157th New York State Legislature

The 157th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to August 18, 1934, during the second year of Herbert H. Lehman's governorship, in Albany.

157th New York State Legislature
←156th 158th→
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1934
Senate
Members51
PresidentLt. Gov. M. William Bray (D)
Temporary PresidentJohn J. Dunnigan (D)
Party controlDemocratic (26–25)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerJoseph A. McGinnies (R)
Party controlRepublican (85–65)
Sessions
1stJanuary 3 – April 28,[1] 1934
2ndJuly 10 – August 18, 1934

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 Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Socialist Party and the Communist Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party adopted at this time the name Law Preservation Party: to emphasize that Prohibition should be preserved while it was in the process of being repealed. They endorsed the "dry" candidates (mostly Republicans) and nominated own candidates in many districts where "wet" candidates were the front-runners. In New York City, a "City Fusion" (generally allied with the Republicans) and a "Recovery" (Anti-Tammany Democrats supporting Joseph V. McKee) ticket were nominated for the local elections held at the same time.

Elections

The New York state election, 1933, was held on November 7. The only statewide elective office up for election was a judgeship on the New York Court of Appeals which was carried by the incumbent Democrat Leonard C. Crouch who was nominated by the Democrats and endorsed by the Republicans, the Law Preservation Party and the City Fusion.

The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Democrats/Republicans/Law Preservation/City Fusion 3,250,000; Socialists 100,000; and Communists 31,000.

Doris I. Byrne (Dem.), a lawyer from the Bronx, was the only woman elected to the 157th Legislature.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1934; and adjourned at 2.30 a.m. on April 28.[2]

Joseph A. McGinnies (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

Marguerite O'Connell (Dem.) was elected Clerk of the New York State Senate to fill the unexpired term of her deceased husband Patrick H. O'Connell, becoming the first woman to hold this office.[3]

Assembly Clerk Fred W. Hammond (Rep.) encountered opposition from the Republican State Committee Chairman W. Kingsland Macy who instructed his followers not to vote for Hammond. The second ballot for assembly clerk, on January 4, stood: Hammond 66; Louis A. Cuvillier (Dem.) 62; Charles F. Close (Rep.) 16; Ward H. Arburry 3; and Clement Curry 1.[4] The split persisted, and no clerk could be elected. On January 12, in an unprecedented move, Speaker McGinnies appointed Hammond as Clerk without election.[5]

State Senator Warren T. Thayer (Rep.) was accused to act as a lobbyist for a utility company while having been chairman of the senate committee in charge of the pertaining legislation. He resigned his seat on June 11. He was tried before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and on June 19, the State Senate in special session found Thayer guilty of official misconduct by the unanimous vote of the 47 senators present.[6]

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 10, 1934;[7] and adjourned on August 18.[8]

