117th New York State Legislature

The 117th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 27, 1894, during the third year of Roswell P. Flower's governorship, in Albany.

117th New York State Legislature
←116th 118th→
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1894
Senate
Members32
PresidentLt. Gov. William F. Sheehan (D)
Temporary PresidentCharles T. Saxton (R)
Party controlRepublican (19-13)
Assembly
Members128
SpeakerGeorge R. Malby (R)
Party controlRepublican (75-53)
Sessions
1stJanuary 2 – April 27, 1894

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1846, 32 Senators and 128 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. On April 26, 1892, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate Districts and the number of assemblymen per county.[1] The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (nine districts), Kings County (five districts) and Erie County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards,[2] forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.

On January 27, 1893, the Legislature passed "An Act to amend chapter 398, of the Laws of 1892, entitled 'An Act to provide for a convention to revise and amend the Constitution'", calling a Constitutional Convention to meet in 1894.[3]

At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Prohibition Party, the Socialist Labor Party and a "People's Party" also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1893 was held on November 7. All six statewide elective offices up for election were carried by the Republicans. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Secretary of State, was: Republican 545,000; Democratic 521,000; Prohibition 34,000; Socialist Labor 20,000; and People's Party 17,000.

Also elected were 175 delegates to the Constitutional Convention; five delegates in each senatorial district, and 15 delegates-at-large elected statewide.

This was the only election of State Senators under the apportionment of 1892.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 2, 1894; and adjourned on April 27.

George R. Malby (R) was elected Speaker.

Charles T. Saxton (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate.

The Constitutional Convention met at the State Capitol in Albany on May 8; and adjourned on September 29. Joseph H. Choate (R) was elected president; and Thomas G. Alvord (R) First Vice President.

The new Constitution increased the number of state senators from 32 to 50, and the number of assemblymen from 128 to 150; and re-apportioned the Senate districts, and the number of assemblymen per county. Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Suffolk counties gained one seat each; Erie County gained two; Kings County three; and New York County five. The new Constitution also shortened the governor's and lieutenant governor's term to two years; and moved the election of state officers and state senators from odd-numbered to even-numbered years.

The new Constitution was submitted to the voters at the New York state election, 1894, and was adopted.

State Senate

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Timothy D. Sullivan, Frank A. O'Donnel, Joseph C. Wolff, Thomas C. O'Sullivan and Jacob Rice changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

District Senator Party Notes
1st John Lewis Childs Republican
2nd Michael J. Coffey Democrat unsuccessfully contested by William H. Quinn (R)
3rd William H. Reynolds Republican
4th George A. Owens Republican
5th Daniel Bradley Ind. Dem.
6th John McCarty* Democrat re-elected; contested; seat vacated
Henry Wolfert[4] Republican seated in February
7th Martin T. McMahon* Democrat re-elected
8th John F. Ahearn* Democrat re-elected
9th Timothy D. Sullivan* Democrat
10th Frank A. O'Donnel* Democrat
11th Joseph C. Wolff* Democrat
12th Thomas C. O'Sullivan* Democrat
13th Charles L. Guy Democrat
14th Jacob A. Cantor* Democrat re-elected; Minority Leader
15th George W. Robertson Republican
16th Clarence Lexow Republican
17th Jacob Rice* Democrat
18th Michael F. Collins Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Sheppard Tappan (R)
19th Amasa J. Parker, Jr.* Democrat re-elected
20th Harvey J. Donaldson* Republican re-elected
21st Frederick D. Kilburn Republican
22nd Joseph Mullin* Republican re-elected
23rd Henry J. Coggeshall* Republican re-elected
24th Charles W. Stapleton Republican
25th Edmund O'Connor* Republican re-elected
26th Charles T. Saxton* Republican re-elected; elected president pro tempore;
on November 6, 1894, elected Lieutenant Governor of New York
27th Baxter T. Smelzer Republican
28th Cornelius R. Parsons* Republican re-elected
29th Cuthbert W. Pound Republican
30th Charles Lamy Republican
31st Henry H. Persons Republican
32nd Frank W. Higgins Republican

