Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-01-28
PRIMARY INQUISITION DEAD
Wisconsin Assembly Kills Plan to
Probe Senatorship Fight.
STEPHENSON NEAR THE FINISH
Senator within One Vote of Re-elec-
tiOn and In Expected to Win
Today-Hopkins Losing
Ground.

MADISON, Was, Jan. Ex-senator Isaac
Stephenson lacked but one vote of being
reelected to the United States senate for
full term on the first ballot taken in
joint session today.
There were two senator's absent, the total
vote being 13l, thus requiring sixty-six
votes for a choice. Senator Stephenson was
able to line up only sixty-five.
Several members who voted for him yes
rterday deserted him today. This is said to
be due to charges OF primary corruption
made against the senator.
with the resolution calling for investl-
cation of senatorial primary out of the way
it is said Senator Stephenson would win
easily. This will be considered tomorrow
and may be disposed Of If the resolution
is defeated there will be no investigation.
In that event it is said Senator Stephenson
would gain the necessary support
Investigation Resolution Killed.
When the assembly met Assemblyman
| Hughes asked that the rules be suspended
and that the resolution be placed on It's
| immediate passage. Mr.. Cleary said action
! should be delayed until the resolution was
printed and placed on file. He would favor
| an investigation II the resolution was
| placed in a reasonable form and declared
that State Chairman Edmonds courted an
| investigation.
Speaker Bancroft said the resolution Of
Mr.. Blaine provided for the appointment
of three men. from each house. He said
I it was an unheard OF proposition and II
there was to be an Investigation the as
| he ntad Nv
bers at least He would leave the chair
and present such an amendment If neces-
| sary,
Mr. Roy objected to a suspension of the
rules, thereby requiring two-thirds vote,
Upon a roll call the suspension failed by a
| vote of a ayes to Sc noes. This practically
| killed the investigation. Immediately the as
| sembly passed to the consideration of res
| olutiOns and bills as serenely as II nothing
| had occurred.
i The first ballot for United states senator
in joint assembly today resulted in no
choice, Stephenson receiving sxty-five
votes; necessary to elect, sXty-seven
votes. Other, votes were scattering
| Senator Blaine filed sixteen charges
! accusing Senator Stephenson of using
money in the primary naming the sum as
approaching s25OOOo.
Senator Blaine followed with speech on
THE Purchase Of United States Senator.
ship" He said he proposed to show thai
1t was purchased by corruption, bribery
and fraud. He cited the case of former
Senator Clark Of Montana, saying thai
Clark had no other claim to office than his
millions and that stephenson's was the
same. He offered an investigation resolu,
tion providing immunity from arrest FOL
who may testify to the committee of brib
cry, but not immunity for perjurer Thi,
was adopted after an amendment includins
the investigation of officials for ten year.
back was voted down.
Hopkins Losing Ground.
SPRINGFIELD. H., Jan. 27.-After fouI
joint ballots from the eighteenth to tn,
twenty-first exclusive, the joint session o
the Illinois legislature which met to elec
a successor for United States Senator Hop
klns rose for the day. The voting showed
net IS of twelve votes for Senator Hop
y = from the eighty-five which he re
ceiyed on the seventeenth ballot yesterday
to the seventy-three given on the twenty
first ballot today.
The names Of Judge L. Y Sherman an,
Former Governor Richard Yates wer,
voted for and were greeted with cheers
On the nineteenth ballot Representativ,
Hull created sensation when he ros
in the roll call and declared that ne hai
fulfilled his caucus obligations and car
ried out the spirit Of the primary law, b!
voting for Senator Hopkins for elghteei
ballots. 1T Is no longer possible to elec
Senator Hopkins" he said. although IA
has the largest vote. From now on
shall vote for a man who can represent tn
state Of Illinois in the United State
senate"
Mr.. Hun, then voted for Congressman
Foss His announcement was greeted wit
oheerA