Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-05-05
BIG bR|Bt scandal
CHARGES OF CORRUPTION IN
ILLINOIS SENATORIAL ELEc.
TON ARE MADE.
CHARLES A. WHITE coNFESsES
Legislator Says He Received $1,000
tor His Vote and 5000 From "sIush
Fund"-Accused Declare It 4.
"6IackmaIl."

6Iackmatl."
Chicago, May 2.-An amazing story
alleging bribery and corruption in the
election OF William Lorimer as United
States senator was unfolded to States
Attorney Wayman by Representative
Charles A. White of st. Clair county.
Democrat, who made a confession
to the public prosecutor that he re.
ceived $1,000 for his vote.
Charges that the breaking of the
sensational deadlock was accom-.
plished by the wholesale buying of
Democratic votes by the Lorimer
forces at prices ranging from $1,000
70 $4,000, were accompanied by furth-
or allegations from White that he
nad participated to the extent of 5000
IN the splitting up Of the lack pot"
9 term he used to designate "slush
fund" alleged to have been collected
for the defeat or passage of legisla-
ton.
Steps for Probe.
The disclosures were followed by
immediate steps on the part of the
authorities to start investigations, and
the situation rapidly took on proper
tlon' that promise to develop into the
biggest scandal Illinois has had in
decades.
According to Whites story, Lee
O'Neill Browne, minority leader of the
illinois house. paid him $1,000 for
having voted for Lorimer, and that
Robert E. Wilson, Democratic men,
Der from Chicago, paid him the 5000
additional which White claims to
have received.
Grand JurIes to Investigate.
Two grand jury investigations-in
Cook and Sangamon counties, where
the money is said by White to have
been paid-Will be the most imme-
date result of the charges. Upon
their outcome depends largely wheth-
er Lorimer will be able to retain his
seat or whether the toga will be torn
from his shoulders.
Under it's rules the United States
senate must expel any member who is
found to have secured his seat by
bribery. Dispatches from Washington
indicate that action at the capitol will
depend on developments on the scene
of action In Illinois.
The confession made by White
brings to head vague rumors, aloat
both at Springfield and at Washington
during the days of the senatorial dead
lock, that certain interests were using
money to aid the election of Lorimer.
Senator Lorimer scoffed at the story
and pointed out that his ambition to
wear the toga did not sprout until a
week or two before he was elected.
Attack Surprise.
1.-The attack is surprise to me-"
he said. II do not understand it. /
am sure that nobody gave any money
to anyone in the legislature in my be-
half, to White or to anybody else"
States Attorney Burke of Sanga-
mon county issued subpoenas for
White to appear before the grand jury
<, Springfield today. Attorney Burke
asserts that If White makes confession
that he took bribe he will be indicted
and prosecuted
1t has developed that labor circles
for some weeks past have been cog
infant that White contemplated ma
king confession. White is an old
street car conductor, and some time
ago declared to some of the members
OF the local unions that he was about
to spring sensation that would
startle the state.
Cry "BIackmaiI."
0ff h0
dragged into the scandal by Whites
confession characterize the charges
as "blackmail." With few exceptions
all of them said that he was contempla-
ting the publicati ion of a history of
the inner secrets of the election of
Senator Lorimer and of the manner
In which legislation is carried on at
Springfield.
Browne and Wilson said that
Whites accusations were falsehoods
from start to finish.
In an interview Mr.. Browne said:
mo money and no other thing of
value was paid to me by Senator
Lorimer or promised to me either for
my vote or for the vote of anyone
else, neither ulu promise 70 pay at
that or any other time any money or
any other thing Of value of any kind
to any member or promise or repre-.
sent that some one else would pay
any money or any other thing of value
for vote for Senator Lorimer or a
vote for anything else. 49, .,
II can say that neither Senator
Lorimer nor any other man for him
tried to use any coercion with any
member of my crowd"