He travelled to England following the completion of his mayoral term, and by mid-November 1891, it had become clear he intended to resign his parliamentary seat, and he sent a telegram to the Speaker and a letter to his lawyer, Mr E. Sholl.
Edward Vivien Harvey Keane, the mayor of Perth, had recently resigned his seat at Geraldton due to business interests, and was a contractor for the Midland Railway.
Thomas Molloy, the senior councillor of the Perth City Council, also nominated.
Molloy was supported by the Trades and Labor Council, as well as several Opposition members of Parliament including Alfred Canning and William Loton.
Molloy later addressed a large gathering in front of the People newspaper office in Murray Street, and the following evening, took up his seat in the Legislative Assembly next to Lancel de Hamel, the unofficial Opposition leader.