118th New York State Legislature

118th New York State Legislature

New York State Capitol (2009)
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 1895
President of the State Senate: Lt. Gov. Charles T. Saxton (R)
Temporary President of the State Senate: Edmund O'Connor (R)
Speaker of the State Assembly: Hamilton Fish II (R)
Members: 32 Senators
128 Assemblymen
Senate Majority: Republican (19-13)
Assembly Majority: Republican (105-23)
Sessions
1st: January 2 – May 16, 1895
<117th 119th>

The 118th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to May 16, 1895, during the first year of Levi P. Morton's governorship, in Albany.

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. 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,[1] forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.

A Constitutional Convention met at the State Capitol in Albany from May 8 to September 29, 1894. The new Constitution was submitted to the electorate for ratification at the state election on November 6.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Two Democratic anti-machine factions (the "Democratic Reform Organization" in Brooklyn, and the "Empire State Democracy" in New York City), the Prohibition Party, the Socialist Labor Party and the People's Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1894 was held on November 6.

Ex-U.S. Vice President Levi P. Morton was elected Governor; and President pro tempore of the State Senate Charles T. Saxton was elected Lieutenant Governor (both Rep.). The only other statewide elective offices up for election was also carried by a Republican. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republican 674,000; Democratic/Empire State 518,000; Democratic Reform 27,000; Prohibition 24,000; Socialist Labor 16,000; and People's Party 11,000.

Besides, the new Constitution was adopted by the voters, and took effect on January 1, 1895. The new Constitution moved the day for the first meeting of the Legislature from the first Tuesday in January to the first Wednesday, and the 118th Legislature convened on Wednesday, January 2, 1895.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 2, 1895; and adjourned on May 16.

Hamilton Fish II (Rep.) was elected Speaker against Samuel J. Foley (Dem.).

Edmund O'Connor (Rep.) was elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.

On February 13, the Legislature elected Charles R. Skinner (Rep.) as Superintendent of Public Instruction, to succeed James F. Crooker for a term of three years.[2]

On May 14, Assemblyman Eugene F. Vacheron was indicted for asking for a bribe (a misdemeanor), and for accepting a bribe (a felony). He was accused of having received $3,000 to kill the "Hudson River Ice Bill" in the Assembly Committee on Internal Affairs.[3] After many postponements the case was tried in December 1896[4] and Vacheron was acquitted.[5]

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.

District Senator Party Notes
1st John Lewis Childs* Republican
2nd Michael J. Coffey* Democrat
3rd William H. Reynolds* Republican
4th George A. Owens* Republican
5th Daniel Bradley* Ind. Dem.
6th Henry Wolfert*[6] Republican
7th Martin T. McMahon* Democrat
8th John F. Ahearn* Democrat
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 Minority Leader
15th George W. Robertson* Republican
16th Clarence Lexow* Republican
17th Jacob Rice* Democrat
18th Michael F. Collins* Democrat
19th Amasa J. Parker, Jr.* Democrat
20th Harvey J. Donaldson* Republican
21st Frederick D. Kilburn* Republican
22nd Joseph Mullin* Republican
23rd Henry J. Coggeshall* Republican
24th Charles W. Stapleton* Republican
25th Edmund O'Connor* Republican elected President pro tempore
26th John Raines Republican elected to fill vacancy, in place of Charles T. Saxton
27th Baxter T. Smelzer* Republican
28th Cornelius R. Parsons* Republican
29th Cuthbert W. Pound* Republican
30th Charles Lamy* Republican
31st Henry H. Persons* Republican
32nd Frank W. Higgins* Republican

