143rd New York State Legislature

The 143rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to September 1920, during the second year of Al Smith's governorship, in Albany.

143rd New York State Legislature
←142nd 144th→
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1920
Senate
Members51
PresidentHarry C. Walker (D)
Temporary PresidentJ. Henry Walters (R)
Party controlRepublican (30–21)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerThaddeus C. Sweet (R)
Party controlRepublican (110–35–5)
Sessions
1stJanuary 7 – April 25, 1920
2ndSeptember 20 – 24?, 1920

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were New York (nine districts), Kings (eight), Bronx (three), Erie (three), Monroe (two), Queens (two) and Westchester (two). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Socialist Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1919, was held on November 4. No statewide elective offices were up for election. Two women were elected to the State Assembly: Elizabeth V. Gillette (Dem.), a physician, of Schenectady; and Marguerite L. Smith (Rep.), an athletics teacher, of Harlem.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1920. Thaddeus C. Sweet (R) was re-elected Speaker.

At the beginning of the session, the five Socialist assemblymen were suspended by Speaker Sweet, pending a trial before the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary to determine whether they were fit to take their seats. Charles Evans Hughes (Rep.) and Governor Al Smith (Dem.) condemned Speaker Sweet and the Republican majority for taking this course of action.[1]

On March 30, a majority of 7 members of the 13-member Judiciary Committee recommended the expulsion the five Socialists. Minority reports recommended the seating of all or part of the Socialist assemblymen.[2]

In the early morning of April 1, the five Socialist assemblymen were expelled.[3]

The Legislature adjourned at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, April 25, after a session of 37 hours.[4] During this last session, Marguerite L. Smith occupied for about half an hour the Speaker's chair.[5]

On August 12, Gov. Al Smith called a special session of the Legislature for September 20, and ordered special elections to be held on September 16 to fill the vacancies caused by the expulsion of the Socialist members. The session was called to consider the housing situation in New York City.[6]

On September 16, all five Socialists were re-elected to the Assembly.

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on September 20, 1920.[7]

On September 21, Claessens, Solomon and Waldman were again expelled, while DeWitt and Orr were permitted by a majority vote to take their seats. However, DeWitt and Orr resigned their seats in protest against the ouster of their three comrades.[8]

State Senate

Districts

Members

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

District Senator Party Notes
1st George L. Thompson* Republican
2nd John L. Karle Republican elected to fill vacancy, in place of Frank F. Adel
3rd Peter J. McGarry* Democrat
4th Kenneth F. Sutherland* Democrat
5th Daniel F. Farrell* Democrat
6th Loring M. Black, Jr.* Democrat
7th Charles C. Lockwood* Republican
8th Alvah W. Burlingame, Jr.* Republican
9th Charles E. Russell* Democrat
10th Jeremiah F. Twomey* Democrat
11th Daniel J. Carroll* Democrat
12th Jimmy Walker* Democrat Minority Leader
13th John J. Boylan* Democrat
14th Bernard Downing* Democrat
15th Abraham Kaplan* Democrat
16th Joseph D. Kelly Democrat elected to fill vacancy, in place of James A. Foley
17th Julius Miller* Democrat
18th Salvatore A. Cotillo* Democrat
19th Edward J. Dowling* Democrat
20th William C. Dodge* Democrat
21st Henry G. Schackno* Democrat
22nd Peter A. Abeles* Republican
23rd John J. Dunnigan* Democrat
24th John A. Lynch* Democrat
25th George T. Burling* Republican
26th Walter W. Law, Jr.* Republican
27th Caleb H. Baumes* Republican
28th James E. Towner* Republican
29th Charles W. Walton* Republican
30th Henry M. Sage* Republican
31st John J. Mackrell* Democrat
32nd James W. Yelverton* Republican
33rd Mortimer Y. Ferris* Republican
34th N. Monroe Marshall* Republican on November 2, 1920, elected New York State Treasurer
35th Burt Z. Kasson* Republican
36th Frederick M. Davenport* Republican
37th Fred B. Pitcher* Republican
38th J. Henry Walters* Republican President pro tempore
39th Adon P. Brown* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
40th Clayton R. Lusk* Republican
41st Seymour Lowman* Republican
42nd Charles J. Hewitt* Republican
43rd William A. Carson* Republican
44th John Knight* Republican
45th James L. Whitley* Republican
46th John B. Mullan* Republican
47th George F. Thompson* Republican
48th vacant Ross Graves resigned on December 27, 1919
Parton Swift Republican elected to fill vacancy on February 3, 1920[9]
49th Samuel J. Ramsperger* Democrat
50th Leonard W. H. Gibbs* Republican
51st J. Samuel Fowler* Republican