State Senate

Districts

Members

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

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

District Senator Party Notes
1st George L. Thompson* Republican
2nd Joseph D. Nunan, Jr.* Democrat Chairman of Civil Service
3rd Frank B. Hendel* Democrat Chairman of Public Printing
4th Philip M. Kleinfeld* Democrat Chairman of Excise
5th John J. Howard* Democrat Chairman of Penal Institutions
6th Marcellus H. Evans* Democrat Chairman of General Laws;
on November 6, 1934, elected to the 74th U.S. Congress
7th George Blumberg* Republican
8th Joseph A. Esquirol* Democrat Chairman of Public Health
9th Henry L. O'Brien* Democrat Chairman of Labor and Industry
10th Jeremiah F. Twomey* Democrat Chairman of Finance
11th James J. Crawford* Democrat Chairman of Pensions
12th Elmer F. Quinn* Democrat Chairman of Codes
13th Thomas F. Burchill* Democrat Chairman of Public Service
14th Samuel Mandelbaum* Democrat Chairman of Cities
15th John L. Buckley* Democrat Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
16th John J. McNaboe* Democrat Chairman of Conservation; and of Re-Apportionment
17th Albert Wald* Democrat Chairman of Revision
18th John T. McCall* Democrat Chairman of Banks
19th Duncan T. O'Brien* Democrat Chairman of Insurance
20th A. Spencer Feld* Democrat Chairman of Public Education
21st Lazarus Joseph Democrat elected to fill vacancy, in place of Henry G. Schackno;
Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
22nd Julius S. Berg* Democrat Chairman of Privileges and Elections
23rd John J. Dunnigan* Democrat Temporary President; Chairman of Rules
24th Harry J. Palmer* Democrat Chairman of Internal Affairs
25th Walter W. Westall* Republican
26th Seabury C. Mastick* Rep./Law P.
27th Thomas C. Desmond* Republican
28th J. Griswold Webb* Republican died on May 5, 1934
Frederic H. Bontecou Republican elected on July 5 to fill vacancy[9]
29th Arthur H. Wicks* Rep./Law P.
30th William T. Byrne* Democrat Chairman of Judiciary; and of Agriculture
31st Ogden J. Ross* Democrat Chairman of Military Affairs
32nd Alexander G. Baxter* Republican died on August 30, 1934
33rd Benjamin F. Feinberg* Republican
34th Warren T. Thayer* Republican resigned his seat on June 11[10]
35th Henry I. Patrie* Rep./Law P.
36th Michael J. Kernan* Democrat Chairman of Affairs of Villages
37th Perley A. Pitcher* Republican
38th George R. Fearon* Republican Minority Leader
39th Walter W. Stokes* Republican
40th Bert Lord* Rep./Law P. on November 6, 1934, elected to the 74th U.S. Congress
41st Frank A. Frost* Rep./Law P.
42nd Charles J. Hewitt* Republican
43rd Earle S. Warner* Republican
44th Joe R. Hanley* Rep./Law P.
45th Cosmo A. Cilano* Republican
46th Fred J. Slater* Republican
47th William H. Lee* Republican
48th Lawrence G. Williams* Republican
49th Stephen J. Wojtkowiak* Democrat Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
50th Nelson W. Cheney* Republican
51st Leigh G. Kirkland* Rep./Law P.

