The San Francisco call., 1910-09-09
COL. ROOSEVELT
BARS LORIMER
FROM BANQUET
Former President Refuses TO Sit
at Table With Junior
Illinois Senator
Hamilton Club Delegation Noti-
fies Banker, Who Refuses
to Discuss Message

CHICAGO, Sept. S.-Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt today barred William Lori
mer. junior United States senator from
Illinois, from the Hamilton club ban
quet at the Congress hotel. by refusing
to sit at the same table
The occurrence startled politicians
here and over the country The un-
precedented demand that the Hamilton
club should deny to one of its own
members the privilege of attending the
banquet came with characteristic
abruptness from Roosevelt.
The Hamilton club delegation, headed
by former Judge John H. Batten. Joined
Roosevelt at the fair grounds in Free
port. Ill., shortly after noon. The colo
mel shook hands heartily with each
member of the delegation and at once
began questioning them concerning the
banquet.
OBJECTION TO SENATOR
is Speaker Cannon to be there?'' he
asked.
Yes" Batten replied. He has ac-
cepted the invitation"
How about Senator Lorimer?' he
asked
Senator Lorimer is member of the
club, he was told. "and he has accepted
an invitation to the dinner"
Then l must decline to 60" said
roosevelt, adding that he would feel
the same about the presence of Lori
mer as he would of sitting down with
members of the Illinois legislature who
are under indictment in the graft in
vestigation
The committee members looked their
amazement and finally, after some hest
tation, informed their guest that they
would go back to Chicago and tell
Lorimer his views.
No." Roosevelt replied emphaticallv.
Send him telegram telling him that
VIII not attend the dinner tonight
if he is there
MESSAGE SENT TO LORIMER
After a consultation the following
telegram was dispatched to Senator
Lorimer:
Colonel Roosevelt positively de-
ClInes 70 sit at the same table with
you. Our invitation to you for this
evening is therefore Withdrawn.
Ihe telegram was signed by former
Judge John II. Batten.
me committeeman were taken COM
pletely by surprise and their discussion
OF the event did not cease with the
sending of the telegram to Senator
Lorimer
Judge Brown. as spokesman of the
party, said that the incident was
complete surprise to him. He con-
tinued:
Inc club had invited a number Of
prominent republicans. among them
the republican governor of illinois
and various congressman, and in
@ nau not occurred to the men who
arranged the dinner that they
ator Under the circumstances
there is nothing for us to do but to
Poap EPespeet the wishes of Colonel
ing. 'iio
BANNER "ITHOLDS COMMENT
The news of Colonel Roosevelt's de-
mand of the Hamilton club delegation
that they inform the senator Of bis
uItlmatum was given to Senator Lori
mer when he reached his office The
presidents room in the La Sale Street
natlonal bank He had just arrived
from his summer home in Pistakee bav.
and stepped among the group of per
spring newspapermen, who gave him
a resume of the dispatches from Free
port, and asked for a statement IF
he was surprised or hurt, he gave no
sign.
rs that so?" said the senator "This
Is the first have heard of it. No. no
| have nothing whatever to say; moth
ing at ALL.
copy of the newspaper dispatches
from Freeport was offered. but Senator
Lorimer waved it aside. Thank you;
I do not care to read it, he said with
a smiling countenance
AS the newspapermen retired Lori
mer said: IF l decide to make state
ment l shall be glad to give it TO
YOU"
One or two questions were started,
but were cut short by repetition of,
mot a word, not a wordI" and the
senator strolled down the street in
the opposite direction from the ban
quet hall in the Congress hotel. Dill
gent questioning revealed that the SEN