Employees
  • Clerk: Ernest A. Fay
  • Sergeant-at-Arms:
  • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms:
  • Principal Doorkeeper:
  • First Assistant Doorkeeper:
  • Stenographer:

State Assembly

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

Assemblymen
District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st Edgar C. Campbell Republican
2nd Charles F. Moss Republican
3rd Frank L. Wiswall Republican
Allegany William Duke, Jr.* Republican
Bronx 1st Albert H. Henderson Democrat
2nd Edward J. Flynn* Democrat
3rd (Samuel A. DeWitt) Socialist suspended on January 7; expelled on April 1; elected to
fill vacancy on September 16, resigned on September 21
4th (Samuel Orr) Socialist suspended on January 7; expelled on April 1; elected to
fill vacancy on September 16, resigned on September 21
5th William S. Evans* Democrat
6th Thomas J. McDonald* Democrat
7th Joseph V. McKee* Democrat
8th J. Fairfax McLaughlin* Democrat
Broome 1st Edmund B. Jenks* Republican
2nd Forman E. Whitcomb* Republican
Cattaraugus DeHart H. Ames* Republican
Cayuga L. Ford Hager* Republican
Chautauqua 1st Hermes L. Ames* Republican died on August 23, 1920
2nd Joseph A. McGinnies* Republican
Chemung John J. Richford* Republican
Chenango Bert Lord* Republican
Clinton Charles M. Harrington Republican
Columbia Ransom H. Gillett Republican
Cortland Irving F. Rice* Republican
Delaware Lincoln R. Long* Republican
Dutchess 1st J. Griswold Webb* Republican
2nd Frank L. Gardner* Republican
Erie 1st George E. D. Brady* Republican
2nd John W. Slacer* Republican
3rd August Seelbach Republican
4th Andrew T. Beasley* Democrat
5th Alexander A. Patrzykowski* Democrat
6th George H. Rowe* Republican
7th Herbert A. Zimmerman* Republican
8th Nelson W. Cheney* Republican
Essex Raymond T. Kenyon* Republican
Franklin Warren T. Thayer* Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Eberly Hutchinson* Republican
Genesee Charles P. Miller* Republican
Greene Frank G. Jacobs Republican
Herkimer Edward O. Davies* Republican
Jefferson H. Edmund Machold* Republican
Kings 1st John J. Griffith* Democrat
2nd James J. Mullen Republican
3rd Frank J. Taylor* Democrat
4th Peter A. McArdle* Democrat
5th James H. Caulfield, Jr.* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
6th Harry Dimin Republican
7th John J. Kelly* Democrat
8th Michael J. Reilly Democrat
9th James T. Carroll Republican
10th Leo V. Doherty Republican
11th James F. Bly Republican
12th William T. Simpson Republican
13th George W. Lindsay Democrat
14th Joseph Lentol* Democrat
15th John J. McLoughlin Democrat
16th Harvey J. Ross Republican
17th Frederick A. Wells* Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
18th Theodore Stitt Republican
19th John Damico Republican
20th John O. Gempler Republican
21st Warren I. Lee Republican
22nd George U. Forbell Republican
23rd (Charles Solomon)* Socialist suspended on January 7; expelled on April 1; elected to
fill vacancy on September 16, expelled on September 21
Lewis Frederick S. Easton, Jr. Democrat
Livingston George F. Wheelock* Republican
Madison Morell E. Tallett* Republican
Monroe 1st James A. Harris* Republican
2nd Simon L. Adler* Republican Majority Leader
3rd Harry B. Crowley* Republican
4th Frank Dobson* Republican
5th Franklin W. Judson* Republican
Montgomery Alton A. Walrath* Republican
Nassau 1st Thomas A. McWhinney* Republican
2nd Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Republican
New York 1st Peter J. Hamill* Democrat
2nd Caesar B. F. Barra* Democrat
3rd Thomas F. Burchill Democrat
4th Samuel Dickstein* Democrat
5th Charles D. Donohue* Democrat Minority Leader
6th Sol Ullman* Republican
7th Noel B. Fox Republican
8th (Louis Waldman) Socialist suspended on January 7; expelled on April 1; elected to
fill vacancy on September 16, expelled on September 21
9th Martin Bourke Republican
10th William W. Pellet* Republican
11th William C. Amos* Republican
12th Martin G. McCue* Democrat
13th Robert B. Wallace Republican
14th Edward F. Healey Democrat
15th Joseph Steinberg* Republican
16th Maurice Bloch* Democrat
17th (August Claessens)* Socialist suspended on January 7; expelled on April 1; elected to
fill vacancy on September 16, expelled on September 21
18th Owen M. Kiernan* Democrat
19th Marguerite L. Smith Republican
20th Louis A. Cuvillier Democrat
21st John Clifford Hawkins* Republican
22nd Oscar J. Smith Republican
23rd George N. Jesse Republican
Niagara 1st David E. Jeffery Republican
2nd Alan V. Parker Republican
Oneida 1st Hartwell W. Booth* Republican
2nd Louis M. Martin* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
3rd Chauncey J. Williams Republican
Onondaga 1st Manuel J. Soule* Republican
2nd Gardner J. Chamberlin* Republican
3rd George R. Fearon* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
Ontario George M. Tyler* Republican
Orange 1st Arthur E. Brundage Republican
2nd Charles L. Mead* Republican
Orleans Frank H. Lattin* Republican
Oswego Thaddeus C. Sweet* Republican re-elected Speaker
Otsego Allen J. Bloomfield* Republican
Putnam John P. Donohoe* Republican
Queens 1st Peter A. Leininger* Democrat
2nd Bernard Schwab* Democrat
3rd Edward J. Neary Republican
4th Nicholas M. Pette Republican
5th Ralph Halpern Republican
6th Henry Baum Republican
Rensselaer 1st Hugh C. Morrissey Republican
2nd Arthur Cowee* Republican
Richmond 1st Thomas F. Cosgrove Democrat
2nd George P. Reynaud Democrat
Rockland Gordon H. Peck* Republican
St. Lawrence 1st Frank L. Seaker* Republican
2nd Edward A. Everett* Republican
Saratoga Clarence C. Smith* Republican
Schenectady 1st Harold E. Blodgett Republican
2nd Elizabeth V. Gillette Democrat
Schoharie Jared Van Wagenen, Jr. Democrat
Schuyler Clarence W. Hausner Republican
Seneca George A. Dobson Republican
Steuben 1st Ernest E. Cole Republican
2nd Delevan C. Hunter* Republican
Suffolk 1st John G. Downs* Republican
2nd William G. Carroll Democrat
Sullivan Guernsey T. Cross Democrat
Tioga Daniel P. Witter* Republican
Tompkins Casper Fenner* Republican
Ulster Simon B. Van Wagenen Republican
Warren Stewart MacFarland Republican
Washington Eugene R. Norton* Republican
Wayne Charles H. Betts Republican
Westchester 1st Thomas Channing Moore Republican
2nd Walter W. Westall* Republican
3rd Edward J. Wilson* Republican
4th Mitchell A. Trahan, Jr. Republican
5th George Blakely* Republican
Wyoming Bert P. Gage* Republican
Yates James M. Lown* Republican

