135th New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session

135th New York State Legislature

| <-| 134th | 136th| ->

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New York State Capitol (2009)

Overview
Legislative body| New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction| New York, United States
Term| January 1 – December 31, 1912
Senate
Members| 51
President| Lt. Gov. Thomas F. Conway (D)
Temporary President| Robert F. Wagner (D)
Party control| Democratic (29-21)
Assembly
Members| 150
Speaker| Edwin A. Merritt Jr. (R)
Party control| Republican (100-48-1)
Sessions
| 1st| January 3 – March 29, 1912

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The 135th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to March 29, 1912, during the second year of John Alden Dix's governorship, in Albany.

## Background[edit]

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1906 and 1907, 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 were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (eight districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). 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.

## Elections[edit]

The New York state election, 1911, was held on November 7. No statewide elective offices were up for election. For the first time, a Socialist was elected to the Assembly.

## Sessions[edit]

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1912; and adjourned on March 29.

Edwin A. Merritt Jr. (R) was elected Speaker with 95 votes against 45 for Al Smith (D).

On April 19, Bronx County was created by the Legislature, to be effectively separated from New York County on January 1, 1914. To date, this was the last county created in the State of New York.

## State Senate[edit]

### Districts[edit]

* 1st District: Nassau and Suffolk counties
* 2nd District: Queens County, i.e the Borough of Queens
* 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn
* 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx
* 23rd District: Richmond and Rockland counties
* 24th District: Westchester County
* 25th District: Orange and Sullivan counties
* 26th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam and counties
* 27th District: Greene and Ulster counties
* 28th District: Albany County
* 29th District: Rensselaer County
* 30th District: Saratoga and Washington counties
* 31st District: Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties
* 32nd District: Lewis, Fulton, Hamilton and Herkimer counties
* 33rd District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties
* 34th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties
* 35th District: Jefferson and Oswego counties
* 36th District: Oneida County
* 37th District: Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties
* 38th District: Onondaga County
* 39th District: Broome and Delaware counties
* 40th District: Cayuga, Cortland and Seneca counties
* 41st District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties
* 42nd District: Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties
* 43rd District: Steuben and Livingston counties
* 44th District: Allegany, Genesee and Wyoming counties
* 45th and 46th District: Monroe County
* 47th District: Niagara and Orleans counties
* 48th, 49th and 50th District: Erie County
* 51st District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties

### Members[edit]

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

District  | Senator  | Party  | Notes

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|
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1st  | James L. Long*  | Democrat  |
2nd  | Dennis J. Harte*  | Democrat  |
3rd  | Thomas H. Cullen*  | Democrat  |
4th  | Loring M. Black Jr.*  | Democrat  |
5th  | Barth S. Cronin*  | Democrat  |
6th  | Eugene M. Travis*  | Republican  |
7th  | Thomas C. Harden*  | Democrat  |
8th  | James F. Duhamel*  | Democrat  |
9th  | Felix J. Sanner*  | Democrat  |
10th  | James H. O'Brien*  | Democrat  | on November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress
11th  | Christopher D. Sullivan*  | Democrat  |
12th  | Timothy D. Sullivan*  | Democrat  | on November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress
13th  | James D. McClelland*  | Democrat  |
14th  | (Thomas F. Grady)*  | Democrat  | did not take his seat, and died on February 3, 1912
15th  | Thomas J. McManus*  | Democrat  |
16th  | Robert F. Wagner*  | Democrat  | President pro tempore
17th  | John G. Saxe*  | Democrat  |
18th  | Henry W. Pollock*  | Democrat  |
19th  | Josiah T. Newcomb*  | Republican  |
20th  | James J. Frawley*  | Democrat  |
21st  | Stephen J. Stilwell*  | Democrat  |
22nd  | Anthony J. Griffin*  | Democrat  |
23rd  | Howard R. Bayne*  | Democrat  |
24th  | J. Mayhew Wainwright*  | Republican  |
25th  | John B. Rose*  | Republican  |
26th  | Franklin D. Roosevelt*  | Democrat  |
27th  | William P. Fiero*  | Democrat  |
28th  | Henry M. Sage*  | Republican  |
29th  | Victor M. Allen*  | Republican  |
30th  | Edgar T. Brackett*  | Republican  | Minority Leader
31st  | Loren H. White*  | Democrat  |
32nd  | Seth G. Heacock*  | Republican  |
33rd  | James A. Emerson*  | Republican  |
34th  | Herbert P. Coats*  | Republican  |
35th  | George H. Cobb*  | Republican  |
36th  | T. Harvey Ferris*  | Democrat  |
37th  | Ralph W. Thomas*  | Republican  |
38th  | J. Henry Walters*  | Republican  |
39th  | Harvey D. Hinman*  | Republican  |
40th  | Charles J. Hewitt*  | Republican  |
41st  | John F. Murtaugh*  | Democrat  |
42nd  | Frederick W. Griffith*  | Republican  |
43rd  | Frank C. Platt*  | Republican  |
44th  | Thomas H. Bussey*  | Republican  |
45th  | George F. Argetsinger*  | Republican  |
46th  | William L. Ormrod*  | Republican  |
47th  | Robert H. Gittins*  | Democrat  | on November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress
48th  | Frank M. Loomis*  | Democrat  |
49th  | Samuel J. Ramsperger*  | Democrat  |
50th  | George B. Burd*  | Democrat  |
51st  | Charles Mann Hamilton*  | Republican  | on November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress

