Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-09
7. R. REFUSES TO
SIT At TABLE IF
LORIMER PRESENT
Forces Hamilton Club to With
draw Banquet Invitation
to Senator
REFERS TO GRAFT CHARGES
Illinois Man Takes Snub Calmly
and Refuses to Make
Any Comment
REFERS TO GRAFT CHARGES
ASSOCIATED PressD

uOIe I6OOScN6lI lOuty DdII6u w llAAebAAA
Lorimer, junior United States senator
from Illinois, from the Hamilton club
banquet at the Congress hotel by re-
fusing to sit at the same table.
The occurrence startled politicians
here and over the country. The un-
precedented innovation of denying one
of it's own members the privilege Of
attending it's own banquet came with
abruptness from the colonel. The
Hamilton club delegation, headed by
former Judge John ]. Batten, joined
Colonel Roosevelt at the fair grounds
at Freeport, ILL.,, shortly after noon,
The colonel shook hands heartily with
each member of the delegation and at
once began questioning them concern
ing the banquet.
"Is Speaker Cannon to be there?"
he asked.
"Yes," Mr.. Batten replied. "He has
accepted the invitation"
"How about Senator Lorimer?" he
asked
Senator Lorimer is a member of the
club" he was told, land he has ac-
cepted an invitation to the dinner"
"Then L must decline to CO." said
Colonel Roosevelt, adding that he
would feel the same about the pres
ence of Senator Lorimer as he would
If sitting down with members OF the
Illinois legislature who are under in
dictment in the graft investigation.
The committee members looked
their amazement, and finally after
some hesitation informed their guest
that they would go back to Chicago
and tell Senator Lorimer his yieWs.
MAKES sNUB COMPLETE
"No," Colonel Roosevelt replied, en-
phatically. "Send him telegram tell
ing him that I will not attend the
dinner tonight if he is there"
The delegation of Hamilton club
men was perplexed. Their embarrass-
ment apparently was not noticed by
| Mr.. Roosevelt, who chatted with 9TH
ers while the perturbed delegates con-
suited as to what should be done.
After some interval the following tele-
gram was dispatched to Senator Lori
mer:
"Colonel Roosevelt positively declines
to sit at the same table with you. Our
invitation to you for this evening is
therefore withdrawn"
The telegram was. signed by Judge
Batten.
The committeeman were taken COM
pletely by surprise and their discus
sion of the event did not cease with
the sending of the telegram to Lori
mer. -,
Judge Batten, as spokesman of the
nartv, said that the incident was
complete surprise to him. He con-
tiuued
"The club had invited number OF
prominent Republicans, among them
the Republican governor OF 1iiinois,
and various congressman, ana 1t had
not occurred to the man who arranged
the dinner that they should not In
yite a Republican senator. Under the
circumstances there is nothing Tor us
to do but respect the wishes of Col:
Roosevelt, the guest Of the evening.
LORENER COOL
IF Senator William Lorimer was sur
prised or hurt at the refdsal of Col.
Roosevelt to sit at the banquet table
with him, he gave no sign.
With his usual untroubled prov ana
his customary suavity of expression,
he courteously declined to comment
to newspaper men on what to many
seemed a most extraordinary incl
dent.
The news of Col. Roosevelt's demand
| of the Hamilton club delegation thar
they inform the senator of his ultima
tum was given to Senator Lorliner
| when he reached his office, the presl-
dents room in the La Sale Street Ma
tional bank. He had just arrived
| from his summer home in Pistakee
| bay, and cool and comfortable, with
| a Panama hat shading his eyes ana
the ends of his inevitable white string
tie floating from beneath a turn down
collar, he stopped among the group OF
| perspiring newspaper men.
A hurried resume of the dispatch
from Freeport was given and state
ment was asked from him.
"Is that SOP said the senator. This
is the first I have heard of it, No, no,
1 have nothing whatever to say. Moth
| ing at ALL"
SENATOR is EVASTvE
He turned from the group, conversed
with his secretary and then entered
| his private Office. Some or the OF
ficials followed him. A telegram
came and the newspaper men clustered
around the door. Hurried messages
were telephoned to "hold the edition
| Just a minute"
| The door opened and Senator Lori
mer. still cool and smiling, was again
surrounded by the newspaper men. In
| his hand he held telegram. The sn1 le
of the senator was more pronouneeds
as he said:
| ter. gentlemen. 1 really do not know
| If any such telegram as you speak or
has been received"
He turned to his secretary and asked:
HAS any telegram come for ma
concerning the Hamilton club?"
mo SIR" was the reply. "There has
been no telegram"
Again the unruffled brow of the sem
ator and bank president was turned
to the waiting reporters.
"There lis nothing for me to say,
gentleme4, L have no exact informa-
foRterning the Incident and
IL id discuss it,"
| ~, co3A Of the newspaper dispatches
! from peeport was offered. but Sem
/ 'ator Ilof1mer waved 1T aside.
| f'F'Thanly you, doi not care to reac
60 2 Continued on pee Fpvr>