United States Senate election in New York, 1911
Encyclopedia
The 1911 United States Senate election in New York was held from January 17 to March 31, 1911, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 1) to represent the State of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

.

Background

Republican Chauncey M. Depew had been re-elected to this seat in 1905
United States Senate election in New York, 1905
The 1905 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 17, 1905, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.-Background:Republican Chauncey M...

, and his term would expire on March 3, 1911.

At the State election in November 1910, John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix was the 38th Governor of New York from January 1911 to December 1912.-Life:Born in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, Dix attended Cornell University, but never graduated. He was an initiated member of the Beta Charge of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity...

 was elected Governor, the first Democratic governor since 1894; 29 Democrats, 21 Republicans and 1 Independence Leaguer were elected for a two-year term (1911–1912) in the State Senate; and 86 Democrats, 63 Republicans and 1 Independence Leaguer were elected for the session of 1911 to the Assembly. The 134th State Legislature met from January 4, 1911, on at Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

.

First Democratic caucus

Ex-Lieutenant Governor William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

 announced his candidature formally in a letter to Mayor of Buffalo Louis P. Fuhrmann
Louis P. Fuhrmann
Louis P. Fuhrmann was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving 1910–1917. He was born in Buffalo, New York on November 7, 1868. He grew up on the city's east side, graduated from Central High School, and began working in the meat packing industry. In 1892, he started his own meat packing...

 which was published on December 30, 1910. Before the State election, when a Democratic victory seemed to be improbable, Sheehan had made an agreement with Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...

 leader Charles Francis Murphy
Charles Francis Murphy
Charles Francis "Silent Charlie" Murphy was a U.S. political figure, head of New York City's Tammany Hall.-Biography:...

 that the Tammany men would support Sheehan for the U.S. Senate.

The Democratic caucus met on January 16. 91 State legislators attended, but 25 were absent. Speaker Daniel D. Frisbie
Daniel D. Frisbie
Daniel Dodge Frisbie - August 6, 1931 Middleburgh, Schoharie Co., NY) was an American newspaperman and politician.-Life:...

 presided. The caucus nominated Sheehan. Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

, the defeated Democratic candidate for Mayor of New York in the election of 1901; and Ex-Supreme Court Justice D. Cady Herrick
D. Cady Herrick
D-Cady Herrick was an American lawyer and politician.-Name:He was baptized Cady Herrick, but his father thought it better to add an initial hyphened "D-" to the name to avoid class-room jokes, like calling the boy "Katie." Thus the initial did not stand for any given name, and the first name...

, the defeated Democratic candidate for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...

 in the election of 1904, also received votes at this caucus.

At the same time, an anti-Sheehan faction (in the press referred to as "the Insurgents") of 19 State legislators met at the Hampton Hotel, led by State Senator Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...

 and issued a statement repudiating to take part in a caucus which follows orders from non-member political bosses.
1911 First Democratic caucus for United States Senator result
Office Candidate First ballot
U.S. Senator (Class 1) William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

62
Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

22
D. Cady Herrick
D. Cady Herrick
D-Cady Herrick was an American lawyer and politician.-Name:He was baptized Cady Herrick, but his father thought it better to add an initial hyphened "D-" to the name to avoid class-room jokes, like calling the boy "Katie." Thus the initial did not stand for any given name, and the first name...

7

Republican caucus

The Republican caucus met on January 16. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew unanimously.

Deadlock

On January 17, both Houses of the State Legislature took ballots separately, but no choice was made in either. Sheehan received the votes of the 91 caucus attendees, only 1 short for a nomination in the State Senate, and 8 short in the Assembly. On January 18, the State Legislature met in joint session, compared the votes of the previous day, found that no choice was made, and proceeded to a joint ballot. On the joint ballot, Assemblyman Lewis S. Chanler, who had been Lieutenant Governor from 1907 to 1908, and the defeated Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in the election of 1909
United States Senate election in New York, 1909
The 1909 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 19, 1909, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.-Background:Republican Thomas C...

