Norman Staunton Dike

Norman Staunton Dike (October 22, 1862 – April 15, 1953) was a New York State Supreme Court judge from 1920-1932. He had previously worked as a lawyer, sheriff, and judge in Brooklyn, New York. He was also a prominent member of the Brooklyn social scene.

Norman S Dike
Dike in 1902
Born(1862-10-22)22 October 1862
Brooklyn, New York
Died15 April 1953(1953-04-15) (aged 90)
Brooklyn, New York
Alma materBrown University, Columbia University
OccupationLawyer, judge
Political partyRepublican
ChildrenNorman Dike Jr.

Parents and early life

Dike was born in Brooklyn on October 22, 1862[1] the son of Camden C. Dike and Jennie Scott Dike.[2] Dike's middle name was also given as Scott.[3] Camden was a wool merchant in New York City and was active in city Republican politics.[2] Camden was born in Providence, Rhode Island the son of Albyn V. and Phebe A. Dike. Camden died on October 11, 1894 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey of typhoid. Jennie was a native of Rochester, New York and was the daughter of David and Maria Scott and granddaughter of Phineas Stanton, an officer in the War of 1812 and later a general in the New York State militia. He had two sisters, Miriam (who married Murray Boocock) and Jennie[4] (who married G. C. F. Williams). He attended Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and then Brown University, where he graduated in 1885 with a Ph B. In 1887 he graduated from Columbia University Law School with a LL B.[2][5] At Brown, Dike was editor of the Brunonian and Liber Brunensis, President of the Boating Association and the Hammer & Tongs Dramatic Association, manager of the baseball team, class marshal, and class president.[6]

Career

In 1890, Dike began practicing law in Manhattan and Brooklyn, first in the law office of Frederic A. Ward,[5] and became prominent as counsel for the Kings County Bank. In 1893 he was elected supervisor from Brooklyn's first ward as a Republican. In 1895, he became chairman of the board.[2] He served on the National Guard staff as assistant to the Judge Advocate General with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1894.[2][1]

In 1902, New York Governor Benjamin B. Odell Jr. appointed Dike Kings County Sheriff, succeeding Charles Guden in a controversial move by Odell.[7][8] After serving for ten months, Dike was appointed commissioner of the State Tuberculosis Hospital.[2] Dike's prominence in society gave him the nickname, "society sheriff".[9]

In 1906, Dike was appointed judge in King County by governor Frank W. Higgins, succeeding Joe Aspinall. His society reputation followed him to the post, and he was given another moniker, "Pink Tea" Judge.[10] In 1908, Dike received death threats in a letter addressed to him and Brooklyn detective Antonio Vachris from the "Black Hand", a terrorist group.[11] That year he was elected county judge, and he was reelected in 1913 and 1919.[2]

Campaign Ad for Dike from 1918

In 1920, he was elected to the New York Supreme Court, where he served until retirement in 1932, when he reached the age limit.[1] As a judge, Dike was known for his severity towards criminals and belief in punishment as a deterrent.[2] After retirement he became referee for the second Judicial District of the New York Supreme Court.[2]

Other activities

He was active in society and as a community leader. He served as president of the Brown University Alumni Association of New York. He was a trustee of the Brooklyn Homeopathic Hospital, later known as the Cumberland Hospital.[2] His mother had been president of the same hospital's Ladies Aid Association.[3] He was president of the board of trustees of the hospital for seven years. He was a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Brooklyn Bar Association. He also served as director of the Hamilton Club of Brooklyn, and was a member of the Union and University Clubs of Manhattan and of the Montauk Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.[2]

Family and death

In June 1917, Dike married Evelyn Moore Biddle. They divorced in 1939.[12] They had one child, Norman Staunton Dike, Jr. on May 19, 1918.[13][2][14] In 1942, Dike wrote a genealogical narrative of his family entitled, Narrative of Anthony Dike, Albyn Valentine Dike Branch, 1623-1942.[1] Dike died on April 15, 1953.[2]

Writings
  • Dike, Norman Staunton (1942). Narrative of Anthony Dike; Albyn Valentine Dike Branch 1623 — 1942. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Shea Brothers Printers. p. 43. hdl:2027/wu.89064055692.

References
  1. Judge Dike Recounts History of his Family, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) September 6, 1942, page 9, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10047502/
  2. Norman S. Dike, Retired Justice, Dies; Onetime Sheriff 25 Years on Bench, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) April 16, 1952, page 13, accessed April 3, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10023295/
  3. Judge Dike's Engagement, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn New York) June 3, 1917, page 17, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046907/judge_dikes_engagement_the_brooklyn/
  4. Death of Camden C. Dike, The Brooklyn Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) October 11, 1894, page 1, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046547/death_of_camden_c_dike_the_brooklyn/
  5. Republican Nominees, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) October 29, 1893, page 5, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046220/republican_nominees_the_brooklyn_daily/
  6. General Catalogue of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity. Psi Upsilon, 1888, p 332
  7. "Guden "Morally Unfit". Gov. Odell's Stated Reason for Removing Kings County Sheriff. Col. N. S. Dike Succeeds Him. His Own Testimony, Says the Official Decision, Proved Him Incapable and Unqualified for a Public Trust". New York Times. March 8, 1902. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  8. Guden Removed, Dike Appointed, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) March 7, 1902, page 1, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10047258/
  9. Brooklyn Society, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) February 18, 1906, page 19, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046675/brooklyn_society_the_brooklyn_daily/
  10. Brooklyn's "Pink Tea" Judge, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) March 3, 1907, page 53, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046727/brooklyns_pink_tea_judge_the/
  11. Gets Black Hand Warning, Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York) March 8, 1908, page 1, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10046849/gets_black_hand_warning_democrat_and/
  12. "Mrs. E. Biddle Dike Gets Reno Divorce". The Evening Sun. May 11, 1939. p. 14. Retrieved May 30, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Narrative of Anthony Dike, Albyn Valentine Dike Branch, 1623-1942". p. 47. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  14. Judge Dike has Son, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) May 20, 1918, page 18, accessed April 4, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10047937/judge_dike_has_son_the_brooklyn_daily/
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