The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-20
TO INVESTIGATE
LOR|MER AFFAIR
Senate Committee Reports ii
Favor Of Inquiry During
Recess Of Congress
BURROWS TO BE CHAIRMAN
Says It Will Not Interfere With
Trial Of Bribery Charges
in Courts.

Washington, June 19.-The right of
William Lorimer to his seat in the SEN
ate is to be investigated by his coll
leagues. Following the recent charges
by an association of Illinois voters that
Mr.. Lorimer owed his seat to the use
of money by unnamed persons and his
own request for an investigation, the
Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections reported favorably a resolu-
ton authorizing the committee. by a
subcommittee, to go to the bottom
of the matter, and to sit for this pur-
pose during the recess of Congress. and
in any place the committee sees it,
The resolution was thereupon re-
ferred TO the Committee on Contingent
Expenses, a necessary formality where
the expenditure of the Senate contin-
gent fund is involved, and that COM
mittee at once decided on favorable
report Senator Gamble was INSTRUCTED
to report the resolution back to the
Senate. This Will probably be done
on Monday.
The committee intends to begin its
investi cation soon after the adjourn
3ment of Congress. It will have au-
thority to subpoena witnesses and re-
yauire the production OF papers. 1t has
already been decided that most of
the sittings Of the subcommittee will
be in Chicago, a few may be held in
Washington and Springfield.
. Senator Burrows. Of Michigan. who
has hard campaign for reelection on
mis- hands will be chairman of the sub
committee by motion of Senator Bailey
of Texas. Mr.. Burrows said that while
the details of the Investigation would
not be fixed until the Senate had con-
ferred full authority upon the COM
mittee, he thought the subcommittee
would consist of seven members, though
1t might not be larger than i've. The
minority, of course, will be represented
on the subcommitt ee.
According to Mr.. BURROWS. the worn
Of the committee will not be deferred
until the Illinois courts have disposed
of the cases pending there in connec-
ton with the alleged bribery OF ce:'
tain State legislators. The Senate viii
be conducting separate investigation
Independently of the courts. The Sen
ator does not think anything his conf
mittee might do would hamper the
prosecution OF cases now In court. and
he said that certainly the subpoenas
issued by his committee would not
draw away witnesses needed in the
trial in Illinds. There is no chance
Nv SdiNt, " AttAii ~ ~ iSo'AAANAS, ~ '"S
defendants in the Illinois suits through
any revelations made by them to the
committee.
While Mr. Lorimer, after a speech In
which he bitterly denounced his as.
sailants at home. himself introduced
a resolution demanding an inquiry,
there have been no charges that he
personally used m oney in his own be-
half
The charges have been made against
legislators who voted for him, but Mr.,
Lorimer Will be personally affected b.
the result, as charges have been made
against so many of his supporters IS
seriously to impair his election by re-
ducing the number of valid votes be-
low the required majority. II the
charges are sustained,
The resolution reported is broader
than that Introduced by Mr.. Lorlmer
some weeks ago, Mr. Lorimer's plan,
tended to limit the investigation tn
specific charges just as his speech was
directed almost exclusively against a
Chicago newspaper that hrst printed