### Employees[edit]

* Clerk: Patrick E. McCabe
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry E. Oxford
* Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: John J. Dillon
* Principal Doorkeeper: Fred W. Theobold
* Assistant Doorkeeper: Thomas Nolan
* Stenographer: William E. Reynolds

## State Assembly[edit]

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

### Assemblymen[edit]

District  | Assemblymen  | Party  | Notes

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Albany | 1st  | Harold J. Hinman*  | Republican  | Chairman of Judiciary
2nd  | John G. Malone | Republican  |
3rd  | John Gibeau | Republican  |
Allegany | Ransom L. Richardson | Republican  |
Broome | Arthur J. Ruland | Democrat  |
Cattaraugus | Ellsworth J. Cheney*  | Republican  | Chairman of Public Education
Cayuga | Michael Grace | Republican  |
Chautauqua | 1st  | Julius Lincoln*  | Republican  | Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
2nd  | John Leo Sullivan*  | Republican  | Chairman of Affairs of Villages
Chemung | Robert P. Bush*  | Democrat  |
Chenango | Walter A. Shepardson*  | Republican  | Chairman of Soldiers' Home
Clinton | Charles J. Vert | Republican  |
Columbia | John L. Crandell | Republican  |
Cortland | Charles F. Brown*  | Republican  | Chairman of Public Health
Delaware | Clayton L. Wheeler*  | Democrat  |
Dutchess | 1st  | Myron Smith | Republican  | Chairman of Excise
2nd  | Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler*  | Democrat  |
Erie | 1st  | Charles C. Page | Republican  |
2nd  | Clinton T. Horton | Republican  |
3rd  | Henry J. Rahl | Republican  |
4th  | Edward D. Jackson*  | Democrat  |
5th  | Richard F. Hearn*  | Democrat  |
6th  | James M. Rozan | Democrat  |
7th  | Gottfried H. Wende*  | Democrat  |
8th  | Clarence MacGregor*  | Republican  | Chairman of Codes
9th  | Frank B. Thorn*  | Republican  | Chairman of General Laws
Essex | Spencer G. Prime II | Republican  |
Franklin | Alexander Macdonald*  | Republican  | Chairman of Forestry, Fisheries and Game
Fulton and Hamilton | Alden Hart*  | Republican  |
Genesee | Clarence Bryant*  | Republican  |
Greene | J. Lewis Patrie*  | Democrat  |
Herkimer | Theodore Douglas Robinson | Republican  |
Jefferson | 1st  | Henry E. Machold | Republican  |
2nd  | John G. Jones*  | Republican  | Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
Kings | 1st  | Daniel V. Barnes | Republican  |
2nd  | William J. Gillen*  | Democrat  |
3rd  | Michael A. O'Neil*  | Democrat  |
4th  | George Langhorst | Republican  |
5th  | Abraham F. Lent*  | Republican  |
6th  | George Heiberger | Republican  |
7th  | Daniel F. Farrell*  | Democrat  |
8th  | John J. McKeon*  | Democrat  |
9th  | Albert H. T. Banzhaf | Republican  |
10th  | Fred M. Ahern*  | Republican  |
11th  | William W. Colne*  | Republican  | Chairman of Affairs of Cities
12th  | Frederick W. Singleton | Republican  |
13th  | Charles Schmitt | Republican  |
14th  | James J. Garvey | Democrat  |
15th  | Thomas E. Willmott | Democrat  |
16th  | Forrest S. Chilton | Republican  |
17th  | Edward A. Ebbets*  | Republican  | Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
