The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-09-22
THE LOR|MER
INVESTIGATION
STARTED TODAY
Subcommittee Convened at II
O'clock to Begin Search
For Corrupt Election
INQUIRY WILL
INCLUDE ALL SUPPORTERS
All Members of Legislature Who Voted
for Junior United States Senator
Will BE Required to Testify As to
Their Motives.

Chicago. Sept. 22.-The long her
aided senatorial inquiry into the
methods employed in the election of
William Lorimer as United States
senator from Illinois began here at
II o'clock today insa session of the
subcommittee of the senate commit
tee on privileges and elections.
Questions of procedure are as yet
undetermined and whether witnesses
will be examined by counsel employ
ed by those who have made charges
of bribery and corruption, in the cleo
tion of the junior senator from IL
linois, or whether the examination of
those called on to testify will be left
to the members of the committee. is
to be decided after the sessions be-
gin.
Senator Lorimer and his attorney,
Elbridge Hanecy. and Attorney Cliff
ford w. Barnes of the Legislative
Voters league were present this morn
ing when the session began.
After hearing arguments for and
against the postponement of the i'm
vestigation until after the November
election the committee adjourned it's
first formal session until morning
without deciding any of the questions
presented to it.
The plea for the postponement of
the hearing was made by Attorney AL
bridge Hancey. counsel for Senator
Lcrimer, and was based on the asser-
tion that to continue the hearing while
the two criminal cases are pending,
involving similar subjects, would be
unfair to Senator Lorimer. who wishes
to call the defendants, Minority Lead
er Lee O'Neil Browne, and State Sen
ator John Brodarick, as witnesses be-
fore the committee. Attorney Clifford
w. Barns of the Legislative Voters
league. who filed the petition with the
United States senate. opposed the con-
tinuance, declaring that the senatorial
committee had solemn duty to per-
form to help purge the state of its
disgrace"
A long conference was held yester-
day afternoon by the committee in
the apartments of Senator Julius c.
Burrows, it's chairman. who announc-
ed the committee would proceed with
the investigation. Through most OF
the day there was much conjecture
whether the committee would decide
to go ahead in the absence of two of
it's members, Senator James B.
Frazier, Democrat of Tennessee. and
Senator Morgan G. Bulkeley. Republic
can of Connecticut. Both are expect
ed to arrive soon.
The preliminary session today was
behind closed doors. 1t is believed
by those who have followed the pre-
liminary meetings that the list Of
witnesses to be examined will in
clude many if not all the members of
the Illinois state legislature VINO vot-
ed for William Lorimer for United
States senator and in addition that
others who have knowledge which
would bear on the general subject of
the inquiry. the validity of the cleo
tion of Senator Lorimer will be ques-
tened.
No subpoenas have been issued by
the committee and while the chair
man has received list of the names
of possible witnesses, the subject of
who shall be asked to testify has not
yet been considered by the senators.
While no definite announcement
has been made it is expected that one
of the most important witnesses will
be minority leader Lee O'Neill
Browne of the Illinois legislature who
has been on trial twice in the Cook
county criminal court on an indict-
ment charging him with bribing Rep
resentative Charles A. White. also
Democrat, to vote for VIM. Lorimer
for senator.