The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29
GOVERNOR DENEEN
MAKES STATEMENl 1
Illinois Executive Talks of the
Bribery Charges
HE WAS NOT CONSULTED
Governor Says He Had no Hand in Pre-
pairing the Statement Made By
White and Took no Initiative
Against Lorimer

| Springfield, ILL.,, May 2S.-Governo
Deneen today issued the following state
ment in reference to the speech in tn
| United States Senate in which he was at
tackled by Senator Lorimer;
While the reports of Senator Lorimer''
speech obtained by me today have beer
| meager, l understand that he charges
me with having entered into a conspiracy
With the Chicago Tribune to have pub
lsned the confession of Representative
White
This charge is without any foundation
In fact. The facts are:
About midnight of the day before the
story was published a representative OF
the Chicago Tribune met me at the Union
League club and informed me that he
had been waiting two hours to see me;
that the editor of the Tribune was ex-
ceedlngly anxious to interview me about
a matter of very great Importance, and
that they would have to go to press
within a few minutes. Accordingly I went
to the Tribune office which was nearby.
"a statement was there made to me
of Mr. Whites confession, and an inter-
view was requested A very brief inter-
view wac given by me in which stated
In substance that a full examination
should be made of the assertions con-
tanned in the confession. I expressed no
opinion regarding the truth of the
charges.
Mr.. Whites confession was IN type
and was on the press when l arrived at
the Tribune office.
This was the first intimation re-
ceived that Mr.. White had confessed OF
WIS in any wise implicated in charges
of bribery.
stood for Hopkins
"RegardingNhe deadlock over the sena-
torshin. after The primaries, I stood for
the election of Senator Hopkins. and did
not know that Mr. Lorimer Mr. Shuruen
and their friends were against MN untii
a minority of the republican members
who were in harmony with Mr. Lorlrner
and Speaker Shurtleff had effected an Or
ga,izatior of the house of representatives
1,;t, the aid of democratic members.
cater the deadlock had existed some
4in,a Mr. I,orimer called upon me re-
neatedly. / had assumed from con
versations we had at these times W"
u was entirely with view to eHect
ing reconciliation between repuoiicai
factions and Notwithstanding that
felt that 1 had suffered un9ustly py
reason of attacks made upon me by
b,n, and his friends; still ! felt that
should lay aside all personal 1eel-
inrs and interest myself in the nope or
brin ging about harmony in the party.
..Nr. Lorimer informed me that MS
friends would, under no circumstances,
vote for Senator Hopkins, and as IL
was impossible to elect a senator py
republican votes without the votes of
his friends, l stated that they should
go to a republican caucus to select
q candidate who could secure the ma
iorjty of the caucus and thereafter the
full vote of the party in his election
to the senatorshlp.
"Thts was the view taken by repub-
leans through out the state and num-
Der Of names had been mentioned In
this connection by friends of various
candidates, among them being Coy.
Frank Lowden, Congressman Mckinley,
Mr.. A. C. Bartlett, Hon. w. A. Roden-
burg and a number of others, among
them being Roy o. West.
Mr.. Lorimer was opposed to the
plan of nominating by caucus. Later
l was informed by him and his FRIENDS
tn at / could be elected senator. L re-
fused absolutely to consider 1t. Never
tn eless shortly before his election an
effort was made by Lorimer and his
friends in the general assembly to
elect me. 1 called together in my Of
fee republicans who had supported me
in the senate and who had gone into
a republican caucus in the house are
stated to them that this movement was
without my approval and that l would
not accept the office If elected.
Shortly before Senator Lorimer was
elected and after the deadlock had
dragged on for months II became ap-
parent that he was candidate. !
of my friends whom he men
tons in his speech called upon me and
1 advised them strongly against vot-
ing for him even though he could get
a minority of the republicans to aid
the democrats in electing him. All of
these facts were published as the con-
test went on and were at that time
familiar to the public
while 1 am surprised at the char
acter of the statements made by SEN
ator Lorimer, / am at "a loss to know
what possible relation they bear to the
charge now under investiga tion-that
his election to the United States SEN
ate was procured by means OF brib-
cry"