Employees

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st Frank Bloomingdale Republican
2nd James Keenholts Republican
3rd Jacob L. Ten Eyck Democrat
4th Amos J. Ablett Republican
Allegany Frederick A. Robbins* Republican
Broome Joseph H. Brownell* Republican
Cattaraugus Charles W. Terry* Republican
Cayuga Benjamin M. Wilcox* Republican
Chautauqua S. Frederick Nixon* Republican
Chemung John B. Stanchfield Democrat
Chenango David Sherwood* Republican
Clinton Willis T. Honsinger Republican
Columbia Aaron B. Gardenier Republican
Cortland Wilber Holmes Republican
Delaware Robert Cartwright Republican
Dutchess 1st Edward H. Thompson* Republican
2nd Augustus B. Gray* Republican
Erie 1st Cornelius Coughlin* Democrat
2nd Simon Seibert* Republican
3rd Charles Braun* Republican
4th Joseph L. Whittet* Republican
5th Philip Gerst* Republican
6th Charles F. Schoepflin* Republican
Essex Albert Weed Republican
Franklin Thomas A. Sears Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Philip Keck* Republican
Genesee Thomas B. Tuttle* Republican
Greene Daniel G. Greene Republican
Herkimer E. LaGrange Smith Republican
Jefferson Harrison Fuller* Republican
Kings 1st John McKeown Democrat
2nd John A. Hennessey* Democrat
3rd John F. Houghton* Republican
4th Frank Gallagher Democrat
5th John H. Read Republican
6th Edward M. Clarkson Republican
7th George W. Brush Republican
8th John J. Cain* Democrat
9th Thomas H. Rockwell Republican
10th Frank F. Schulz* Republican
11th Harry Schulz* Republican
12th John H. Campbell Republican
13th Arthur J. Audett Republican
14th Henry E. Abell Republican
15th Albert A. Wray* Republican
16th William H. Friday*[7] Republican
17th James Scanlon* Republican
18th Julius L. Wieman* Republican
Lewis Melville W. Van Amber* Republican
Livingston Otto Kelsey* Republican
Madison Lambert B. Kern* Republican
Monroe 1st Charles J. Smith Republican
2nd James M. E. O'Grady* Republican
3rd William W. Armstrong Republican
Montgomery E. Watson Gardiner* Republican
New York 1st Daniel E. Finn Democrat
2nd Thomas J. Barry Democrat
3rd Charles S. Adler Republican
4th James A. Donnelly Democrat
5th Samuel J. Foley* Democrat Minority Leader
6th Benjamin Hoffman Democrat
7th Henry William Hoops, Jr. Republican
8th Alfred R. Conkling Republican
9th John F. McDermott* Democrat
10th Jacob Kunzenman Democrat
11th Frank D. Pavey Republican
12th Edward B. La Fetra* Democrat
13th William Halpin Republican
14th John P. Corrigan* Democrat
15th Seth Wilks Republican
16th Charles Steinberg Republican
17th Robert Miller Republican
18th Daniel J. Gleason* Democrat
19th Welton C. Percy Republican
20th John B. Fitzgerald Democrat
21st Howard Payson Wilds Republican
22nd Michael F. Tobin* Democrat
23rd Judson Lawson* Republican
24th Louis H. Bold Republican
25th Stephen S. Blake Democrat
26th Harvey T. Andrews Republican
27th Philip W. Reinhard, Jr. Republican
28th George W. Hamilton Republican
29th Alonzo Bell Republican
30th William White Niles Republican
Niagara John H. Clark* Republican
Oneida 1st Henry P. Hoefler* Republican
2nd William Cary Sanger Republican
Onondaga 1st Charles R. Rogers Republican
2nd Charles C. Cole Republican
3rd Levi S. Chapman Republican
Ontario Walter A. Clark Republican
Orange 1st Louis F. Goodsell Republican
2nd Joseph Dean* Republican
Orleans George Bullard Republican
Oswego Danforth E. Ainsworth* Republican Majority Floor Leader
Otsego John J. Rider* Republican
Putnam Hamilton Fish II* Republican elected Speaker
Queens 1st John P. Madden Democrat
2nd James S. Fairbrother* Republican
3rd Eugene F. Vacheron Republican
Rensselaer 1st John T. Norton Democrat
2nd John M. Chambers* Republican
3rd John P. Cole Republican
Richmond Michael Conklin* Republican
Rockland Otis H. Cutler* Republican
St. Lawrence George R. Malby* Republican
Saratoga Charles H. McNaughton Republican
Schenectady Thomas W. Winne Republican
Schoharie Henry J. Staley 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
Sullivan Henry Krenrich Republican
Tioga Epenetus Howe* Republican
Tompkins Edwin C. Stewart* Republican
Ulster 1st William S. Van Keuren Republican
2nd James Lounsbery* Republican
Warren Taylor J. Eldredge* Republican
Washington William D. Stevenson Republican
Wayne George S. Horton* Republican
Westchester 1st J. Irving Burns Republican
2nd John N. Stewart Republican
3rd James W. Husted Republican
Wyoming Reuben J. Tilton* Republican
Yates Everett Brown Republican

Employees

Notes

  1. ↑ Except New York City where the 19th and the 22nd Ward were divided into several districts.
  2. ↑ NEW EDUCATIONAL OFFICERS in the New York Times on February 14, 1895
  3. ↑ ACCUSED OF BRIBERY in NYT on May 15, 1895
  4. ↑ ON TRIAL FOR BRIBERY in NYT on December 3, 1896
  5. ↑ Vacheron pleaded not guilty, and did not resign his seat; see: EUGENE VACHERON SURRENDERS in NYT on May 17, 1895. The trial occurred a year and a half after the session ended, and Vacheron had not been re-elected to the session of 1896. When he was convicted of grand larceny in 1912, the New York Times published a mistaken reminder of the case here: EX-ASSEMBLYMAN CONVICTED in the New York Times on February 29, 1912
  6. ↑ Henry Wolfert (1826–1898), see DEATH LIST OF A DAY; Henry Wolfert in NYT on December 18, 1898
  7. ↑ William H. Friday (died 1915), see WILLIAM H. FRIDAY DIES in NYT on November 5, 1915

Sources

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