The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-09
.LOR|MER BARRED
FROM BANQUET
BY ROOSEVELT. I.
Colonel Refuses to Sit
at Table With ILL
nois Senator.
INCIDENT COMES
WITHOUT w ARNlNG
With Characteristic Abruptness
Demand Is Made That Hamil-
ton Club Deny to One Of Its
Own Members Privilege OF
Attending Din

Chicago, ILL.,. September s.-Theodore
Roosevelt day barred Senator VII
liam I.orimer from the Hamilton Siuo
banquet at the Congress Hotel by re-
fusing to SIT at the same taple' iAo
incident came unheralded. Inc pro
gram of the event has for days an
no,,nced that Senator Lorimer ana
others would sit at the speakers table
with Colonel Roosevelt
THE occurrence startled politicians
here and over the state. Inc unpre
cedented demand that the Hamilton
Club deny to one of its own members
the privilege of attending the BANQUET
came with characteristic aorupthesS
from Colonel Roosevelt.
The Hamilton Club delegation, heao-
ed by former Judge John II. Batten,
president of the club, joined Colonel
Roosevelt at the Fair Grounds IN
Freeport, Ill, shortly after noon. ihc
Colonel at once began questioning
members OF the delegation concerning
the BANQUET. rs Speaker Cannon to
be thercg' he asked.
Yes" Mr.. Balton replied. he mas
accepted the invitation.
..Hov, about Senator Lorimer?"
..senator I.orimer is member of the
club" he was told. and he mas &C.
cepted an invitation to the dinner.
Then must decline to go, SAID
Colonel Roosevelt. adding that ne
would feel the same about the pres
ence of senator Lorimer II ne were
si,tInn down with members OF the
TIltpots Legislature who are under IN
lic.,,,ett in the graft investigation
rho committee members looked their
.n,azeuent. and finally. after some
hesitation, Informed their guest tha.
they would go back to Chicago ana
tell Senator LorimeE ms views
CoIolsi Is Emphatic.
NO, Colonel Roosevelt replied en-
phaticaily send him telegram tet1-
ING him that i Will not attend the
dinner tonight IL he Us there.
The delegation of Hamilton Ciuo,
,,en vas perpiexed. Their embarrass-
meut was apparently not noticed pS
Mr. Roosevelt, who chatted win oti.- @
ers standing near by while the PEI
turbed delegates consuitea as s,araa, ~ ~
shoi,id be done. After some interval
the following telegram was drafted
and aispatched to Senator Lorlmer:
"colonel Roosevelt positively oe-
c,,nes Ia sit at the same table with
yn,,r. our Invitation to you for this
evening is therefore Withdrawn.
The committeeman were taken by
surprise, and their discussion OIL .He
eyent did not cease with the senolns
~ the telegram TO Senator Lorimer.
Judge Batten, as the spokesman or
tho marty. said: The club has in
yitad a number of prominent RepOo-
licans. among them the Republican
C;overnor of Illinois and various CON
gressmen. and it had not occurred 10
the men who arranged the dinner that
they could not invite Republican
senator Under the clreuhstano.a IN ',1a.. 20
there was nothing for us to DO put 70
resnect the wishes of Colonel Roose-
,aIt the guest of the evening.
All the members of the delegation
,nnearod relieved when they were IN
formed on arriving in Chicago that
senator Lorimer would not attend the
banquet.
Much Comment Aroused.
On the street. in offices and in public
buildings. the tidlnss caused much co,si.
ment. particularly among those VINO
noted that the ban against Senator
r I,orimer was coincident with the COM
nletion of the second trial of Lee O'Neil
BROWNE. minority leader of the Lesis-
lature. charged with bribery in connec-
tIon with the election of the junior
Senator from Illinois.
If Senator William Lorimer was sur
nrIsed at the refusal of Colonel Roose-
yelt to sit at the banquet table with
him. no indication Of 1t escaped him.
frank expression Of distaste for his
presence, no sign OF shch disqu'et dp
peared.
With the usual untroubled brow ana
his customary suavity, of expression. he
courteously declined to comment 10
newspaper men on What to many
seemed a most extraordinary incident.
The news of Colonel Roosevelt's de-
mand of the Hamilton Club delegation
that they inform the Senator of his
ultimatum was given to Senator Lori
mer when he reached his office, the
presidents room at the La Sale Street
National Bank. He had Just arrived
from his summer home in Pistakee Bay.
A hurried resume of the dispatches
from Freeport was given him by news
naper men. and a statement was asked
of him.
as that so?" said Senator Lorimer.
"This is the first I had. heard of it.
No. no, have nothing whatever to say;
nothing at ALL
He turned from the group, conversed
with his secretary, and then entered
his private office. Some Of the officials
followed him to his sanctum. a tele-
gram came, and the newspaper men
clustered around the door. Hurried
messages were telephoned to hold the
edition lust a minute" The door
opened, and Senator Lorimer, still cool
and smiling, again was surrounded by
the newspaper men, In his hand he
held telegram. The smile Of the Sem
ator was a shade more pronounced as
he said:
"This telegram is about another mat
ter, gentlemen. 7 really don't know II
any such telegram as you speak of has
been received"
Nothing to Say.