The Washington times., 1910-06-18
Belief Prevalent That Graft
Expose Will Be
Complete.
SENATOR LORTMER
CALM AND SMILING
Still Insists Scandal Is Huge Con
spiracy Hatched Up to
Ruin Him.
BY o. P. NEWMAN.

CHICAGO, June lS--'Wul Illinois get
the men higher up in the legislative
bribery prOsecG1Ons2"
Replies to this question, which was
put TO numerous people Of all classes in
Chicago and vicinity, were invariably in
the affirmative. From one end Of IlH-
nois to the other the belief seems TO be
prevalent that before the courts and the
newspapers get through with the case
they viii have officially settled the vex-
ing problem, "WIo furnished the dust2"
In the face of this Senator William
LOrfmer goes calmly on his way. build
ing up his new bank, the La Sale Street
National which has been opened since
airing was given the bribery charges
concerning his seat in the United States
Senate. He acts as if the legislative
scandal held no threats for him and as
If he hadn't a care in the world. He
stin insists that the whole bribery scan
dal is a conspiracy Matched up by the
Chicago Tribune, Governor Deneen, and
other political enemies. who are deter
mined 10 ruin him, politically and 6nan-
cially.
Outside Viewpoint.
To the unbiased observer II looks as If
the Senator has cause 10 be anything
bit calm and Unworried Charles A.
White, Democratic member OF the H.
inois House from O'FallOn. started the
excitement by confessing he had re-
ceived $1,000 to vote for LOrimer for
Senator.
White was a labor lobbyist at Spring
held before he was elected to the Legis-
lature. and. curiousIy, had been street
car conductor, which calling Senator
Lorimer followed from 1880 to 1850.
White implicated other Democratic leg
lslators. and under investigation bv the
COOK county grand jury two others con-
1essed that they also recei, ed 81, 900 each
FOR voting for Lorimer
Ihe striking thing about the case is
Inat the stories of these three men
White and r. j. c. Becl1emeyer. of car
lyle' ana Michael s Link of Mitchell
aGree as 10 the details OF the bribery
transactions. Eeckemeyer and Link cor
roporate practically everything White
charged IN his original confession. which
the chicago Tribune bought from him
Tor $50 and published April 90 last
thefeby preclpltdtinE the whole Seua-
torlal bribery scandal
HOltslaw Confession.
In the midst Of the grand jury investi-
cations at Chicago and Springfield. Is.
W Holtslaw. Democratic State sena-
tor from Iuka, confessed that he had
been paid $500 to vote for Iorirner. and
that the money was given to him by
State Senator John Broderick, Demo
Crat, of Chicago. This makes four
members Of the Legislature who confess
10 having received cash for their votes
on Senator.
If. as Senator Lorimer charges, the
whole affair is a huge diabolicaI con
spiracy 10 ruin him, the iHstigators
Of the plot have succeeded remarkably
well thus far in manipulating their pup
pets and making everybody stick 10 the
same story.
LAS "A matter of fact" said Senator
Lcrimer, when asked iC ne cared 10
make any. statement 10 The Times. .
there has been bribery committed. but
II has been since the Legislature elected I
me and adjourned The bribery has
been recently and has been against in
stead of for me-"
Case Against Him.
That seems pretty Unlikely. Senator
he was told. 1T would seem that II
this whole thing. and all these bribery I
stories. were made up and directed by
your enemies there would have been
slip somewhere before this. If this is
a conspiracy, as YOU charge, then We
have the remarkable spectacle Of a /
dozen Tribune people, the governor, the /
Cook and Sangamon counties, the Cook /
County grand jury, the SanSamon /
Legislature. and all the newspapers of I
Chicago except the InterOCean acting /.
I'm concert, telling the same lies ana I
building up the same kind Of case 1
against you. Ii doesn't seem possible I
that this could happen.
Senator Lorimer smiled quietly and 1
replied in his usually mild way:
You do not understand the power .
of my enemies or the length they are /
ready TO go TO ruin me. They would F.
not hesitate 10 pat through just such .
a gigantic fraud as You outline.
But IL is much more reasonable 10 /
suppose they are telling the truth .
and that money was actually used t. \
buy votes for you for Senator
Sure of Vindication.
'In the end 7 am confident win be 4
cleared. I haven't the slightest doubt \
that the fact that this is a conspir- /
acy will be exposed and the honesty /
of my election established"
Three men stand accused of having
given bride money to members Of the 4
Legislature and il is through these, !
and others who may be indicted later, /
that the authorities, the newspapers. |
and the best citizens OF Illinois hope !
TO find out where the money came /
from. The three men are
Representatiye Lee O'Neiu Browne /
of Ottawa. accused Of bribing MEM |
bers of the house 20 vote for Lori /
mer. Indicted for bribery
Representative Robert =. Wilson Of 1
Chicago, accused of splitting up the /
legislative Jackpot in the southern |
Hotel at St Louis Indicted for per- /
jury.
State Senator John Broderick Of |
Chicago. accused Of paying Safe SEN /
ator Holtslaw TO vote for LOrimer for 1
Senator. Indicted for bribery.
The trial Of Browne is now in prog
ress. If he is convicted, the prosecu- I
ton feels confiden. that Browne him I
self Wilson or Frederick VIII give /
up" the name or names OF the people 4
who furnished the corruption funds. /
Thus the case viii be run back step I
by step. until the original source OF /