118th New York State Legislature

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, 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 1894 New York state election 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.

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. After many postponements the case was tried in December 1896 and Vacheron was acquitted.

State Senate

Districts

• 1st District: Queens and Suffolk counties
• 2nd District: 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 22nd Ward of Brooklyn
• 3rd District: 13th, 19th, 21st, 23rd and 25th Ward of Brooklyn
• 4th District: 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 27th Ward of Brooklyn
• 5th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th and 20th Ward of Brooklyn
• 6th District: 8th, 24th, 26th and 28th Ward of the City of Brooklyn; all towns in Kings County; and Richmond County
• 7th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 9th and 16th Ward of NYC
• 8th District: 4th, 6th, 7th, 11th and 13th Ward of NYC
• 9th District: 10th, 14th, 15th and 17th Ward of New York City
• 10th District: 18th, 20th and 21st Ward of NYC
• 11th District: Southern parts of the 19th and 22nd Ward of NYC
• 12th District: Middle parts of the 19th and 22nd Ward of NYC
• 13th District: Northern parts of the 19th and 22nd; and 23rd Ward of NYC
• 14th District: Northeastern part of the 19th Ward of NYC
• 15th District: 24th Ward of NYC; and Putnam and Westchester counties
• 16th District: Dutchess, Orange and Rockland counties
• 17th District: Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties
• 18th District: Columbia and Rensselaer counties
• 19th District: Albany County
• 20th District: Herkimer, Montgomery, Saratoga and Schenectady counties
• 21st District: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Warren and Washington counties
• 22nd District: Jefferson, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties
• 23rd District: Lewis, Oneida County and Otsego counties
• 24th District: Madison and Onondaga counties
• 25th District: Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware and Tioga counties
• 26th District: Cayuga, Ontario, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates counties
• 27th District: Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca and Steuben counties
• 28th District: Monroe County
• 29th District: Genesee, Livingston, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties
• 30th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th and 20th Ward of the City of Buffalo
• 31st District: 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th Ward of Buffalo; and the remaining area of Erie County
• 32nd District: Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties}}

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.

Employees

• Clerk: John S. Kenyon
• Assistant Clerk: Charles A. Ball
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles V. Schram
• Doorkeeper: Edward Dowling
• Stenographer: Lucius A. Waldo
• Journal Clerk: Lafayette B. Gleason
• Postmaster: Stephen C. Green

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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

Employees

• Clerk: Archie E. Baxter
• Assistant Clerk: Haines D. Cunningham
• Financial Clerk: William C. Stevens
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Garret J. Benson
• Doorkeeper: Joseph Bauer
• Stenographer: Robert C. Chapin
• Journal Clerk: Edward M. Johnson

Notes

Sources

• The New York Red Book compiled by Edgar L. Murlin (published by James B. Lyon, Albany NY, 1897; see pg. 385 for senate districts; pg. 404 for senators; pg. 410–417 for Assembly districts; and pg. 511f for assemblymen)
• Sketches of the members of the Legislature in The Evening Journal Almanac (1895; pg. 48–64)
• HAMILTON FISH SPEAKER in NYT on January 2, 1895
• NEW STATE LEGISLATURE in NYT on January 3, 1895

References

1. Except New York City where the 19th and the 22nd Ward were divided into several districts.
2. (11 Oct 1896). "GOLD MEN MAY BE SHUT OUT". New York Journal.
3. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/02/14/102448439.pdf ''NEW EDUCATIONAL OFFICERS''] in ''[[The New York Times]]'' on February 14, 1895
4. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/05/15/106080229.pdf ''ACCUSED OF BRIBERY''] in NYT on May 15, 1895
5. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1896/12/03/108266262.pdf ''ON TRIAL FOR BRIBERY''] in NYT on December 3, 1896
6. Vacheron pleaded not guilty, and did not resign his seat; see: [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/05/17/102512920.pdf ''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: [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/02/29/100244710.pdf ''EX-ASSEMBLYMAN CONVICTED''] in ''[[The New York Times]]'' on February 29, 1912
7. Henry Wolfert (1826–1898), see [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/12/18/105966930.pdf ''DEATH LIST OF A DAY; Henry Wolfert''] in NYT on December 18, 1898
8. William H. Friday (died 1915), see [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1915/11/05/104656390.pdf ''WILLIAM H. FRIDAY DIES''] in NYT on November 5, 1915