New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-03
[By Telegraph to The Tribune.


Albany. May 3.-One year. to a day. from the
time of his original appointment bT Governor
Higgins. the Senate tonight reconhrmed Otto
Kelsey in the office of State Superintendent OF
Insurance giving only 24 of the 26 votes
necessary to sustain Governor IIughes's recon-
mendatiOn of his removal from office. Twenty
seven votes were cast against his removal Sen
atOrs Cassidy. Emerson and Gilchrist did not
vote on the first rollcall. but swung into line
for removal on call for absentees. a tremen-
dous burst of applause greeted the announce
ment of the result.
The Senators broke party lines as follows:
For Observation-Disclosures Agnew, Arm
strong, Burr Carpenter, Cassidy. Cobb, Cordts'
Davis, Dunn, Emerson Foelker Gates. Gill
christ Grattan, Heacock Hinman. Knapp,
O'NeiI. Page, Sake Travis and Wemple (22l.
Democrats: Fuller and Taylor (2).
Against Republicans: Aids. Fan
cher, Franchot. HILL Hooker, Raines, Smith.
Tully. White and Wilcox (10).
Democrats: Ackroyd. Royce. Cohalan. Cullen.
Frawley. Grady, Harte. Hasenfiug, Mccall Nc
Carren. McManus, Mullaney, Ramsperger. Soh-
mer. Sullivan and Thompson I'D.
II wish | had majority vote TO cast Tor
Otto Kelsey" declared Senator Raines, at the
end of a vehement defence of Kelsey, which In
cluded much condemnation OF Governor
Hughess course.
Senator SAKE asked TO have his name called
first. owing to a death in his family. This privi-
lege was granted 10 him by unanimous consent
After briefly explaining his reasons. he cast the
first vote for the removal OF Mr.. Kelsey.
Senator Aids said in explanation of his vote,
It was an unpleasant duty for him TO have 10
differ with the Governor. but he could not in
this case vote for the Governors recommenda-
rion without violating his conscience. The com
mittee did right. he declared, in giving Mr.
Kelsey a hearing and the testimony. he held
vndcated the superintendent.
Senator Cassidy had his name passed This
gave him the knowledge of the entire vote be
fore he voted.
senator Cohalan said that in casting his vote
he did So not as "a cringing slave, but as the
equal of Charles Evans Hughes Il challenge
any one to say | am not the equal of Charles
+. Hughes off or on this floor he shouted. lie
then began n scathing arraignment of Senators
Armstrong and Page. He accused them OF be
ing without decency. cOwardly as seeking
newspaper notOriety. as attempting 10 curry
favor with a man whom accident had made
Governor" The Senate laughed derisively. Il
do not believe in indulging in personalities IN
this matter" he said, and roar of laughter
followed aud then he followed with an utter
condemnation of Senators Page and Armstrong
burling accusation after accusation at them, To
the delight of the gallery. which wanted amuse-
ment He declared that the worst charge that
rouIJ he made against Kelsey was his employ
mcnt of Armstrong as counsel
.Vhy hasn't Charles f.. Hughes removed Al
dridge" he said 'whO it was charged got
SoOOOOOO for himself or others: Why not re-
move Bender whom the Civil Service Commits
sion found guilty: If Hughes wishes to be con-
siStent he should file his resignation
Senator Armstrong then made the point of
order that only five minutes he allowed TO each
speaker lie rather enjoyed Mr.. COhalan's
speech. he said.
SANDY" Smith. Lou Payns nan. talked
about the Hughes inquisition" lie paid
tribute to Bob" Hunter.
Not the fate of the most important measure
of recent years. not the disposition of party
policies or of bitterly fought partisan questions
brought out the manifestations of public inter-
est which the final day of this celebrated case
produced. From the moment the Senate doors
were swung open in the morning strangers and
politicians, the vast general public and the men
who were a part of the bitter fight within the
gorgeous Senate chamber jostled one another
around the corridors. Politicians. from the little
district worker up to the state committeeman
and the bos of groups of counties wandered
agitatedly around the Capitol kilograms poured
into the Senators by the dozen. Pages from
time TO time called Senators TO the telephone,
Insurance men. prominent amCng whom was
John C. Mccall. listened intently to the debate.
Corporation lobbyists gathered round like vult-
ures, hungry for every crumb of news as 10 the
change of attiture of each Senator.
With the Senators themselves it crisis.
They knew what all this interest meant. We're
damned if we do we're damned if don't"
quoted one with weary air. Anxiety wrote