158th New York State Legislature

The 158th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 17, 1935, during the third year of Herbert H. Lehman's governorship, in Albany.

158th New York State Legislature
157th 159th
The facade of the New York State Capitol building in bright daylight
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1935
Senate
Members51
PresidentLt. Gov. M. William Bray (D)
Temporary PresidentJohn J. Dunnigan (D)
Party controlDemocratic (29–22)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerIrwin Steingut (D)
Party controlDemocratic (77–73)
Sessions
1stJanuary 2 – April 17, 1935

Background edit

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, the Communist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party ran for the last time under the name of Law Preservation Party. In New York City, the "Recovery Party", the "City Fusion Party" and several other minor parties also nominated tickets.[1]

Elections edit

The New York state election, 1934, was held on November 6. Governor Herbert H. Lehman and Lieutenant Governor M. William Bray were re-elected, both Democrats. Of the other eight statewide elective offices, six were carried by Democrats, one by the Republican chief judge with Democratic endorsement, and one by a Republican judge who ran on the Democratic ticket only. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,202,000; Republicans 1,394,000; Socialists 127,000; Communists 46,000; Law Preservation 20,500; and Socialist Labor 7,000.

For the first time there were three women in the Legislature: Ex-Assemblywoman Rhoda Fox Graves (Rep.), of Gouverneur, a former school teacher who after her marriage became active in women's organisations and politics, was the first woman elected to the State Senate; Assemblywoman Doris I. Byrne (Dem.), a lawyer from the Bronx, was re-elected; and Jane H. Todd (Rep.), of Tarrytown, was also elected to the Assembly.

For the first time since 1913, Democratic majorities were elected to both Houses of the Legislature. It remained the only time until 1965.

Sessions edit

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 2, 1935; and adjourned on April 17.[2]

Irwin Steingut (Dem.) was elected Speaker.

John J. Dunnigan (Dem.) as re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.

On April 16, the Legislature passed a bill making nudism a misdemeanor.[3]

State Senate edit

Districts edit

Members edit

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Edward J. Coughlin, Martin W. Deyo and George B. Kelly changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes
1st George L. Thompson* Rep./Law P. re-elected
2nd Joseph D. Nunan Jr.* Democrat re-elected
3rd Frank B. Hendel* Dem./Rec. re-elected
4th Philip M. Kleinfeld* Democrat re-elected
5th John J. Howard* Dem./Rec. re-elected
6th Edward J. Coughlin* Dem./Rec.
7th Jacob J. Schwartzwald Democrat
8th Joseph A. Esquirol* Democrat re-elected
9th Henry L. O'Brien* Dem./Law P. re-elected; died on February 8, 1935
10th Jeremiah F. Twomey* Democrat re-elected; Chairman of Finance
11th James J. Crawford* Democrat re-elected
12th Elmer F. Quinn* Democrat re-elected
13th Thomas F. Burchill* Democrat re-elected
14th Samuel Mandelbaum* Democrat re-elected
15th John L. Buckley* Democrat re-elected
16th John J. McNaboe* Democrat re-elected
17th Joseph Clark Baldwin Rep./Law P.
18th John T. McCall* Democrat re-elected
19th Duncan T. O'Brien* Democrat re-elected
20th A. Spencer Feld* Dem./Law P. re-elected
21st Lazarus Joseph* Democrat re-elected
22nd Julius S. Berg* Democrat re-elected
23rd John J. Dunnigan* Democrat re-elected; re-elected Temporary President
24th Rae L. Egbert Dem./Law P.
25th Pliny W. Williamson Rep./Law P.
26th James A. Garrity Democrat
27th Thomas C. Desmond* Republican re-elected
28th Frederic H. Bontecou* Rep./Law P. re-elected
29th Arthur H. Wicks* Rep./Soc. re-elected
30th William T. Byrne* Democrat re-elected
31st Ogden J. Ross* Democrat re-elected
32nd Edwin E. Miller Republican
33rd Benjamin F. Feinberg* Republican re-elected
34th Rhoda Fox Graves Republican
35th Henry I. Patrie* Rep./Law P. re-elected; died on March 3, 1935
36th William H. Hampton Republican
37th Perley A. Pitcher* Rep./Law P. re-elected
38th George R. Fearon* Republican re-elected; Minority Leader
39th Walter W. Stokes* Republican re-elected
40th Martin W. Deyo* Rep./Law P.
41st C. Tracey Stagg Republican
42nd Charles J. Hewitt* Republican re-elected
43rd Earle S. Warner* Republican re-elected
44th Joe R. Hanley* Rep./Law P. re-elected
45th George B. Kelly* Democrat
46th Norman A. O'Brien Democrat
47th William H. Lee* Republican re-elected
48th David E. Doyle Democrat
49th Stephen J. Wojtkowiak* Democrat re-elected
50th Nelson W. Cheney* Republican re-elected
51st Leigh G. Kirkland* Rep./Law P. re-elected

