The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-12
Plan of Holding Future
Hearings in Either Spring
field, Ill. or in Chicago Has
Been Abandoned.
SENATE ATTORNEYS
HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
During the Two Weeks the
Senate Inquiry Committee
Has Been in Recess
Many Tips Investigated.
(National News Association

Washington, July 12.-The LOrimer
Investigating committee will resume
its sittlngs here tomorrow. 1t was
originally thought that the committee
would continue its hearings either in
Chicago or Springfield. but the plan
was abandoned for several reasons.
inclined to go on junketing trips if it
can be avoided, and have deemed that
it would be better to bring witnesses
here for examination than to so to
Illinois after them. Then, too, there
is the belief that the reciprocity and
tariff situation may break at any time
in the senate and members desire to
be here prepared to vote on these mea-
sures if the opportunity comes.
During the past two weeks that the
committee has been in recess, the at
torneys for the committee, Messrs.
Marble and Healy, have been diligent-
~ searching after new evidence, and
devising means either to substantiate
and verify, or disprove and discredit,
the story told by Edward Hines, the
Chicago millionaire lumberman and
suggestions and communications con-
tanning advice have come to the at
torneyS and some of the tips have
been followed, particularly where it
was believed that new evidence might
be developed, but both Mr.. Marble
and Mr.. Healy have declined to state
whether or not they have found any.
thing new. or what their line of proceed
ure will be.
Up to the present time the investiga-
tion has scarcely touched upon the
question of vote buying and bribery in
the Illinois legislature. There have
been references to the much discussed
Jackpot" but the evidence has had
little bearing with respect to what in
fluence If any, the alleged use of mo-
ney had upon the election of Lorimer.
Hines, rather than Lorimer, has been
the central figure in the investigation
thus far, and generally the testimony
has had to do with his alleged boasts
that he personally was responsible for
the election Of Senator Lorimer, act
ing at the request of Senator Aldrich
and the President. There has been
great deal of talk about the 100000
been unable to get any tangible evil
dence to show that it existed. The
testimony on this point and the mat
ters connected with it have been SO
contradictory, that the committee finds
itself unable to reach any conclusion
upon it. unless it should be from some
collateral evidence. Whether or not
this will be Obtainable is something
which is not disclosed. Up to the pre-
sent time the evidence with regard to
this fund has been so vague and un-
satisfactory that unless there is some
further light thrown upon the matter
by subsequent testimony. it is not like
ly to play an important part in the
committees report. If it existed.
which is denied. is has not yet been
connected with Lorimer's election.
Much of the testimony already ad-
duced came out before the Helm in
vestigating committee of the Illinois
senate and it is said that the fact will
be shown later on in the investigation
that the Hines-Funk conversation with
regard to the fund which Funk AYERS
and Hines denies, was known to Man
aging Editor keely, of the Chicago Tri-
bune and others at the time of the
first investigation, as it was known to
Editor kohlSaat, but that it was not
deemed of sufficient importance to
brong 10 the attention of the commit
tee which made the original inquiry
The committee expects, as far as
possible to follow up this matter to
the end that some definite conclusion
may be reached with regard to it.
Then it will also go over again the
matter of the confessions Of the alleg-
ed bribe takers and alleged bribe Civ
ers- Much interest is likely to be
aroused over the testimony Of these
witnesses. Notwithstanding the fact
that their stories have been repeated
ly told. The cross examination of
these witnesses will be most through,
and senators who are not members of
the committee have expressed their
intention OF attending the hearings for
the purpose of sizing up these witness
es on the stand, and. forming their
own estimate Of these men.
How far the committee will go in
the matter Of summoning members Of
the Illinois state legislature. whose
names are not connected with the
bribe giving and bribe taking, is not
announced, but, as it is the intention of
the committee TO probe to the bot
tom. any man whose name is in the
most rerote way connected with the
matter will be summoned to appear
and testify. Some of these may be
able to throw light upon the present
tangled condition Of the inyesfiga.