St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-15
New York Republican Sena-
tors Place Themselves in
a Bad Light.
They Refuse to Vote and Are
Promptly Judged Guilty
of Contempt,
Which Debars Them From
Voting and May Mean I'M
prisonment.
Lieut.. Gov. Poyneer Breaks a
Deadlock and Democrats
Get Offices.

ALBANY, n. Y, Jan. lathe effect
upon the senate and the practical posi-
ton of the Republican senators adj
judged guilty of contempt this morning
is this. Upon the question of SubSIi-
tute of new enumeration bill Senator
Coggeshell asked to be excused from
voting, stating that he had not read the
bill. and therefore could not vote in
diligently. The lieutenant governor
put the question 9 to the senate
as to whether Mr.. COggeShell
should be excused, and by party vote
permission was refused. Senators
Erwin, O'ConnOr ana Sexton each fol-
lowed Senator CoggeshelPs example
ana were treated in like manner by the
senate. A substitute was adopted and
the question reOccurred on the final
passage of the bill. The senators
again refused to vote, and in each case
the lieutenant governor announced that
the members had refused to obey the
rules of the senate and the ruling OF
the chair. After the role had been fin
ished and the bill announced as
passed, Senator Cantor offered this res
Olution.
Judged In contempt
Resolved That the four members of the
senate refusing to vote be adjudged guilty of
contempt, and that the whole matter be re-
ferred to the judiciary committee.
Upon this question Senator Coggeshell
alleged that he was not aware that the
rule of contempt had as yet been
adopted, and spoke at length UPON lack
of knowledge of the contents of the bill.
The chair Informed him that that rule
and also Rule IA, which provides that
senators must vote unless excused by
the senate, had been adopted. Senator
COggeShell thereupon voted "nO," eX-
planning himself in favor of an enumer-
alton bill, but not being willing to vote
for one he had not read.
Senators Erwin. Sexton and O'COn-
nor each positively refused to vote.
Senator Erwin announced that he pre-
ferred to 60 to Jail rather than stultify
himself. The resolution was thereupOn
passed, every Democratic senator v0t-
ing in the affirmative, seventeen III all,
and nine Republicans voting against.
The members i'll question not voting
were adjudged guilty of contempt. The
chair announced that Senator Cogge-
shells vote had been recorded on the
journal, but would not be recorded upon
the tally sheet of the votes for and
against the bill The senator, however,
was not included in the contempt reso-
luton.
Lose Their Votes.
Senators Erwin, O'Connor and Sex
ton are, by the passage of the resolu-
ton. debarred from voting or taking
any part in the proceedings OF the sem
ate. until such time as they may be
purged from contempt by the judiciary
committee Of the senate. BY. virtue of
chapter Z, title Z. part l, OF the revised
statutes, the senate has power to punish
it's members for infringement ofthe
rules by Imprisonment, but the imprlS-
onment cannot extend beyond the time
of the session of the legislature.
The Democratic leaders say that they
are not afraid that the Republican SEN
atOrs will stay from the sessions, be-
cause to be absent without leave and
reasonable excuse is always regarded
and treated as an offense punishable by
fine or imprisonment. Senator Erwin,
before leaving the city tonight, refused
to say what his course would be in the
future, as did also the other Republic