J. Weston Allen | |
|---|---|
 Allen c. 1900 | |
| 25th Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | |
| In office 1920–1923 | |
| Governor | Calvin Coolidge Channing H. Cox |
| Preceded by | Henry A. Wyman |
| Succeeded by | Jay R. Benton |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 4th Middlesex district | |
| In office 1915–1918 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 19, 1872 Newton Highlands, Massachusetts |
| Died | January 1, 1942 (aged 69) Waverly, New York |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Caroline Cheney Hills (1901–42) |
| Residence | Newton, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | Yale University Harvard Law School[citation needed] |
| Profession | Attorney |
| [1][2][3] | |
John Weston Allen[4] (April 19, 1872[4] – January 1, 1942[5]) was an American politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1915 to 1918[3] and as Massachusetts Attorney General from 1920 to 1923.
As Attorney General, Allen was aggressive in his pursuit of white collar criminals.[6] During his tenure, Allen prosecuted Thomas W. Lawson, L. C. Van Riper,[6] and Charles Ponzi.[4]
Instead of seeking reelection, Allen ran for Governor of Massachusetts in 1922 but lost the Republican primary election to incumbent Channing H. Cox. Allen served as a member of the United States Attorney General's National Crime Commission from 1926 to 1936 and was the commission's chairman from 1930 to 1936.
- ^ Who's Who in State Politics, 1918, Boston, MA: Practical Politics, 1918, p. 102.
- ^ Howard, Richard T. (1921), Public Officials of Massachusetts 1921–1922, Boston, MA: The Boston Review, p. Page 28.
- ^ a b Richard T. Howard. Public Officials of Massachusetts 1921–22. The Boston Review.
- ^ a b c "John Weston Allen (1872–1942)". Retrieved February 13, 2010.
- ^ "J. Weston Allen, 69, Ex-Attorney General In Bay State, Dies". The Hartford Courant. January 2, 1942.
- ^ a b "LAWSON AND OTHER BOSTON BROKERS FINED; Pleading Guilty to Breach of Statute on Mining Stocks, He and Van Riper Pay $1,000". New York Times. April 22, 1920. Retrieved February 13, 2010.