Spouse(s) F. Fairlee Habbart Role Politician | Nationality American Name Robert Woodside Party Republican Party | |
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Died March 18, 1998, Sun City, Arizona, United States | ||
Robert Elmer Woodside, Jr. (June 4, 1904 – March 18, 1998) was a Pennsylvania, United States, politician and judge. He served four terms as a member of the State House of Representatives, a term as Attorney General, and a term on the Superior Court.
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Early life and political career
Woodside was born in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Robert E. and Ella Neitz Woodside. He attended Dickinson College, where he was a member of the Raven's Claw Society, graduating in 1926, and received a law degree from Dickinson School of Law in 1928. He married F. Fairlee Habbart in 1931, they would have three children.
He was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 1932, and served four terms, until 1941. From 1939–41, he was Republican Floor Leader. He was then appointed a judge on the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas, where he served until appointed state Attorney General in 1951. He was appointed in 1953 to fill a vacancy on the state Superior Court, was elected to a full ten-year term in 1954, and lost his 1964 re-election bid.
In 1962, Woodside had been drafted to run for state Governor. Senator Hugh Scott strongly opposed Woodside, and ran for governor in opposition, only withdrawing when party leaders backed the then relatively unknown William Scranton.
Slot machine raids
Slot machines were illegal in Pennsylvania, under an 1805 law prohibiting mechanical gambling devices. Despite this, slot machines were popular at political clubs as fund raisers.
In 1951, President Truman signed legislation banning interstate transportation of slot machines when contrary to state law. Woodside, with Governor Fine's encouragement, undertook an enforcement campaign against the machines. He was the first state Attorney General to do so, sending the State Police on thousands of raids when local district attorneys refused to co-operate. Over 700 clubs folded after their slot machines were destroyed. In Erie, the mayor, police chief, and twelve others would be found guilty in 1954 of bribery and conspiracy in regards to the machines.
Later life and career
Woodside was an adjunct professor at Dickinson School of Law (1970–90). He was a partner in the law firm Mette, Evans & Woodside.
He died in March 1998 while vacationing in Sun City, Arizona.