18th  | Almeth W. Hoff*  | Republican  |
19th  | Jacob Schifferdecker*  | Democrat  |
20th  | Frank Bennett | Republican  |
21st  | Harry Heyman*  | Democrat  |
22nd  | Edward R. W. Karutz | Republican  |
23rd  | William F. Mathewson | Republican  |
Lewis | Humphrey E. Slocum | Republican  | Chairman of Labor and Industries
Livingston | John C. Winters Jr.*  | Republican  |
Madison | Morell E. Tallett | Republican  |
Monroe | 1st  | Jared W. Hopkins | Republican  |
2nd  | Simon L. Adler*  | Republican  |
3rd  | August V. Pappert*  | Republican  |
4th  | Cyrus W. Phillips*  | Republican  |
5th  | William T. Keys*  | Republican  |
Montgomery | Walter A. Gage | Republican  |
Nassau | Jeremiah Wood | Republican  |
New York | 1st  | Thomas B. Caughlan*  | Democrat  |
2nd  | Al Smith*  | Democrat  | Minority Leader
3rd  | John C. Fitzgerald | Democrat  |
4th  | Aaron J. Levy*  | Democrat  |
5th  | Jimmy Walker*  | Democrat  |
6th  | Harry Kopp*  | Republican  | Chairman of Privileges and Elections
7th  | Peter P. McElligott*  | Democrat  |
8th  | Moritz Graubard*  | Democrat  |
9th  | John C. Hackett*  | Democrat  |
10th  | Meyer Greenberg | Democrat  |
11th  | John J. Boylan*  | Democrat  |
12th  | James A. Foley*  | Democrat  |
13th  | James C. Campbell | Democrat  |
14th  | John J. Herrick*  | Democrat  |
15th  | Henry J. Crawford | Republican  |
16th  | Martin G. McCue*  | Democrat  |
17th  | Franklin Brooks*  | Republican  | Chairman of Military Affairs
18th  | Mark Goldberg*  | Democrat  |
19th  | Andrew F. Murray*  | Republican  |
20th  | Patrick J. McGrath*  | Democrat  |
21st  | Dean Nelson | Republican  |
22nd  | Edward Weil*  | Democrat  |
23rd  | Sidney C. Crane | Republican  |
24th  | Thomas A. Brennan*  | Democrat  |
25th  | Francis R. Stoddard Jr. | Republican  |
26th  | Abram Goodman*  | Republican  |
27th  | Charles A. Dana | Republican  |
28th  | Jacob Levy*  | Democrat  |
29th  | Thomas S. Coleman | Republican  |
30th  | Louis A. Cuvillier*  | Democrat  |
31st  | Max Shlivek*  | Republican  | Chairman of Claims
32nd  | Morris S. Schector | Republican  |
33rd  | William B. Ruddick | Republican  |
34th  | Charles I. Fleck | Republican  |
35th  | John Yule | Republican  |
Niagara | 1st  | Karl S. Brong | Republican  |
2nd  | Henry A. Constantine*  | Republican  |
Oneida | 1st  | Ralph Entwistle | Republican  |
2nd  | Herbert E. Allen*  | Republican  | Chairman of Banks
3rd  | James T. Cross*  | Republican  | Chairman of Insurance
Onondaga | 1st  | Charles R. Milford | Republican  |
2nd  | David L. Edwards | Republican  |
3rd  | Thomas K. Smith*  | Republican  | Chairman of Revision
Ontario | Thomas B. Wilson*  | Republican  | Chairman of Agriculture
Orange | 1st  | Caleb H. Baumes*  | Republican  | Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
2nd  | John D. Stivers*  | Republican  | Chairman of Public Printing
Orleans | Frank A. Waters*  | Republican  |
Oswego | Thaddeus C. Sweet*  | Republican  | Chairman of Canals
Otsego | Willard G. Bullion | Republican  |
Putnam | John R. Yale*  | Republican  | Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