, deserted Sheehan, who received 90 votes, 9 short of election. As no choice was made, joint ballots continued to be taken every day, Monday through Saturday, at noon. At the same time, all legislative work came to a standstill. Gov. Dix refused to interfere in the contest, but was not happy about the lengthy legislative inactivity which threatened to paralyse his administration. Despite his professed neutrality, Dix continued to talk privately to Mayor of New York William J. Gaynor
William Jay Gaynor
William Jay Gaynor was an American politician from New York City, associated with the Tammany Hall political machine. He served as mayor of the City of New York from 1910 to 1913, as well as stints as a New York Supreme Court Justice from 1893 to 1909.-Early life:Gaynor was born in Oriskany, New...

, Boss Murphy and a few prospective compromise candidates.

On February 7, after the 18th ballot, the majority leaders, Robert F. Wagner
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.-Origin and early life:...

 of the State Senate and Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...

 of the Assembly, called a conference for the next morning at which both factions would discuss the further proceedings. Both factions met on February 8, maintained their positions, and nothing came of it. About this time, Edward M. Shepard was taken seriously ill, and he would die a few months later.

On February 20, after the 28th ballot, Congressman Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

 announced formally his candidature for the senatorship. Littleton had received a few scattering votes throughout the balloting, but nothing came of it.

On February 23, after the 31st ballot, a letter was received from Congressman William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

 stating that, if a compromise candidate was sought, he would take the senatorship. Sulzer had received a few scattering votes since the 11th ballot, but nothing came of it either.

On February 25, after the 34th ballot, Edward M. Shepard withdrew from the contest and advised the election of a compromise candidate. Most of the Insurgents then voted for two ballots for John D. Kernan, and then for Littleton.

On February 28, after the 36th ballot, Sheehan sent an open letter to the State legislators in which he declared himself for a new caucus, and his acceptance of any candidate the caucus would choose. The Insurgents answered that a new caucus was useless.

On March 3, after the 39th ballot, Governor Dix advised to abandon Sheehan, and instead to elect immediately someone "whose choice will unite the Democratic Party." Sheehan however refused to withdraw from the contest unless a new caucus chose another candidate, and none of the legislators followed Dix's advice. On the same day, the term of the incumbent Chauncey M. Depew ended, and the seat became vacant on March 4.

President William H. Taft called a special session of the U.S. Senate to convene on April 4, and all parties expressed their hope that a U.S. Senator be elected by then.

On March 7, after the 42nd ballot, Mayor Gaynor seconded Gov. Dix, and advised to abandon Sheehan. Boss Murphy however re-affirmed his support for Sheehan, and the deadlock continued as before.

Intense negotiations followed to make the way clear for a new caucus. On March 18, Boss Murphy consented to a new caucus if the Insurgents accepted the candidate chosen, whoever it be. State Senator Roosevelt refused to be led into this trap, and on March 20 told Gov. Dix that the Insurgents would not be bound by the new caucus choice, expecting the Tammany majority to nominate somebody as objectionable as Sheehan, like Daniel F. Cohalan (Boss Murphy's right-hand man), De Lancey Nicoll
De Lancey Nicoll
De Lancey Nicoll was a New York County District Attorney.-Life:...

 or John B. Stanchfield
John B. Stanchfield
John Barry Stanchfield was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a prominent litigator and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 1900.-Life:...

. On March 22, after the 55th ballot, a conference of all Democratic legislators met and agreed unanimously to call a new caucus for March 27, to reconsider the nomination made on January 16.

Results, up to 58th ballot

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...

