The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-22
SENATOR LORlIER CLEARED
tOWwITTEE tCQtTTS INV or
tUtRGES az BRIBERY.
R-psrt signed u, al Members Of the
son,mittr~ Except Beseridge, ne
publican, and frafirr. Democrat
Frazier ~,ibmits u Minority Report.

., S,uINGroS. dec. 2i,-A report sub
.,l-'rl To- IN" senate to-day by J. e
.u!rruN- chairman Of the COMMITTEES on
privileges and Elections. clears William
I.rIu-r. United States senator from
Illinois II the charges Of bribery and
corruption made in connection with his
,,,'r,u io the Senate. The report was
-i.u,i hv all Of the Republican members,
4 H." committee except Senator RaVer-
DIX, = Indiana. and by all IN. Demo
ran, members Of the committee except
senator FRAZIER of Tennessee. Senator
tI,SI"r sent telegram tn Chairman
Burrows. which was read Ia tina Senate.
800 which he asked permission tn file a
minority report later il he should se. III
lu - personal statement Senator Bever-
.i.. Il Indiana explained To- his colleagues
vgy h. had not sith. Concurred IN the
frIIrutv report or diss.nied from IL. He
,->.4i for time in which To study the
record IL the case. the briefs of counsel
anil the conclusions OF the committee.
and all decide later whether or not he
vii Lead opposition in the Senate To the
.ppruy al Of the report of the majority Of
IN, committee
senator Burrows submitted tho report
soon after the Senate met at noon and
-sk-d that il be printed and lie upon the
tah. To- be called up and disposed Of at
,rrn. later date. There was coloquial
,irhat. lasting twenty minutes. IN which
senator B.v.ridEe was more or less promi-
rrut This. Senator from Indiana ask ed
Unanimous consent TO fix n date for clos
ma, d-'hat. on the report and for a vote
On IL II was explained to him that the
REPORT was privileged measure and
could hc Call.d up at any time.
senator Beveridge asked the Senate TO
asr." - January 10. and when that date
vas objected To ne proposed January II
~ IN. dat" for Vote. hut this was also
,hrr,t Ipunbl., 10 Some Of the Senators
,ud the matter went over with no definite
agreement a. 10 " h"n 1t will be taken up
In"r" = no question that the Senate
vii n. ,''llsd on sooner or later TO debate
-h" report and vote upon II. The ma =
.,-liv II tn" committee asked 10 b@
.Ncu-ed from further consideration OF
~. ras. There IL a belief around the
S..u.t, chamber that Senator Beveridge
b, preparing To lead an attack OF the
.n-urg"ut Senators on the report. The
senator from Indiana is noncommittll.
some Dnuht was expressed to-day whether
senator Frazier would ever submit a
rn.nrrltv report II has been stated that
.rr-ual pressure was brought To bear
pom him to induce him To Join with the
'.~' Il his Democratic colleagues in
.s-4ug tn" ma orIty report.
Ir. majority report submitted to-day
BE- signed by Senators Burrows, Depew.
D,Iagham. Gamble. Hepburn and
y .a-lev. Republicans. and Bailey,
T. inter. Johnston and Fletcher. Demo
,-,J, senator Hepburn besides joining
%. no" majority report submitted an
a,Hv.iuil r. port on the case.
The conclusions OF the ma jority Of the
.Y,urultt-e are embodied in tine statement
mat the it'll. Of MIR Lorimer to a seat IN
80. senate has not been shown to be
..,aIII by the Use or employment OF
..rrupt methods or practices.
h.. committee al the outset OF its
.,.y.stigation la!i down tn. proposition
nat Their. were only two matters on
which 1t was called 20 pass. Thes" were
whether senator Lorimer had participated
~ ne. or more acts OF bribery or attempted
berry or sanctioned or encouraged TN.
-tine. or whether 10y bribery or corrupt
pr.Ctices enough votes were obtained for
him TO change the result Of the election.
At the outset IL ~ pointed out that
mos. conducting the case against Mr..
lprimsr admitted their ina bilIty tn con-
net him with any acts OF bribery and
'reir counsel announced that they would
r.uke no attempt TO do SO, This action.
'.- committee holds. made IL unnece--
cary to- investigate the first test Of his
% lalifcltions. The committee found that
here was no testimony offered during
the investigation which would tend in the
r-nO'est degree To implicate Senator
lorlmar in any personal act OF bribery
~ attempted bribery or corrupt practices
ut any nature.
The committee INDUCES in some CON
i.nnation OF number OF witnesses
examined by them, in reviewing the
Charles 4. White. a Democratic member
II me Legislature. who started the sensa
zion by writing personal confession
that he had accepted bride. OF White
the ma JOrIty say:
The chief OF these sef-accussrs and the
one on whose testimony the whole fabric
- the accusation largely depends was
,gar"s ! white. member OF the lower
hose 81 the Illinois General Assembly.
Wh.'s seems to have developed early in his
.oE slativ. career an Unsuitable desire TO
s"' re a p"cuniary compensation for his
oN'rIll acts and he also appears to hay"
sp.'r'et his fellow n."rnbers Of The General
Assembly ~ being "a corrupt a. him self
a.. endeavOred to induce the chairman
NJ IN Important committee TO defer re-
'"r''n1 = Till IN order TO .xtor' money from
''r - 0 no wer" Interested in its passage
N'"r Nr f.Orimsr had been elected 10
40 >ouar. Whit. tried 10 obtain inforrna-
'sn from another member OF the House
r.-ft"r money had not been used To pro-
-... senator Lorim"r's election This IN
u"- only shows his corrupt character
.. a.-r casts suspicion upon the truth 81
-'ore that h. had been br.ba,i TO vo,.
'.- BE. -u'""S-tul candiia'. for senator
A'''r -a-'inR his salary and other means
q .N'rru- living Whit appears to have
... -.f"l 'h. plan OF claiming {" hav" b.cn
900. .H .onu""'Ion with IN" senatorial
.. .. nn-l- Cor eHrortlng monsy from
Iurfu"r
.f' uEiurijy find that after seeing.
..- .r.' and hearing this witness n
.. '-" p'InIpn Of the majority Of IN.
.r.ul'r". hat no cTedence ought
.. "u TO any part of his testimony
t.r- o.. establish the fact ~ bribery
I.' ..wrulti.." holds THAI Senator
i.....N.' IL. 10 his seat would not b.
'..,rI even Il rha votes 81 the con.
,---'.l H'.r"r- ver. thrown out senator
'.F n"' h4I fourteen majority on Joint
O. feAA