Queens | 1st  | Andrew Zorn*  | Democrat  |
2nd  | Alfred J. Kennedy*  | Democrat  |
3rd  | Adam Metz Jr. | Republican  |
4th  | James A. Bell | Republican  |
Rensselaer | 1st  | Charles Fred Schwarz | Democrat  |
2nd  | (Bradford R. Lansing)*  | Republican  | Chairman of Internal Affairs;
did not take his seat, and died on February 4, 1912[1]
Richmond | Ralph R. McKee | Democrat  |
Rockland | George A. Blauvelt*  | Democrat  |
St. Lawrence | 1st  | Frank L. Seaker | Republican  |
2nd  | Edwin A. Merritt Jr.*  | Republican  | elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules; on November 5,
1912, elected to the 62nd and 63rd U.S. Congresses
Saratoga | George H. Whitney | Republican  | Chairman of Ways and Means
Schenectady | Herbert M. Merrill | Socialist |
Schoharie | Daniel D. Frisbie*  | Democrat  |
Schuyler | John W. Gurnett*  | Democrat  |
Seneca | Nelson Duntz | Republican  |
Steuben | 1st  | Thomas Shannon*  | Republican  |
2nd  | John Seeley*  | Democrat  |
Suffolk | 1st  | DeWitt C. Talmage*  | Republican  |
2nd  | George L. Thompson | Republican  | Chairman of Public Institutions
Sullivan | John K. Evans*  | Democrat  |
Tioga | John G. Pembleton | Republican  |
Tompkins | Minor McDaniels*  | Democrat  |
Ulster | 1st  | Andrew J. Cook | Republican  |
2nd  | Samuel C. Waring*  | Republican  |
Warren | Henry E. H. Brereton*  | Republican  |
Washington | James S. Parker*  | Republican  | Chairman of Railroads; on November 5, 1912,
elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress
Wayne | Albert Yeomans*  | Republican  |
Westchester | 1st  | Tracy P. Madden | Democrat  |
2nd  | William S. Coffey*  | Republican  | Chairman of Penal Institutions
3rd  | Frank L. Young*  | Republican  | Majority Leader
4th  | George A. Slater | Republican  |
Wyoming | Henry A. Pierce*  | Republican  |
Yates | Edward C. Gillett | Republican  |

### Employees[edit]

* Clerk: Fred W. Hammond
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry W. Haines
* Principal Doorkeeper: Michael Kehoe
* First Assistant Doorkeeper: James B. Hulse
* Second Assistant Doorkeeper: D. C. Easton
* Stenographer: Henry C. Lammert
* Postmaster: James H. Underwood[2]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Assemblyman B. R. Lansing in NYT on February 5, 1912
2. ^ Murlin, Edgar L. (1912). The New York Red Book. Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company. p. 675 - via Google Books.

## Sources[edit]

* Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes by Charles Elliott Fitch (Hurd Publishing Co., New York and Buffalo, 1911, Vol. IV; see pg. 367 for senators)
* Journal of the Senate (135th Session) (1912; Vol. I)
* Journal of the Assembly (135th Session) (1912; Vol. I; from January 3 to March 20)
* Journal of the Assembly (135th Session) (1912; Vol. II; from March 20 to 29)
* REPUBLICANS SEE BIG GAINS AHEAD in NYT on October 29, 1911
* COMMITTEE PLUMS GO TO MERRITT BACKERS in NYT on January 11, 1912

* v
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* e

New York State Legislatures by year convened

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