Employees
  • Clerk: John S. Kenyon
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles V. Schram
  • Doorkeeper: Edward Dowling
  • Stenographer: Lucius A. Waldo

State Assembly

Assemblymen

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st William Lasch Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Frank Bloomingdale (R)[5]
2nd William A. Carroll Democrat
3rd James Brennan Democrat
4th Curtis N. Douglas Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Amos J. Ablett (R)[6]
Allegany Frederick A. Robbins Republican
Broome Joseph H. Brownell Republican
Cattaraugus Charles W. Terry Republican Chairman of Indian Affairs
Cayuga Benjamin M. Wilcox Republican
Chautauqua S. Frederick Nixon Republican Chairman of Public Institutions
Chemung Robert P. Bush Democrat
Chenango David Sherwood Republican
Clinton Everett C. Baker Republican Chairman of Prisons
Columbia Jacob H. Hoysradt Democrat
Cortland Benjamin F. Lee Republican
Delaware Wesley Gould Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
Dutchess 1st Edward H. Thompson* Republican Chairman of Banks
2nd Augustus B. Gray Republican Chairman of Federal Relations
Erie 1st Cornelius Coughlin Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Jules O'Brien (R)[7]
2nd Simon Seibert Republican
3rd Charles Braun Republican Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
4th Joseph L. Whittet Republican
5th Philip Gerst Republican Chairman of Canals
6th Charles F. Schoepflin Republican Chairman of Public Printing
Essex George A. Stevens* Republican Chairman of Public Lands and Forestry
Franklin Allen S. Matthews* Republican Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
Fulton and Hamilton Philip Keck* Republican Chairman of General Laws
Genesee Thomas B. Tuttle Republican
Greene Ira B. Kerr Democrat
Herkimer William C. Prescott* Republican Chairman of Codes
Jefferson Harrison Fuller* Republican Chairman of Trades and Manufactures
Kings 1st William J. Plant* Democrat unsuccessfully contested by William Dwyer (R)[8]
2nd John A. Hennessey* Democrat
3rd John F. Houghton Republican
4th Joseph J. Cahill* Democrat
5th John H. Burtis Republican Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
6th Michael E. Finnigan* Democrat
7th William Hughes Democrat contested; seat vacated on April 4[9]
Stillman F. Kneeland Republican seated on April 4
8th John J. Cain Democrat
9th William E. Melody* Democrat unsuccessfully contested by George R. Pasfield (R)[10]
10th Frank F. Schulz Republican Chairman of Unfinished Business
11th Harry Schulz Republican
12th Joseph F. Loonan Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Thomas W. Campbell (R)[11]
13th Francis E. Clark Republican
14th James Taylor Republican Chairman of Public Health
15th Albert A. Wray Republican
16th James Graham* Democrat contested; seat vacated on February 21[12]
William H. Friday[13] Republican seated on February 21
17th James Scanlon Republican
18th Julius L. Wieman Republican
Lewis Melville W. Van Amber Republican Chairman of Fisheries and Game
Livingston Otto Kelsey Republican
Madison Lambert B. Kern Republican
Monroe 1st Samuel H. Stone* Republican Chairman of Claims
2nd James M. E. O'Grady* Republican Chairman of Public Education
3rd William H. Denniston* Republican Chairman of Excise
Montgomery E. Watson Gardiner Republican
New York 1st John H. G. Vehslage Democrat
2nd Michael J. Callahan Democrat
3rd Jacob A. Mittnacht* Democrat
4th Patrick H. Roche* Democrat
5th Samuel J. Foley* Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Albert W. Baillie (R)[14]
6th Moses Dinkelspiel* Democrat
7th John C. Stein Democrat
8th Thomas J. O'Donnell Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Charles La Maida (R)[15]
9th John F. McDermott Democrat
10th William Sulzer* Democrat Minority Leader;
on November 6, 1894, elected to the 54th U.S. Congress
11th James R. Sheffield Republican
12th Edward B. La Fetra Democrat
13th James H. Southworth* Democrat
14th John P. Corrigan Democrat
15th Adolph Schillinger Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Seth Wilks (R)[16]
16th Victor J. Dowling Democrat
17th Patrick F. Trainor Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Robert Miller (R)[17]
18th Daniel J. Gleason Democrat
19th Patrick J. Kerrigan Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Edward R. Duffy (R)[18]
20th William H. McKeon* Democrat
21st Moses Herrman Democrat
