd, 1932
Political Party: Republican
Appointing Governor: Hartley (Republican)
Adam Beeler was born on a farm near Bluffton, Indiana, the county seat of Wells County, northeastern Indiana. His father, Peter Beeler, a German immigrant, labored on a small farm to support Adam’s mother, Mary Elizabeth, and their nine children. Adam was the fourth child. All the children helped on the farm and attended public schools in the county. Apparently Adam always wanted to be a lawyer:His sister, Ada … likes to tell of the young Adam, who would line his tiny brothers and sisters along the rocky fence rows of the Indiana farm and speak to them, not as the brother, nor the teacher, but as the orator, with his audience in the palm of his hand. Adam’s speeches consisted of any and every subject, but as he said, “Some day I shall be a famous lawyer, and some day a judge.”
It should be added that Adam also had a strong desire to enter politics.
At seventeen, Adam attended Indiana University, working his way through school by waiting tables, selling books, and doing odd jobs. After completing a three-year course, Adam made the first of many attempts at public office, running for the Indiana state legislature. As a Republican in a predominantly Democratic area, Beeler lost. With law school as his goal, he taught for two years, saving money to enroll at the George Washington University law department in Washington, D. C. Although not an outstanding student, his forensic talents and charm placed him among the class leaders. He graduated with a bachelor of laws degree in 1906.
Adam arrived in Seattle in 1908 with “his education, a suit of clothes, a few books, and fifty cents in his pocket.” He began a law practice that year, partnering with Robert Grass. His practice began flourishing in 1909 when he joined John J. Sullivan in the firm of Beeler and Sullivan.
Beeler served four years, 1921-1925, in the Washington House of Representatives and two years, 1927-1928, in the senate. He sponsored and steered to passage the innovative Anti-Narcotic Act in 1923, which became a model for other states. He staunchly supported Governor Roland H. Hartley and actively worked for Republicans in King County. In 1924 Beeler made an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor. He and another west-side candidate split the King County vote, allowing Colville’s Lon Johnson to win. In 1928 it appeared the same scenario might develop when Beeler showed signs of organizing another campaign for lieutenant governor. Another avowed supporter of Governor Hartley, Paul W. Houser, announced his intention of running for the same office. The west-side vote might split again, allowing an anti-Hartley candidate to gain the Republican nomination. The resignation of supreme court Judge Kenneth Mackintosh allowed the governor to appoint superior court Judge Walter Beals to the high bench and select Adam Beeler to fill Beals’ vacancy. These actions freed Houser to run for lieutenant governor. On April 16, 1928, Beeler donned the robes of judicial office, being elected to the superior court post without opposition that fall.
On September 13, 1930, supreme court Judge Walter M. French died. Governor Hartley quickly appointed Beeler to the vacancy. It was not altogether clear, however, if the appointment would continue until the end of French’s term in 1932 or if a special election would be necessary in November 1930 to fill the vacancy. The issue was further complicated because French died after the September primary, preventing any candidates from proceeding through the required nominating process before the November election.
The supreme court resolved the issue by ruling that Beeler’s appointment lasted only until the winner of a November special election could be certified. The court also held that a primary election was unnecessary before such an election. Because of the special nature of the election, and because of the lack of time, a ballot was not printed and Beeler and three other announced candidates conducted a sticker, or write-in, campaign, the second such judicial election in state history. (John F. Main won a write-in race in 1912). Beeler gathered 78,178 votes, defeating his closest rival by nearly 10,000 votes. The victory permitted him to complete the remaining two years in French’s term.
Walter Beals, who served with Beeler on the state’s high bench, recalled Beeler’s judicial character:
During his service as a Judge of this Court, he further demonstrated his ability as a sound lawyer; and those of us whose good fortune it was to serve with him will never forget his cheerful and efficient cooperation, his willingness to discuss with the other Judges his own and their problems, and his never failing desire to declare the law in accordance with the careful exercise of his sincere opinion.
Near the end of his term in 1932, Judge Beeler announced his resignation to join in a law partnership with Seattle mayor-elect John F. Dore and Louis Haven. He really resigned, however, to challenge U. S. Senator Wesley L. Jones in the Republican primary in September. Beeler’s campaign centered on the failures of prohibition, calling for a resubmission of the question to the voters. Beeler opposed the World Court and the League of Nations. He advocated more government efficiency by consolidating several federal bureaus. His attack on Jones focused on what Beeler characterized as the senator’s disregard for the state and the economy. Despite a spirited campaign, Beeler was handily defeated.
Although Beeler remained active in Republican politics, the senate run was his last political campaign. In 1934 the law firm of Beeler, Haven, and Dore dissolved and the former judge practiced alone until 1941 when he formed a partnership with Edward Merges. On March 25, 1947, Beeler suffered a fatal heart attack in his Seattle home.
On April 9, 1909, Adam Beeler married Florence Scott, an accomplished concert musician and vocalist. Both she and the judge participated in social and civic affairs. Judge Beeler was a member of the Eagles, Elks, Masons, Delta Tau Delta, Washington Athletic Club, Woodmen of the World, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Metropolitan Club, and the Seattle Commercial Club. Florence Beeler belonged to the Seattle Music and Art Association and the Seattle Symphony League. She sang the lead in several Seattle civic opera productions. The Beelers had three children, Madison Scott, Betty Sue, and Virginia.
Selected References
Lloyd Spencer and Lancaster Pollard, A History of the State of Washington, vol. 4 (1937), pp. 735-736; C. S. Reinhart, The History of the Supreme Court of the Territory and State of Washington (n.d.), pp. 122-123; Seattle Times, 7 Mar. 1928; Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 19 Sept. 1930; memorial services, Washington Reports, vol. 36, 2d (1950), pp. xvii-xix.
The preceding biography is from Charles Sheldon's The Washington High Bench: A Biographical History of the State Supreme Court, 1889-1991, © 1992 by the Board of Regents of Washington State University. Reprinted here with permission and licensed to the public under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License by The Temple of Justice Project.
