Eston Randolph

Eston Randolph (December 7, 1857 – April 28, 1910) was an American lawyer and municipal official who served as the fifth city solicitor of Roanoke, Virginia, from 1892 to 1893. During a legal career in Virginia and later West Virginia, he practiced criminal and municipal law and represented Roanoke in litigation before the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Early life and education Randolph was born on December 7, 1857, in Clarke County, Virginia, a member of the prominent Randolph family of Virginia. He received his education at the College of William & Mary. He arrived to the City of Roanoke in 1882.

Career By the beginning of the 1890s, Randolph was appearing regularly in Roanoke courts. In January 1891, for example, he represented a defendant in a criminal proceeding reported by the local press. He was also active in Democratic politics.

City solicitor On July 6, 1892, Roanoke's city council elected Randolph city solicitor on the first ballot. The city's historical roster of elected officers records that he served from 1892 to 1893, succeeding T. T. Miller and preceding William A. Glasgow Jr. The position carried an annual salary of $900 in 1893.

Randolph's work as city solicitor included representing the municipality in court and advising the city council. In June 1893, he appeared for Roanoke before the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia in Beal v. City of Roanoke. The court issued its reported decision on June 22, 1893, at 90 Va. 77 and 17 S.E. 738. The case concerned the delegation of a municipal governing body's authority over city property. The decision was subsequently cited in a Harvard Law Review discussion of municipal authority to delegate the power to lease property.

Later practice Randolph continued practicing in Roanoke after leaving municipal office. Newspaper reports identify him as defense counsel in criminal proceedings and record that he conducted legal business in federal court. This federal-court appearance was private legal work rather than federal public service.

In 1897, Randolph participated in the widely reported Hall–Cannon–Smith conspiracy proceeding in Norfolk. The defendants were accused of conspiring to manufacture evidence for use in a divorce case. Randolph delivered the opening defense argument, followed by Judge D. Tucker Brooke; the prosecution's closing argument was delivered by Alfred P. Thom. Argument concluded the following day, after which the matter was submitted to Judge Hanckel for decision.

Randolph later moved to Benwood, West Virginia, where he continued practicing law. He was elected city solicitor of Benwood not long after his arrival and still held that office at the time of his death in 1910.

Death Randolph died suddenly at his home in Benwood on April 28, 1910, aged 52.