Walter G. Thiele

Walter G. Thiele (September 10, 1885 – March 14, 1968) was a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court from January 9, 1933 to January 3, 1957, and chief justice from January 3, 1957 to January 14, 1957.

Early life, education, and career A native of Washington, Kansas, Thiele graduated in 1910 and gained admission to the bar that year, entering the practice of law in Lawrence, Kansas. Thiele became the Chief Justice automatically when William A. Smith resigned before the end of his term. He only held the position of Chief Justice for a few days and was succeeded in that role by Jay S. Parker.

In 1962 he was appointed by the Kansas Supreme Court to be the commissioner to hear evidence for a case involving the petition for habeas corpus in relation to the trial of Richard Hickock and Perry Edward Smith who had been sentence to death by hanging for the murder of the Herbert Clutter family.

Personal life and death On July 26, 1911, Thiele married Maude Baker, with whom he had one son, John.

He died at the age of 82 after a short illness March 14, 1968.