The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-09-20
INTEREST N LORI
MER PROBE
Committee in Session Today
in Congress Hotel,
Chicago.

Chicago, Sept. 2O.-The full story
of the Illinois senatorial scandal,
which has already attracted much
public attention through ex-Presi-
dent Roosevelt's direct rebuff to
United States Senator William l..
Lorimer. is expected to be brought
TO light by the congressional COM
at the Congress Hotel in this city
today to begin its investigation OF
the charges made against LOrimer in
connection with his election to the
senate. Owing to the inability of
several of the members of the COM
mittee to arrive on time and the alb
sence of some persons whose testi-
! mony is desired it may be several
days before the real investigation be-
gins. When it does get under way.
according to those who have been
pushing the charges against Lorimer,
the scandal surrounding the politi-
cal career of the blonde boss" and
especially the circumstances sur
rounding his election to the senate,
will be shaken until its bones rat
tie.
On the other hand, Senator Lori
mer has many loyal friends and fol-
lowers who predict that the charges
made against him will prove a flash
in the pan, or a plot Matched by his
enemies to bring about his political
downfall.
Unbiased opinion, however, in
clines to the belief that a thorough
investigation will reveal an interest
ing story concerning the Illinois leg
islature and it's ways of doing bust
ness, of how some democratic men,
bers have been at the beck and call
of the republican bosses when legis-
lative measures of a certain class
were pending, and of various other
peculiar conditions which have been
known 10 exist for years but which
heretofore have never been dragged
into the light.
William Lorimer, for years the re-
publican boss of Chicago and MEM
Der of the national house of repre-
sentatives, was elected by the Illi-
nois legislature United States sem
ator a year ago last spring, after a
deadlock had existed for over four
months, defeating Albert J. Hopkins,
the choice of the republican party
at the primaries and of the legisla-
tors in the senate.
Representative Charles A. White,
of O'Fallon, a small town in ST.
Clair county. who voted for LOrimer,
put into manuscript form what he
alleged to be the inside history of
the Lorimer election. 1t was sold
to a Chicago newspaper and pub
lished. White confessed in his story.
which he called The Jackpot" that
he had received $1,000 from Lee
O'Neil Browne, democratic leader in
the lower house, for his vote for
Lorimer and $500 as his share of
the jackpot fund. The second pay
ment, he said, was made in st. Louis
by State Representative Robert E.
Wilson, of the Sixth district, Chica-
go.
An investigation was made and
White and the men implicated by
him were taken before the grand
jury Representative H. c. Becke-
meyer then confessed that he had
received $1,000 from Browne for his
vote for Lorimer. Representative
Wilson, who denied that he had paid
any money. was indicted for perjury
Representative Michael S. Link was
also indicted and then confessed
that he had received $1,000 to vote
for Lorimer.
On May % Senator Lorimer made
a speech in the senate at Washing
ton in which he asked for an in
vestigation. He charged that he was
the victim of conspiracy. He re-
ferred to Browne as IAN honorable,
upright, God-fearing man." The mat
ter was referred to the committee
on privileges and elections.
Lee O'Neil Browne, alleged to have
been the man who distributed the
Lorimer funds, was placed on trial
in Chicago on a charge of bribery.
and the jury, after remaining out
lis hours, failed to agree and was
dismissed. Browne was again put
on trial and the jury brought in a
verdist of not guilty on the same
day that ex-President Roosevelt ere
ated a sensation by refusing to at
tend the Hamilton club banquet in
Chicago unless the invitation to Sen
ator Lorimer was recalled