Walter J. Smith

Walter J. Smith (October 5, 1870 – October 19, 1950) was an American banker and politician who served as the mayor of Eveleth, Minnesota and three consecutive terms as the thirteenth Minnesota State Treasurer. Smith was later forced to resign from the position of state treasurer following an indictment for the mishandling of state trust funds in 1916.

Early life and career Walter J. Smith was born on October 5, 1870 in Eureka, Kansas, while still a child Smith's family relocated to Bellevue, Ohio. Smith was educated in Cleveland at a business college before working for the First National Bank in Bellevue. Smith was later the president and director of the Miners National Bank of Eveleth which was incorporated in 1903.

Politics Beginning in 1910 Smith ran for the political office of Minnesota State Treasurer as a nominee for the Republican Party of Minnesota against Minnesota Democratic Party nominee Charles F. Ladner. Smith won a total of 177,436 votes (or 66.47% of the majority vote) with a margin of victory of +32.75%. In total, Smith served in the cabinets of three different Minnesota governors, those being; Adolph Olson Eberhart, Winfield Scott Hammond, and Joseph A. A. Burnquist.

1916 resignation According to the Minnesota Historical Election Archive Smith was forced to resign on February 12, 1916 following an indictment by a grand jury for the mishandling of $28,000 in permanent state trust funds.