Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-18

Upcn III fnotteT ol even iHinor i"'PoA
lance"
Speech First Explanation
Of Action Of Committee
Tho speech Of Senator Burrows was re-
garded as important. because. for the
hISt time, 1t gives the reasons which
prompted the majority Of the committed
70 declare valid Mr.. Lorimer's title to the
seat he occupies. 1t IL important, also
because It constitutes, as coming from
the chairman Of the committee. the chief
and strongest argument that could be
made for tho retention OF the blond
bossI' In the United States Senate
Consequently, Mr.. Burrows speech was
followed with close attention, and the
mambers Of the Senate who listened TO
Il compared his explanation with the
damaging statements made by Senator
Bevegidge. In his minority report. and
those Of Senators Crawford Of South Da-
hets and Owen Of Oklahoma. in their
M. Burrows declared that in spite Of
Ehe confession Of Charles A. White that
ke received $1,000 and subsequently $500.
and that this money was paid him in pur-
Suance Of an agreement with Lee ONeil
Browne. one Of the minority leaders, he
friendship for Browne.
Mr. Burrows asserted that the confess
mon Of Michael s. Link that he received
$1,000 from Browne. and subsequently
$500 from Bathroom Bob" Wilson. was
most improbable"
He further held that the confession OF
II. j. C. Beckemeyer that he had received
$1,000 from Browne and $500 from Will
son, and that when Browne gave him the
money he said, This is Lorimer money,
n Inn n lii
As to the testimony of State Senator
d. W. Holtslaw, who was forced to re-
sign from the Senate. that he received
$500 for voting for Mr.. Lorimer. Mr.
any one should have given him this sum
for voting for the Illinois boss
Mr.. Burrows further said:
From this hasty review of the testi-
mony Of the witnesses, White. Link,
Beckemeyer and Holtslaw, it is obvious
that there is nothing in the statements
of any one of them. or in the statements
Of all of them taken together. which
would justify a conclusion that their tes-
timony as TO bribery is true or could lie
relied upon In a matter of even minor i'm
portance. Aside from their testimony,
there is absolutely no proof in the case,
direct or indirect, from which leglu-
mate inference could be drawn that
single member of the general assembly
ives corruptly influenced to vote for Mr..
Lorimer."
port. said:
"Of the four men who repeatedly testi-
fed to having received this bride money,
only Link was not shown TO nave oeeH
seen with the cash. But Link repeatedly
testified under oath at various times that
he did receive the same amounts OF
money under the same circumstances ana
at the same times and places where his
fellow members received theirs. And
this repeated testimony OF Links Is cor
roborated as to circumstances by the teS-
timony of the Others.
Senator Owen said:
The above record of bribery and cor
ruption cannot be broken down. in my
opinion. on the theory that the men who
received the brides were unworthy OF be-
lief on their confessions, and that their
testimony against the bride givers Is
unworthy of credence because the wit
nesses are infamous); for the reason that
there is such a tissue of. substantial and
circumstantial evidence surrounding the
ease that it Is impossible to resist the
belief that the confessions are substan-
TALLY true. 1t does not suffice to say
that a bride taker is unworthy OF credit
With the exception OF White, all the
testimony from the bribe gfyeFS and bride
takers came with extreme reluctance and
was obtained only by the exercise OF the
powers OF government.
Senator Crawford said:
but this does not affect the probative
force of the testimony found in this rec
ord. which. it seems To me. Is convincing,
and which proves to a reasonable GER
tainty that the votes of Browne, White.
Ioltslaw. Clark, Link. Beckemeyer. Luke,
Shepard, De Wolf and Broderick. cast for
Mr.. Lorimer, were corrupt votes. ana
can any one conclude. after carefully
reading all OF the evidence here. that
Mr.. Lorimer himself did not --now that
fraud was being committed?"
Mr. Burrows intimates in the beginning
Of his speech that the Senate. in order
to rid itself of Mr.. Lorimer. must expel
him which would require two-thlrds
votH-a conclusion opposed to that which
ha uttered in the Smoot case three years
ago.
Mr.. Burrows pays a compliment TO Mr.
IArtmer for asking for an inve stigation
Of the charges made against him, forget
ting the public opinion winch was I'M
mediately created in ILLINOIS py tnoiT paIo-
lcation and says, properly:
s.Nir President, crime does not seek ex-
posure and publicity: criminals do not
invite Judgment and disgrace. :
Mr.. Burrows laid down, under the cap
ton ''The Law" the following rules and
supported them by quotations from vari-
That to invaHdate the election Of a
senator on account OF bribery II must De
made to appear either:
1. That the person elected participated
in one or more acts of bribery or at
tempted bribery. or sanctioned or en-
couraged the same.
4 That by bribery or corrupt practices
enough votes were obtained for him to
change the result of the election.
IT conclude" asserted Mr.. Beveridge.
that this election was invalid under any
sp0gsible view OF the law
. Mr. Burrows quotes the statement Of
counsel against Mr.. Lorimer that he did
Aot contend that Senator Lorimer had
anything to do with the bribery The
committee accepted this statement as
sufficient. though IT was directed by the
Senate to inquire into the facts. More
ever. the same counsel. in his brief as
serted on three different occasions that
NJ. LoFtmer was directly connected with
the bribery and corrupt practices and
cited the evidence sustaining this conten-
ton. Mr.. Burrows. however, said:
with this avowHl there was no evil
Aence submitted to the committee or OBJ
tainable SO far as known. inculpatine
Senator Lorimer in the bribery or at
tempted bribery, il such there was, OF
any member of the legislature. nor was
there any evidence that Senator Lormer
had any knowledge whatever that such
bribery, or attempted bribery, was per-
petrated by any one"
Yet Lee ONeil Browne testified he wa:
In daily and hourly conference with Mr.
Lorimer. Speaker Shurtleff roomed will
LOrimer. Link testified that he had gon,
directly to Lorimer. and Sheppard sait
he was serrt by Browne to Lorimer. Shep
hard continued.
81 said Mr.. Lorimer, have beer
asked 70 vote for YOU for United State: