Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-07
Witness Says He Was Sorry for the
Representative.
DENIES PAYING OVER MONEY
Refuses, However, to Place Beoke-
meyer in Ananias Club.
HEARD NOTHING OF GRATING
Alleged Briber Declares He Did Not
Know of Reports that white
Was Trying to Get Pay
for LeRfsIatton.

CHICAGO Oct 6.-For the first time
under oath Lee O'Neil Browne, democratic
minority leader of thelower house at
Springfield, today told his story of the
election of William Lorimer to the United
States senate. Browne was tried twice on
a charge Of briblng Representative Charles
A. White to vote for Mr.. Lorimer, but did
not testify in his own behalf. The first
trial resulted in disagreement and the Sec
ond in acquittal He has still to stand
trial on an indictment making similar
charges, returned at Springfield.
There was a stir when rBown's name
was called by the senatorial committee
which is investigating Mr. Lorimer's cleo
tiontion. The witness talked composedly,
entering sweeping denial of any wrong
doing in connection with the election.
Browne said he was but slightly ac-
quainted with White before the opening of
the legislative session, during which Mr..
Lorimer was elevated to the senate by
combination of democratic and republican
votes During the session, however, he
met White frequently and helped him with
bills in which White seemed deeply inter-
ested
Il felt sorry for him." said the witness
shanahan Made First Suggestion.
for Mr.. Lorimer, the witness stated, was
first mentioned to him in a casual way by
Representative Shanahan. Later-about
three weeks before the election-Speaker
shurtleff came to his room and asked
him, in effect. how many of his following
among the democrats would be willing to
vote for Mr.. Lorimer.
| He asked me how many Of my boys,
as my following was designated, would
vote for Mr. Lorimer,' related the wit
ness.
Il told him things were in such condition
the session had dragged so long--a good
many OF them wanted to end the dead
lock, as for myself, could not tell how
/ would vote. f7
81 told Mr.. Shurtleff. and later Mr. Lori
Iner, himself, that no democrat would vote
| for Mr.. IIofmer with my consent, unless
! they-Speaker Shurtleff and Mr.. Lorimer-
| would give me their word that no demo-
crat should vote for Mr.. Lorimer until his
election was assured"
Brown testified that he saw Senator
Lorimer and Speaker Shurtleff frequently
after having decided to support the former
and that he talked to many democratic
representatives, including White, Becke-
meyer, Sheppard Link and Clark, all OF
|
committee.
II told Mr.. Lorimer that. according tC
my best information there would be thirty
Browne democrats who would vote for him
This was on May oath, or possibly the Iattei
part Of the preceding week." said the wit
ness.
! He denied that he sent Representative
| Robert r. Wilson, alleged distributor o.
the Jack pot" to st. Louis in July III,
admitted that he had written several per
5 sons expressing regret that he could no
: have been with Wilson.
List of Democrats.
Reverting to the election, Mr.. Brown
4 said he kept list several lists in fact, O
democratic representatives whom he ex
pected to vote for Lorimer. He read alis
of thirty names to the committee.
Browne said he was in st. Louis Jun
21 1909, the date which has been fixed b
other witnesses as the time and the plac
when he handed them 1900 packages G
money. He said he had met Representa-
tive Henry A. Shepard, Michael Lnck, +
J ]. C. Beckemeyer and Charles Luke (
: the Southern hotel. He declared that h
did not tell Representative White he wa
going there. His purpose in going to s
s Louis, he said was to confer with Ii
representatives named on the subject
state patronage for democrats, as at thi
time Governor Deneen was taking up II
question Of minority patronage. Later b
talked with the governor on the same sui
l. ject.
IS Browne fatty denied that he had give
u Link or Beckemeyer any money in II
Southern hotter, st. Louis, June 21, 1909,
II testified to by them. III Beckemey,
said that you gave him 81, 600 that day, /
d lied did he?' asked Attorney Austrian.
NO. would not say that" said Brown
"a If / had been through what Beckemey
went through with an indictment held ov
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