 
Jan 17
Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

 
Jan 17
Joint
ballot 
Jan 18
2nd
joint
ballot
Jan 19
3rd
joint
ballot
Jan 20
4th
joint
ballot
Jan 21
5th
joint
ballot
Jan 23
6th
joint
ballot
Jan 24
7th
joint
ballot
Jan 25
8th
joint
ballot
Jan 26
9th
joint
ballot
Jan 27
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 25 66 90 88 60 18 86 85 85 82 19
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 20 59 80 81 52 10 81 80 79 77 12
Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

Democrat 2 12 13 13 11 11 13 11 11 10 9
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 6 7 7 3 2 1 1 1 1 1
James W. Gerard
James W. Gerard
James Watson Gerard was a U.S. lawyer and diplomat.-Biography:Gerard was born in Geneseo, N. Y. He graduated from Columbia in 1890 and from New York Law School. He was chairman of the Democratic campaign committee of New York County for four years, and served as major of the National Guard of the...

Democrat 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 2
D. Cady Herrick
D. Cady Herrick
D-Cady Herrick was an American lawyer and politician.-Name:He was baptized Cady Herrick, but his father thought it better to add an initial hyphened "D-" to the name to avoid class-room jokes, like calling the boy "Katie." Thus the initial did not stand for any given name, and the first name...

Democrat 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 1
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3
John D. Kernan Democrat 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 7
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
Simon W. Rosendale
Simon W. Rosendale
Simon Wolfe Rosendale was an American lawyer and politician. Rosendale was the first Jew elected to a statewide elective office in New York.-Life:...

Democrat 1
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix was the 38th Governor of New York from January 1911 to December 1912.-Life:Born in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, Dix attended Cornell University, but never graduated. He was an initiated member of the Beta Charge of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1
Curtis N. Douglas Democrat 3 3 1
Seymour Van Santvoord Democrat 1 2
John C. R. Taylor Democrat 1 1

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party 10th
joint
ballot
Jan 28
11th
joint
ballot
Jan 30
12th
joint
ballot
Jan 31
13th
joint
ballot
Feb 1
14th
joint
ballot
Feb 2
15th
joint
ballot
Feb 3
16th
joint
ballot
Feb 4
17th
joint
ballot
Feb 6
18th
joint
ballot
Feb 7
19th
joint
ballot
Feb 8
20th
joint
ballot
Feb 9
21st
joint
ballot
Feb 10
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 9 67 82 82 69 14 7 66 85 86 75 8
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 4 61 74 77 64 11 5 59 81 80 72 3
Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

Democrat 5 10 10 10 10 7 2 9 10 10 10 4
John D. Kernan Democrat 4 7 9 9 9 8 2 9 9 9 8 2
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1
Seymour Van Santvoord Democrat 2 2
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 1 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 1
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
James W. Gerard
James W. Gerard
James Watson Gerard was a U.S. lawyer and diplomat.-Biography:Gerard was born in Geneseo, N. Y. He graduated from Columbia in 1890 and from New York Law School. He was chairman of the Democratic campaign committee of New York County for four years, and served as major of the National Guard of the...

Democrat 1
John C. R. Taylor Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
George L. Rives
George L. Rives
George Lockhart Rives served as United States Assistant Secretary of State 1887 to 1889. He also wrote the two volume book The United States and Mexico, 1821-1848: A History of the Relations between the Two Countries from the Independence of Mexico to the Close of the War with the United States...

Democrat 1
J. Hampden Dougherty Democrat 1

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party 22nd
joint
ballot
Feb 11
23rd
joint
ballot
Feb 13
24th
joint
ballot
Feb 14
25th
joint
ballot
Feb 15
26th
joint
ballot
Feb 16
27th
joint
ballot
Feb 17
28th
joint
ballot
Feb 18
29th
joint
ballot
Feb 20
30th
joint
ballot
Feb 21
31st
joint
ballot
Feb 22
32nd
joint
ballot
Feb 23
33rd
joint
ballot
Feb 24
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 5 7 81 81 76 15 5 47 78 66 11
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 2 2 71 72 66 7 4 44 76 60 4
Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

Democrat 2 4 9 3 5 1 3 4 15 10
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

Democrat 1 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 2
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1
J. Hampden Dougherty Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
George L. Rives
George L. Rives
George Lockhart Rives served as United States Assistant Secretary of State 1887 to 1889. He also wrote the two volume book The United States and Mexico, 1821-1848: A History of the Relations between the Two Countries from the Independence of Mexico to the Close of the War with the United States...