Employees edit

State Assembly edit

Assemblymen edit

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 Chairman of Affairs of Cities
3rd S. Earl McDermott* Dem./Law P.
Allegany Harry E. Goodrich* Republican
Bronx 1st Matthew J. H. McLaughlin* Democrat
2nd Doris I. Byrne* Dem./Law P. Chairwoman of Social Welfare
3rd Carl Pack* Democrat
4th Samuel Weisman* Democrat
5th Benjamin Gladstone* Democrat
6th Christopher C. McGrath* Democrat Chairman of Public Education;
on November 5, 1935, elected to the Municipal Court
7th Michael N. Delagi Democrat on November 5, 1935, elected to the Municipal Court[4]
8th John A. Devany Jr.* Dem./Law P.
Broome 1st Edward F. Vincent* Republican
2nd James E. Hill Republican
Cattaraugus James W. Riley* Republican
Cayuga Andrew D. Burgdorf* Rep./Law P.
Chautauqua 1st Lloyd J. Babcock Rep./Law P.
2nd Joseph A. McGinnies* Rep./Law P.
Chemung Chauncey B. Hammond Republican
Chenango Irving M. Ives* Republican Minority Leader
Clinton McKenzie B. Stewart Republican
Columbia Frederick A. Washburn* Rep./Law P.
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 Bert Fischer Democrat
4th Anthony J. Canney* Democrat
5th Edwin L. Kantowski* Democrat
6th John V. Kane Democrat
7th Arthur L. Swartz* Republican
8th R. Foster Piper* Republican
Essex Fred L. Porter* Republican
Franklin John H. Black Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Harry F. Dunkel* Republican
Genesee Herbert A. Rapp* Republican
Greene William Haas Dem./Soc.
Herkimer David C. Wightman* Republican
Jefferson Russell Wright Rep./Law P.
Kings 1st Crawford W. Hawkins* Democrat
2nd Albert D. Schanzer* Democrat
3rd Michael J. Gillen* Dem./Rec.
4th Bernard Austin Democrat
5th Charles R. McConnell Democrat
6th Julius Helfand Democrat
7th William Kirnan* Dem./Rec.
8th James V. Mangano Dem./Vict.
9th Daniel McNamara Jr.* Dem./Rec.
10th William C. McCreery* Democrat Chairman of Judiciary
11th Bernard J. Moran Dem./Rec.
12th Edward S. Moran Jr.* Dem./Rec. Chairman of Insurance
13th Ralph Schwartz Dem./Rec.
14th Aaron F. Goldstein* Dem./City F.
15th Edward P. Doyle* Democrat
16th Carmine J. Marasco Democrat
17th George W. Stewart* Dem./Rec.
18th Irwin Steingut* Dem./Law. P. elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
19th George Kaminsky Democrat
20th Joseph J. Monahan* Democrat
21st Charles H. Breitbart* Democrat
22nd Jacob H. Livingston* Dem./Law P.
23rd G. Thomas Lo Re Democrat
Lewis Edward M. Sheldon* Republican
Livingston James J. Wadsworth* Rep./Law P.
Madison Wheeler Milmoe* Republican
Monroe 1st Pritchard H. Strong Republican
2nd Joseph Di Fede Democrat
3rd Earl C. Langenbacher* Dem./Law P.
4th Paul R. Taylor* Dem./Law P. Chairman of Internal Affairs
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 Nicholas A. Rossi Democrat
3rd Eugene R. Duffy* Democrat
4th Leonard Farbstein* Democrat
5th John F. Killgrew* Democrat Majority Leader
6th Irving D. Neustein* Democrat
7th Saul S. Streit* Dem./ICL Chairman of Re-Apportionment
8th Joseph Hamerman* Democrat
9th Ira H. Holley Dem./Law P.
10th Herbert Brownell Jr.* Rep./City F.
11th Patrick H. Sullivan* Democrat
12th John A. Byrnes* Democrat Chairman of Codes
13th William J. Sheldrick* Democrat Chairman of Motor Vehicles
14th Francis J. McCaffrey Jr.* Democrat
15th Abbot Low Moffat* Rep./Law P./C. F.
16th William Schwartz* Democrat