Employees
  • Clerk: Marguerite O'Connell

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st John H. Cahill* Democrat
2nd John P. Hayes* Democrat
3rd S. Earl McDermott* Democrat
Allegany Harry E. Goodrich* Republican Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
Bronx 1st Matthew J. H. McLaughlin Dem./Rec.
2nd Doris I. Byrne Dem./Rec.
3rd Carl Pack* Dem./Rec.
4th Samuel Weisman Dem./Rec.
5th Benjamin Gladstone Dem./Rec.
6th Christopher C. McGrath* Dem./Rec.
7th Magnus Lipton Rep./City F.
8th John A. Devany Jr.* Dem./Rec.
Broome 1st Edward F. Vincent Rep./Law P.
2nd Martin W. Deyo* Rep./Law P.
Cattaraugus James W. Riley* Republican
Cayuga Andrew D. Burgdorf Rep./Law P.
Chautauqua 1st David L. Brunstrom* Republican
2nd Joseph A. McGinnies* Republican re-elected Speaker
Chemung Thomas Jacob Banfield Democrat
Chenango Irving M. Ives* Republican Chairman of Public Education
Clinton Leo E. Trombly* Democrat
Columbia Frederick A. Washburn* Republican
Cortland Albert Haskell Jr. Republican
Delaware E. Ogden Bush* Republican
Dutchess 1st Howard N. Allen* Rep./Law P.
2nd Emerson D. Fite Rep./Law P.
Erie 1st Joseph A. Nicosia Democrat
2nd Harold B. Ehrlich Republican
3rd Frank X. Bernhardt* Republican Chairman of Excise
4th Anthony J. Canney* Democrat
5th Edwin L. Kantowski* Democrat
6th Howard W. Dickey* Republican Chairman of General Laws
7th Arthur L. Swartz* Republican Chairman of Penal Institutions
8th R. Foster Piper* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Villages
Essex Fred L. Porter* Republican Chairman of Ways and Means
Franklin James A. Latour* Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Harry F. Dunkel* Republican
Genesee Herbert A. Rapp* Republican
Greene Ellis W. Bentley* Republican Chairman of Conservation
Herkimer David C. Wightman Republican
Jefferson Jasper W. Cornaire* Rep./Law P. Chairman of Motor Vehicles
Kings 1st Crawford W. Hawkins* Dem./Rec./Law P.
2nd Albert D. Schanzer* Dem./Rec.
3rd Michael J. Gillen* Democrat
4th George E. Dennen* Dem./Rec.
5th John J. Cooney* Dem./Rec.
6th Samson Inselbuch Rep./City F.
7th William Kirnan* Dem./Rec.
8th Luke O'Reilly* Dem./Rec.
9th Daniel McNamara Jr.* Dem./Rec.
10th William C. McCreery* Dem./Rec.
11th Edward J. Coughlin* Dem./Rec.
12th Edward S. Moran, Jr.* Dem./Rec.
13th William Breitenbach* Dem./Rec.
14th Aaron F. Goldstein Dem./Rec.
15th Edward P. Doyle* Democrat
16th Rudolph Bauer Rep./City F.
17th George W. Stewart* Dem./Rec.
18th Irwin Steingut* Dem./Rec. Minority Leader
19th Alexander Berley Rep./City F.
20th Joseph J. Monahan* Dem./Rec.
21st Charles H. Breitbart* Dem./Rec.
22nd Jacob H. Livingston* Dem./Rec.
23rd Albert M. Cohen* Dem./Rec.
Lewis Edward M. Sheldon* Republican
Livingston James J. Wadsworth* Republican
Madison Wheeler Milmoe Republican
Monroe 1st Daniel J. O'Mara* Republican
2nd George B. Kelly* Democrat
3rd Earl C. Langenbacher Democrat
4th Paul R. Taylor Democrat
5th Donald J. Corbett Democrat
Montgomery L. James Shaver* Republican
Nassau 1st Harold P. Herman Republican
2nd Leonard W. Hall Republican
New York 1st James J. Dooling* Democrat
2nd Millard E. Theodore* Democrat
3rd Eugene R. Duffy Democrat
4th Leonard Farbstein* Democrat
5th John F. Killgrew* Democrat
6th Irving D. Neustein* Democrat
7th Saul S. Streit* Dem./ICL
8th Joseph Hamerman* Democrat
9th I. Arnold Ross Rep./City F.
10th Herbert Brownell Jr.* Republican
11th Patrick H. Sullivan* Democrat
12th John A. Byrnes* Democrat
13th William J. Sheldrick* Democrat
14th Francis J. McCaffrey, Jr. Dem./Rec.
15th Abbot Low Moffat* Rep./City F. Chairman of Affairs of New York City
16th William Schwartz* Democrat
17th Meyer Alterman* Dem./Rec.
18th Ernest Lappano Rep./City F.
19th James E. Stephens* Democrat
20th Wilbur J. Murphy Rep./City F.
21st Robert Bernstein Dem./Rec.
22nd Daniel Flynn Democrat
23rd William R. Lieberman Rep./City F.
Niagara 1st Fayette E. Pease* Rep./Law P.
2nd Harry D. Suitor Republican
Oneida 1st Frank T. Quinn* Democrat
2nd Russell G. Dunmore* Republican Majority Leader
3rd Fred L. Meiss Republican
Onondaga 1st Horace M. Stone* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
2nd George B. Parsons Republican
3rd Richard B. Smith* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
Ontario Harry R. Marble Rep./Law P.
Orange 1st Lee B. Mailler Republican
2nd Rainey S. Taylor* Republican
Orleans John S. Thompson* Republican Chairman of Public Service
Oswego Victor C. Lewis* Republican Chairman of Public Health
Otsego Frank M. Smith* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
Putnam D. Mallory Stephens* Republican Chairman of Banks
Queens 1st Harold J. Crawford* Dem./Rec.
2nd George F. Torsney* Dem./Rec./ICL
3rd Peter T. Farrell* Dem./Rec.
4th Jay E. Rice Rep./City F.
5th Maurice A. FitzGerald* Dem./Rec./ICL
6th Frederick L. Zimmerman* Dem./Rec./ICL
Rensselaer 1st Michael F. Breen* Democrat
2nd Maurice Whitney* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
Richmond 1st W. Irving Lewis Rep./City F.
2nd Sidney Jacobi Rep./City F.
Rockland Laurens M. Hamilton Republican
St. Lawrence 1st W. Allan Newell* Republican
2nd Walter L. Pratt* Republican Chairman of Taxation; died on April 3, 1934
Warren O. Daniels Republican elected on July 5 to fill vacancy[11]
Saratoga William E. Morris Republican
Schenectady 1st Oswald D. Heck* Rep./Law P.
2nd Harold Armstrong Republican
Schoharie William S. Dunn* Dem./Soc.
Schuyler Edward K. Corwin* Republican
Seneca James D. Pollard* Republican Chairman of Canals
Steuben 1st Wilson Messer* Republican Chairman of Labor and Industry
2nd J. Austin Otto* Republican
Suffolk 1st John G. Downs* Republican Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
2nd Hamilton F. Potter* Republican Chairman of Pensions
Sullivan J. Maxwell Knapp Republican
Tioga Frank G. Miller* Rep./Law P.
Tompkins James R. Robinson* Republican Chairman of Codes
Ulster J. Edward Conway* Republican
Warren Harry A. Reoux* Republican
Washington Herbert A. Bartholomew* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs
Wayne Harry L. Averill* Rep./Law P.
Westchester 1st Herbert R. Smith* Republican
2nd Ralph A. Gamble* Republican
3rd Hugh A. Lavery Democrat
4th Alexander H. Garnjost* Republican Chairman of Insurance
5th William F. Condon* Republican
Wyoming Harold C. Ostertag* Rep./Law P.
Yates Fred S. Hollowell* Republican

