Martin E. Trapp

Martin Edwin Trapp ( born April 18, 1877 in Robinson, Brown County, Kansas; † 26 July 1951, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ) was an American politician of the Democratic Party and from 1923 to 1927, the sixth Governor of the State of Oklahoma.

Early years and political rise

Martin Trapp attended the local schools of his home. In 1889, he moved with his family in the Logan County in Oklahoma Territory. Since there was no corresponding schools there, he was initially taught by a neighbor. Later he attended until 1898, the Capitol City College in Guthrie. He then studied law.

Between 1905 and 1906 Trapp was hired as county clerk in Logan County. Between 1907 and 1911 he was auditor of the State of Oklahoma. Since 1914 he served as lieutenant governor of his state. In this office he was re-elected in 1918 and 1922. He was the deputy of Governors Robert L. Williams, James BA Robertson and Jack C. Walton.

Governor of Oklahoma

In the autumn of 1923 against Governor Walton ran impeachment. On October 23, he was first suspended, then Trapp first took office only as acting governor. On November 19, Walton was then relieved of his duties and Martin Trapp had to quit the partly tenure. One of his first acts was to increase taxes to relieve the state budget. With the help of mineral oil then the road network was expanded. The governor took in the administration before some changes and reformed the judicial system in that convicts were able to produce goods that were then sold. At that time also has its own forest department, an environmental protection commission and a state police came (State Bureau of Criminal Investigations ). In order to weaken the Ku Klux Klan, a hood ban for Oklahoma was adopted. Trapp also strove to strengthen the enforcement of the ban on alcohol.

About the question of a possible re-election, the court had to decide. According to the state constitution could not be re-elected a governor directly. Trapp claimed that he had not completed any full term because he was so passes as lieutenant governor after the deposition of his predecessor in this office. The judge rejected this request from, however, and declared, Trapp could not compete directly for re-election. He resigned from his post on 10 January 1927.

Further CV

1930 Trapp applied unsuccessfully for a return to the governorship. He was then working as an investment adviser. Martin Trapp died in July 1951. He was married to Lula C. strand, with whom he had a child.