22nd Michael F. Tobin Democrat unsuccessfully contested by Henry B. Page (R)[19]
23rd Judson Lawson Republican
24th Robert V. Stadtfeld Democrat
25th John Keleher* Democrat
26th Louis Davidson* Democrat
27th Thomas H. Robertson Republican
28th James F. Reilly* Democrat
29th Arthur C. Butts* Democrat
30th Charles C. Marrin* Democrat
Niagara John H. Clark Republican
Oneida 1st Henry P. Hoefler Republican
2nd Joseph Porter Republican Chairman of Soldiers' Home
Onondaga 1st J. Emmett Wells Republican
2nd Jonathan Wyckoff* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
3rd William H. Hotaling* Republican Chairman of Labor and Industries
Ontario William L. Parkhurst* Republican Chairman of Railroads
Orange 1st Howard Thornton* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
2nd Joseph Dean Republican
Orleans Samuel W. Smith Republican
Oswego Danforth E. Ainsworth* Republican Majority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means
Otsego John J. Rider Republican
Putnam Hamilton Fish II* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
Queens 1st James Robinson* Democrat
2nd James S. Fairbrother Republican
3rd Eugene F. Vacheron Republican
Rensselaer 1st William M. Keenan* Democrat
2nd John M. Chambers* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Villages
3rd John J. Cassin* Democrat
Richmond Michael McGuire Democrat contested; seat vacated on April 4
Michael Conklin Republican seated on April 4[20]
Rockland Otis H. Cutler Republican
St. Lawrence George R. Malby* Republican elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
Saratoga James Frank Terry* Republican Chairman of Revision
Schenectady John C. Myers Democrat
Schoharie Charles Chapman Democrat
Schuyler George A. Snyder Republican
Seneca Harry M. Glen Republican
Steuben 1st Willoughby W. Babcock Republican
2nd Merritt F. Smith Republican
Suffolk Richard Higbie* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
Sullivan Uriah S. Messiter* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs
Tioga Epenetus Howe Republican
Tompkins Edwin C. Stewart Republican
Ulster 1st Henry McNamee Democrat
2nd James Lounsbery* Republican Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
Warren Taylor J. Eldredge Republican
Washington William R. Hobbie* Republican Chairman of Insurance
Wayne George S. Horton Republican Chairman of Privileges and Elections
Westchester 1st John C. Harrigan Democrat
2nd John Berry Democrat
3rd Edgar L. Ryder* Democrat
Wyoming Reuben J. Tilton Republican
Yates A. Flagg Robson Republican

Employees
  • Clerk: George W. Dunn
  • Assistant Clerk: Haines D. Cunningham
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: James H. Manville
  • Doorkeeper: Joseph Bauer
  • Stenographer: Henry F. Gilson

Notes
  1. WALKER'S FIRMNESS WINS in NYT on April 27, 1892
  2. Except New York City where the 19th and the 22nd Ward were divided into several districts.
  3. Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the State of New York 1894 (Albany, 1895; pg. 1)
  4. Henry Wolfert (1826–1898), see DEATH LIST OF A DAY; Henry Wolfert in NYT on December 18, 1898
  5. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 647f)
  6. The Committee on Elections reported in favor of Ablett, but no action was taken by the Assembly; see New York (State) (1899). A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York. pp. 736–760.
  7. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 724–731)
  8. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 685–689)
  9. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 704–718)
  10. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 733f)
  11. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 648f)
  12. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 689–704)
  13. William H. Friday (died 1915), see WILLIAM H. FRIDAY DIES in NYT on November 5, 1915
  14. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 645ff)
  15. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 719–724)
  16. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 734ff)
  17. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 724ff)
  18. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 680–685)
  19. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 731f)
  20. see A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1899; pg. 649–680)

Sources
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