Democrat 1
John D. Kernan Democrat 2 6 15 14 10 5 13 13 1 1
George F. Peabody
George Foster Peabody
George Foster Peabody was a banker and philanthropist.-Early life:...

Democrat 1 1
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1
John C. R. Taylor Democrat 1
Herman N. Hansen Ind. League 1 1 1
John J. Hopper Ind. League 2 2 2 1
John N. Carlisle Democrat 1

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party 34th
joint
ballot
Feb 25
35th
joint
ballot
Feb 27
36th
joint
ballot
Feb 28
37th
joint
ballot
Mar 1
38th
joint
ballot
Mar 2
39th
joint
ballot
Mar 3
40th
joint
ballot
Mar 4
41st
joint
ballot
Mar 6
42nd
joint
ballot
Mar 7
43rd
joint
ballot
Mar 8
44th
joint
ballot
Mar 9
45th
joint
ballot
Mar 10
46th
joint
ballot
Mar 11
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 5 9 80 77 66 9 6 6 80 79 65 3 2
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 4 75 71 59 4 2 2 74 75 57 4 1
Edward M. Shepard
Edward M. Shepard
Edward Morse Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

Democrat 2
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 1 4 7 18 18 13 3 14 18 17 16 9 1
John J. Hopper Ind. League 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1
John D. Kernan Democrat 10 11 1 1 1
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 4 4 4 1
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

Democrat 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1
John N. Carlisle Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
J. Hampden Dougherty Democrat 1 1
Edward M. Grout Democrat 1 1
Thomas F. Conway
Thomas F. Conway
Thomas Franklin Conway was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1911 to 1912.-Life:...

Democrat 1
Simon W. Rosendale
Simon W. Rosendale
Simon Wolfe Rosendale was an American lawyer and politician. Rosendale was the first Jew elected to a statewide elective office in New York.-Life:...

Democrat 1
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1
Edward Lazansky
Edward Lazansky
Edward Lazansky was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1
Luke D. Stapleton Democrat 1 1
Isaac M. Kapper Democrat 1 1 1 1
Thomas M. Mulry Democrat 1
Herman Ridder Democrat 1 1 1

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party 47th
joint
ballot
Mar 13
48th
joint
ballot
Mar 14
49th
joint
ballot
Mar 15
50th
joint
ballot
Mar 16
51st
joint
ballot
Mar 17
52nd
joint
ballot
Mar 18
53rd
joint
ballot
Mar 20
54th
joint
ballot
Mar 21
55th
joint
ballot
Mar 22
56th
joint
ballot
Mar 23
57th
joint
ballot
Mar 24
58th
joint
ballot
Mar 25
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 74 78 64 7 2 3 78 81 63 5 3
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 69 73 56 2 2 2 69 75 53 1 1
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 18 11 12 3 1 4 11 10 7 1 1
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 4 4 3 1 1 2 5 4 4 1
John D. Kernan Democrat 2 6 7 5 1 3 7 9 10 3 1
John J. Hopper Ind. League 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

Democrat 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1
John N. Carlisle Democrat 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
David A. Boody
David A. Boody
David Augustus Boody was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Jackson, Maine, he attended the common schools and Phillips Academy . He studied law with Charles M. Brown in Bangor, Maine, was admitted to the bar in 1860 at Belfast, Maine, and commenced practice in Camden, Maine...

Democrat 1 1 1 1
Thomas Carmody
Thomas Carmody
Thomas Carmody was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He graduated from Cornell University Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1886...

Democrat 1
Augustus Thomas
Augustus Thomas
Augustus Thomas was an American playwright, born in St. Louis, Missouri. The son of a doctor, he worked a number of jobs including a page in the 41st Congress, studying law and gaining some practical railway work experience before he turned to journalism and became editor of the Kansas City Mirror...

