Background
Born in Louisiana Grande in northeast Oregon while his parents were visiting, Nugent attended public schools in southwest Idaho at Silver City, where his father Edward was a judge.
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Career
He served three years in the United States Senate, from 1918 to 1921. He worked in mines in Idaho and Australia, and read law. Nugent was admitted to the bar in 1898, commencing practice back in Silver City, and was prosecuting attorney of Owyhee County from 1899 to 1906.
All three were acquitted, while prime suspect Harry Orchard was convicted and died at the state penitentiary in 1954.
In January 1918, Governor Moses Alexander appointed Nugent to the United States. Senate to succeed Republican James Brady, who died in office. Nugent defeated former Governor Frank Gooding by 970 votes in a special election that November to finish the term.
In the Senate, Nugent served as chairman of the Committee on Fisheries. Nugent faced Gooding again in 1920 for a full six-year term, but this time Gooding was victorious.
Nugent resigned in January, prior to the end of his term in March, to accept an appointment from lame duck President Woodrow Wilson to the Federal Trade Commission.
Nugent ran a third time for Senate in 1926, but finished third behind Gooding and Progressive candidate H. F. Samuels. He resumed the practice of law in Washington, District of Columbia and remained in the area until his death after a brief illness in 1931 at age 63. Source:
1918 was a special election (November) to complete the term, vacated by the death of James Brady on January 13.
Nugent was appointed by Governor Moses Alexander on January 22.
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Following the murder of former governor Frank Steunenberg in late 1905, Nugent joined Clarence Darrow in defending three members of the Western Federation of Miners: Charles Moyer, president of the union, Bill Haywood, its secretary, and George Pettibone, a former member.
