Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-30
Sensational AIleg a tions
involving Legislature
Stir Politicians.
CORNERSTONE N"PRINTED
Declared Money Was Freely
Used With Minority-Cut
Up Jackpot"

Chicago, April 30.-According to a
copyrighted story printed this morning
In the Chicago Tribune that newspaper
has in its possession sworn state
ment by Charles A White, member of
the lower house of the Illinois legisla-
ture from the Forty-ninth district.
charging that William Lorimer was
elected United States senator last May
by bribery and corruption.
Paid by Lee O'Nein Browne.
White, who is a democrat, in his
statement says he received $1,000 for
voting for Lorimer This money, he
alleges, was paid him by Lee O'Neil
Browne, democratic leader of the last
legislature
Got 5000 More for .JackpOt.-
White also says he received 5000
more from the Jackpot" a term ap-
piled to an alleged corruption fund
distributed at the close of each ses-
sion of the legislature. The $500,
White alleges, was paid to him by Rob-
ert E. Wilson, also a member of the
legislature, in st. Louis.
Approached by Browne.
ACCOIuIHS 10 w Hll6 lie WAS HISL dI-
preached by Browne May "a, 1909,
while the voting was going on for
United States senator. y deadlock
had existed for some time and Browne
asked White if he would vote for Lori
mer and White said he could and
would
Is Duly Elected.
May % they met again and Browne
said he would pay $1,000 and share the
Jackpot for Whites vote for Lori
ner, according to the statement. Next
lay Lorimer was elected hx. joint -ha1-7
lot, many democrats voting for him.
and White was among this number.
White says Browne paid him S10O in
the next week at Springfield Later
ut Chicago, White alleges, Browne
paid him $50 and then $3.50 At the
time he received the last sum, White
says that Browne had $50, coo in the
belt he wore.
Met Others ut ST. Louis.
July Is White says he met Wilson at
the Southern hotel, st. Louis. in re
sponse to a telegram, and received
5000 as his share of the Jackpot"
White says he met other representa-
received his money.
Some Were Dissatisfied.
According to White there was gen
eral dissatisfaction among the mem
bers of the legislature he met at St
Louis because they did not get more
out of the Jackpot" but that was ex-
planned by the fact $35, 900 was lost to
the Jackpot" because of the failure
Of certain legislation to go through
LOrimer and Wilson "Out.,
Efforts made early today to reach
Senator Lorimer and Representative
Wilson were unsuccessful. At Lori
mer's country home at McHeWy, H.,
a. woman answering the long distance
telephone declared the senator had
gone out and would not be back until
afternoon. Wilson was said to have
left his home here at 1880 this morning
TO go somewhere on the north side" |
Browne Ready to Talk.
Browne. democratic leader of the
house at Springfield, shouted over the
telephone from his home at Ottawa:
Remarkable, these charges are re-
markabIe You should look this man
White up. don't know him very well, |
but 1 know his methods. 1 don't like |
to discuss them. White should remem- |
ber in making these charges that 1 |
hold, and doubtless other members of |
the assembly hold, his notes for small 1
amounts in touches. These and some /
other notes will help to show Whit |
caliber of man it is that makes these !
charges.
0Never Got n Nickel"
II will state fatty 1 never received |
Or spent a nickel in behalf of Lorimer
one way or the other
At Springfield Governor Deneen de-
clared a searching investigation of the
charges is due the people of Illinois.
Wilson is Found.
Later Wilson was located and de-
clared Whites charges absolutely un-
founded
Representative WhceIan on the situation.
81 scarcely feel that any explanations
are required of me. in view of the
TACT that the circumstances under
which I voted for Lorimer when the
senatorial deadlock was broken are
known to the members of the demo
cratic party in Rock Island county"
said Representative H. L. Wheelan,
when interviewed on the subject by
The Argus today. "We had been bal
loting in vain for nearly five months
at the time of Lorimer's election he
went on, ''and It had become apparent
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ICnnrInI1ad m i've \ I