1
Joseph D. Baucus Democrat 1

Second Democratic caucus

In the morning of March 27, before the 59th ballot, State Senator Edgar T. Brackett
Edgar T. Brackett
Edgar Truman Brackett , was a member of the New York State Senate.-Biography:He was born on July 30, 1853 in Emerson's Corners in Wilton, New York to William Brackett and Elizabeth Ann Sherman. His son, Charles William Bracket, was born in 1892. He died in 1924.-References:...

, the Republican minority leader, tried to articulate a combination of Republicans and Insurgents to elect an independent Democrat, but was opposed by Edwin A. Merritt, the Republican minority leader in the Assembly, and the offer was turned down by State Senator Roosevelt.

The second Democratic caucus met on the evening of March 27, after the 59th ballot. President pro tempore of the State Senate Robert F. Wagner
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.-Origin and early life:...

 presided. 90 State legislators attended, among them only 4 Insurgents. Sheehan received 28 votes, and the remainder was scattered among 24 other men, but none for the Insurgents' frontrunner Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

. The caucus then adjourned to meet again on the next evening.

In the morning of March 28, before the 60th ballot, Chauncey M. Depew sent a telegram from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 releasing the Republican State legislators from their caucus pledges, and Merritt now voiced his support of the coalition scheme. Brackett announced that the Republicans would meet in a conference to consider the combination with the Insurgents.

The Democratic caucus met again in the evening of March 28, after the 60th ballot. Four ballots were taken, with no choice, and the caucus adjourned in the small hours of March 29 until the next morning. An hour after the adjournment, a fire broke out in the Assembly library which consumed the west wing of the New York State Capitol
New York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...

. The State Legislature moved to temporary accommodations in the Albany City Hall.

The Republican conference met in the morning of March 29, before the 61st ballot, but many legislators did not appear and no action was taken. Besides, taking the fire as an excuse, most Republicans paired
Pair (parliamentary convention)
Pairing is a system whereby two members of parliament from opposing political parties may agree to abstain where one member is unable to vote, due to other commitments, illness, travel problems, etc...

 with regular Democrats and went home, so that no quorum was present at the joint sessions of March 29 and 30.

The Democratic caucus met again on March 29, after the 61st ballot, but did not take any vote. State Senator Roosevelt led an Insurgent committee which informed the caucus attendees that, unless one of the names on a list submitted earlier (with the names of Herrick, Gerard, Straus, Glynn, Littleton, Dowling, Van Wyck, Parker, Kernan, Ridder and Carlisle) would be chosen, the Insurgents and Republicans would elect John D. Kernan on the next joint ballot of the State Legislature.

On March 30, the announced coalition did not materialize. Despite the Republican leaders supporting the scheme, most legislators did not attend the joint session. Besides, the Democratic caucus did not meet again, the negotiations continued only behind the scenes.

On March 31, Boss Murphy proposed James A. O'Gorman, a justice of the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...

 whose name had never been mentioned until the first meeting of the second caucus when O'Gorman received a single vote on the first ballot. After some debate, the Insurgents accepted O'Gorman. Thereupon the caucus met again, and 14 Insurgents attended, but Roosevelt did not. O'Gorman was nominated, and the State Legislature was convened in the evening to elect him. Thus ended the longest legislative deadlock in New York history after 74 days.
1911 Second Democratic caucus for United States Senator result
Office Candidate 1st
ballot
Mar 27
2nd
ballot
Mar 28
3rd
ballot
Mar 28
4th
ballot
Mar 28
5th
ballot
Mar 28/29
6th
ballot
Mar 31
U.S. Senator (Class 1) William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

28 27 27 26 26 23
Augustus Van Wyck
Augustus Van Wyck
Augustus Van Wyck was a Supreme Court Justice of Brooklyn, New York. In 1898 he received the Democratic Nomination for New York State governor against the Republican choice, Theodore Roosevelt.- Background :...