Employees
  • Clerk: Fred W. Hammond
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry W. Haines
  • Principal Doorkeeper:
  • First Assistant Doorkeeper:
  • Second Assistant Doorkeeper:
  • Stenographer: Edwin Van Cett

Notes
  1. SWEET DEFENDS ASSEMBLY'S ACTION in NYT on January 11, 1920
  2. EXPEL THE FIVE SOCIALIST ASSEMBLYMEN, URGES MAJORITY REPORT, CHARGING TREASON; ROOSEVELT TO OPPOSE OUSTER MOTION in NYT on March 31, 1920
  3. DEMOCRATIC FILIBUSTERS DELAY VOTE ON EXPULSION OF SOCIALISTS IN STORMY DEBATE IN ASSEMBLY in NYT on April 1, 1920
  4. LEGISLATURE ENDS AFTER 37–HOUR SESSION; PASSES BEER AND ANTI-SOCIALIST BILLS; FAVORS TEACHERS' AND EX-SOLDIERS BONUS in NYT on April 25, 1920
  5. ACTING SPEAKER SMITH in NYT on April 26, 1920; the editorialist of the New York Times envisioned a woman being elected Speaker of the New York Assembly in some near future, but to date, almost hundred years later, no woman has ever been elected to the office.
  6. GOVERNOR CALLS SPECIAL SESSION ON HOUSING CRISIS in NYT on August 13, 1920
  7. MOVE TO EXPEL SOCIALISTS AGAIN IS SIDETRACKED in NYT on September 21, 1920
  8. ASSEMBLY AGAIN EXPELS THREE SOCIALISTS; DECIDES TO OUST THEM BY VOTE OF 90 TO 45; DE WITT AND ORR SEATED, BUT RESIGN in NYT on September 22, 1920
  9. Elect Republican State Senator in NYT on February 4, 1920

Sources
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