Employees

Notes
  1. Note that the last legislative day of the regular session was April 27, and the New York Red Book gives April 27 as the end of this session. In fact, the adjournment sine die occurred at 2.30 a.m. on April 28
  2. FINISH COMES AT 2.30 A.M.; Scenes of Wild Disorder Mark the End of the Assembly Session in The New York Times on April 28, 1934 (subscription required)
  3. STATE SENATE HAS ITS FIRST WOMAN CLERK in The Troy Times, of Troy, on January 4, 1934
  4. HAMMOND JUST HOLDS HIS 66 VOTES in The Troy Times, of Troy, on January 4, 1934
  5. HAMMOND IS NAMED CLERK BY SPEAKER UNDER LEGAL RULING in NYT on January 13, 1934 (subscription required)
  6. THAYER HELD GUILTY BY STATE SENATE in The New York Times on June 20, 1934 (subscription required)
  7. REPUBLICANS BACK GOV. LEHMAN'S PLAN ON COUNTY REFORM in The New York Times on July 11, 1934 (subscription required)
  8. PUSH COMPROMISE ON MORTGAGE BILL in The New York Times on August 18, 1934 (subscription required)
  9. STATE SENATE SEAT IS WON BY BONTECOU in The New York Times on July 6, 1934 (subscription required)
  10. W. T. THAYER QUITS HIS SEAT IN SENATE FOR GOOD OF PARTY in The New York Times on June 12, 1934 (subscription required)
  11. STATE SENATE SEAT IS WON BY BONTECOU; Daniels Chosen for Assembly in The New York Times on July 6, 1934 (subscription required)

Sources
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