7 8 8 8 8 1
John J. Fitzgerald
John J. Fitzgerald
John Joseph Fitzgerald was a United States Representative from New York.-Biography:Born in Brooklyn, he attended the public schools, La Salle Military Academy , and graduated from Manhattan College in 1891...

6 6 6 6 6
Isidor Straus
Isidor Straus
Isidor Straus —a German Jewish American—was co-owner of the Macy's department store with his brother Nathan. He also served briefly as a member of the United States House of Representatives...

5 5 5 12 12 5
John D. Kernan 4 4 4 4 4 3
Theodore Sutro 4 1 1 1 1
Daniel F. Cohalan 4 1 1 1 1
James W. Gerard
James W. Gerard
James Watson Gerard was a U.S. lawyer and diplomat.-Biography:Gerard was born in Geneseo, N. Y. He graduated from Columbia in 1890 and from New York Law School. He was chairman of the Democratic campaign committee of New York County for four years, and served as major of the National Guard of the...

3 4 4 3 3
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

3 3 3 3 3 1
Herman Ridder 3 2 2 2 2
D. Cady Herrick
D. Cady Herrick
D-Cady Herrick was an American lawyer and politician.-Name:He was baptized Cady Herrick, but his father thought it better to add an initial hyphened "D-" to the name to avoid class-room jokes, like calling the boy "Katie." Thus the initial did not stand for any given name, and the first name...

3 1 3 1 1 4
James A. Renwick 3
Joseph A. Goulden
Joseph A. Goulden
Joseph Aloysius Goulden , son of Aaron Goulden who originated from England, was a U.S. Representative from New York....

2 6 5
Morgan J. O'Brien 2 2 2 2 2
William B. Ellison 2 2 2 1 1
Victor J. Dowling 2 2 2 1 1
James A. O'Gorman 1 1 1 2 2 63
Francis B. Harrison 1 1 1 1 1
John B. Stanchfield
John B. Stanchfield
John Barry Stanchfield was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a prominent litigator and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 1900.-Life:...

1 1 1 1 1
Edward M. Grout 1 1 1 1 1
Edward E. McCall 1 1 1 1 1
Samuel Untermyer
Samuel Untermyer
Samuel Untermyer Samuel Untermyer Samuel Untermyer (March 6, 1858 – March 16, 1940, although some sources cite March 2, 1858, and even others, June 6, 1858 also known as Samuel Untermeyer was a Jewish-American lawyer and civic leader as well as a self-made millionaire. He was born in...

1 1 1 1 1
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix was the 38th Governor of New York from January 1911 to December 1912.-Life:Born in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, Dix attended Cornell University, but never graduated. He was an initiated member of the Beta Charge of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity...

1 1 1 1 1
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

1 1
John Lynn 1
John Anderson Leach 3 3 3 3
Thomas M. Mulry 1 1 1 1
J. M. Levy 1 1 1 1
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

1 1
Edward A. Richards 1

Election results, 59th through 63rd ballot

1911 United States Senator (Class 1) special election result
Candidate Party 59th
joint
ballot
Mar 27
60th
joint
ballot
Mar 28
61st
joint
ballot
Mar 29
62nd
joint
ballot
Mar 30
63rd
joint
ballot
Mar 31
Martin W. Littleton
Martin W. Littleton
Martin Wiley Littleton was a United States Representative from New York. Born near Kingston in Roane County, Tennessee, he moved to Texas in 1881 with his parents, who settled in Dallas. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1891 and commenced practice in Dallas...

Democrat 17 22 2 3
William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....

Democrat 16 28 4 6
Chauncey M. Depew Republican 11 80 7 11 80
Morgan J. O'Brien Democrat 3 4 1 1
Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....

Democrat 2 1
John D. Kernan Democrat 1 4 23 12
Alton B. Parker
Alton B. Parker
Alton Brooks Parker was an American lawyer, judge and the Democratic nominee for U.S. president in the 1904 elections.-Life:...