17th Meyer Alterman* Democrat Chairman of Ways and Means
18th Salvatore A. Farenga Democrat
19th James E. Stephens* Dem./Law P.
20th Louis A. Cuvillier Democrat Democratic Whip;[5] died on May 18, 1935[6]
21st William T. Andrews Dem./Law P.
22nd Daniel Flynn* Democrat
23rd Alexander A. Falk Dem./Law P. Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
Niagara 1st Fayette E. Pease* Rep./Law P.
2nd Harry D. Suitor* Republican
Oneida 1st Frank T. Quinn* Democrat
2nd Russell G. Dunmore* Republican died on December 14, 1935
3rd Fred L. Meiss* Republican
Onondaga 1st Horace M. Stone* Republican
2nd George B. Parsons* Republican
3rd Richard B. Smith* Republican
Ontario Harry R. Marble* Republican
Orange 1st Lee B. Mailler* Republican
2nd Rainey S. Taylor* Republican
Orleans John S. Thompson* Republican
Oswego Ernest J. Lonis Rep./Law P.
Otsego Frank G. Sherman Republican
Putnam D. Mallory Stephens* Republican
Queens 1st Harold J. Crawford* Dem./Law P.
2nd George F. Torsney* Dem./Law P.
3rd Peter T. Farrell* Dem./Law P. Chairman of General Laws
4th James A. Burke Dem./Lib./Rec.
5th Maurice A. FitzGerald* Democrat Chairman of Public Service
6th Frederick L. Zimmerman* Dem./City F.
Rensselaer 1st Michael F. Breen* Dem./Soc.
2nd Maurice Whitney* Republican
Richmond 1st Charles Harry Robillard Dem./Law P.
2nd Herman Methfessel Democrat
Rockland Laurens M. Hamilton* Republican
St. Lawrence 1st W. Allan Newell* Republican
2nd Warren O. Daniels* Republican
Saratoga William E. Morris* Republican
Schenectady 1st Oswald D. Heck* Republican
2nd Harold Armstrong* Rep./Law P.
Schoharie William S. Dunn* Dem./Soc. Chairman of Agriculture
Schuyler Edward K. Corwin* Republican
Seneca James D. Pollard* Republican
Steuben 1st Wilson Messer* Republican
2nd J. Austin Otto* Republican
Suffolk 1st John G. Downs* Republican
2nd Hamilton F. Potter* Rep./Law P.
Sullivan J. Maxwell Knapp* Republican
Tioga Frank G. Miller* Republican
Tompkins James R. Robinson* Republican
Ulster J. Edward Conway* Rep./Soc.
Warren Harry A. Reoux* Republican
Washington Herbert A. Bartholomew* Republican
Wayne Harry L. Averill* Rep./Law P.
Westchester 1st Herbert R. Smith* Republican
2nd Ralph A. Gamble* Republican
3rd Hugh A. Lavery* Democrat
4th Jane H. Todd Republican
5th William F. Condon* Republican on November 5, 1935, elected Register of Westchester Co.
Wyoming Harold C. Ostertag* Republican
Yates Fred S. Hollowell* Republican

Employees edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ see ELECTION NOTICE in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on October 30, 1934
  2. ^ ROW AMONG DEMOCRATS DELAYS THE LEGISLATURE BUT ADJOURNMENT NEARS in The New York Times on April 17, 1935 (subscription required)
  3. ^ ALBANY VOTES BILL OUTLAWING NUDISM in The New York Times on April 16, 1935 (subscription required)
  4. ^ 4 BRONX JUSTICES SWORN; New Members of Municipal Court to Speed Calendar in The New York Times on December 20, 1935 (subscription required)
  5. ^ Cuvillier to Be Party Whip in Assembly in The New York Times on January 5, 1935 (subscription required)
  6. ^ LOUIS A. CUVILLIER DIES OF PNEUMONIA in The New York Times on May 19, 1935 (subscription required)
  7. ^ Homer W. Storey (c.1895–1937), of Rochester, see PARTY LEADER DIES in the Niagara Falls Gazette, of Niagara Falls, on October 12, 1937

Sources edit