Democrat 1 1
John J. Hopper Ind. League 1
John N. Carlisle Democrat 1 3
Augustus Van Wyck
Augustus Van Wyck
Augustus Van Wyck was a Supreme Court Justice of Brooklyn, New York. In 1898 he received the Democratic Nomination for New York State governor against the Republican choice, Theodore Roosevelt.- Background :...

Democrat 7 1 3
Joseph A. Goulden
Joseph A. Goulden
Joseph Aloysius Goulden , son of Aaron Goulden who originated from England, was a U.S. Representative from New York....

Democrat 6
John J. Fitzgerald
John J. Fitzgerald
John Joseph Fitzgerald was a United States Representative from New York.-Biography:Born in Brooklyn, he attended the public schools, La Salle Military Academy , and graduated from Manhattan College in 1891...

Democrat 6
Isidor Straus
Isidor Straus
Isidor Straus —a German Jewish American—was co-owner of the Macy's department store with his brother Nathan. He also served briefly as a member of the United States House of Representatives...

Democrat 5 2 9
James W. Gerard
James W. Gerard
James Watson Gerard was a U.S. lawyer and diplomat.-Biography:Gerard was born in Geneseo, N. Y. He graduated from Columbia in 1890 and from New York Law School. He was chairman of the Democratic campaign committee of New York County for four years, and served as major of the National Guard of the...

Democrat 4 1 2
Herman Ridder Democrat 3 1
Victor J. Dowling Democrat 3 1
William Sulzer
William Sulzer
William Sulzer was an American lawyer and politician, nicknamed Plain Bill Sulzer. He was the 39th Governor of New York and a long-serving congressman from the same state. He was the first and so far only New York Governor to be impeached...

Democrat 3 1
William B. Ellison Democrat 3 1
James A. Renwick Democrat 3
Theodore Sutro Democrat 3
D. Cady Herrick
D. Cady Herrick
D-Cady Herrick was an American lawyer and politician.-Name:He was baptized Cady Herrick, but his father thought it better to add an initial hyphened "D-" to the name to avoid class-room jokes, like calling the boy "Katie." Thus the initial did not stand for any given name, and the first name...

Democrat 2 3 4
James A. O'Gorman Democrat 1 112
Francis B. Harrison Democrat 1
John B. Stanchfield
John B. Stanchfield
John Barry Stanchfield was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a prominent litigator and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 1900.-Life:...

Democrat 1
Edward E. McCall Democrat 1
Samuel Untermyer
Samuel Untermyer
Samuel Untermyer Samuel Untermyer Samuel Untermyer (March 6, 1858 – March 16, 1940, although some sources cite March 2, 1858, and even others, June 6, 1858 also known as Samuel Untermeyer was a Jewish-American lawyer and civic leader as well as a self-made millionaire. He was born in...

Democrat 1
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix was the 38th Governor of New York from January 1911 to December 1912.-Life:Born in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, Dix attended Cornell University, but never graduated. He was an initiated member of the Beta Charge of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity...

Democrat 1
Frank S. Black
Frank S. Black
Frank Swett Black was an American newspaper editor, lawyer and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to 1897, and the 32nd Governor of New York from 1897 to 1898.-Life:He was one of eleven children of Jacob Black, a farmer, and Charlotte B. Black...

Republican 1
Daniel F. Cohalan Democrat 1
Edward M. Grout Democrat 1
John Lynn Democrat 1

Aftermath

This was the last U.S. senatorial election by the State Legislature. The U.S. Constitution was amended soon after, and since 1914 U.S. Senators have been elected statewide by popular ballot. O'Gorman took his seat on April 4, 1911, and served a single term, remaining in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1917. In November 1916, Republican William M. Calder
William M. Calder
William Musgrave Calder I was an American politician from New York.-Biography:He was born in Brooklyn on March 3, 1869 to Alexander G. Calder. He trained as a carpenter, attended night classes at Cooper Union....

 was elected to succeed O'Gorman.

Sources

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK