The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-06-23
HOPKINS TELLS OF
LORIMER'S POWER
Former Senator Admits He Saw Defeat Coming When
Rivals Man, Shurtef, Was Elected to
&c. Speakership.

neen candidate for speaker Later
learned that the Senatorship was In
yolved. I was in washington when
Illinois. He didn't receive to exceed a
third Of the Republican votes: the rest
of his support was from Democrats.
Lorimer for Shurtleff.
IT understand Lorirner was a factor
in eIecting shurtleff. He was against
me, and l gathered that the result was
to my disadvantage"
you are familiar with a story Of
your friends offering money for num-
Der Of Democratic votes2"
"Yes-a story that s.. 600 each would be
paid was printed in 3 Chicago news
paper. It was absolutely without foun-
Here the inquisitors brought in the
name of Daniel Byrne, Of Chicago,
pressing questions as to senator S aop-
tor would not admit he ever talked with
Byrne about getting Democratic votes
for Hopkins.
did Byrne ever come to you claim
ing to represent the Chicago and North
western road, and its interest in get
ting you elected?"
No, never"
DO you recall that Anton Cermak' s
name-he being a Democratic Represen-
tative-was used in connection with a
story published, that efforts had been
made to buy Democratic votes for
your"
Senator Hopkins vigorously replied
that he resented such questions, and
he had made complete denials Of all
such stories.
81 certainly don't want to embarrass
you, Senator-merely to give you OPP
portunity to enter the fullest state
ment;" retorted Mr.. Healy with a
peculiarly nasty suavity.
7 nf anil -
sent repetition OF such intimations,"
was the heated reply.
Senator Hopkins was next taken in
to the maze of political relations in
volving the affairs Of Deneen, Hop,
kins, and Yates. The Senator said
he was willing to go into the ancient
history of Illinois politics II the COM
mittee desired, but could not see the
relevancy.
his friends had helped elect Hopkins
Senator in 1904; how Hopkins at that
time had given assurance that he
would support Yates for reelection;
and how Hopkins had failed to keep
that pledge. Concerning this, Senator
Hopkins said that when Yates was
first nominated Lorimer was for Han
ley. Yates began with the smallest
vote OF the four candidates. Hopkins
district was largely for Hanley. Judge
T. r. Carter had following and 1t
making 1t very close.
Lorimer Led Stampede. -
At the same time Lorimer got on the
platform and led a stampede to Yates.
Hopkins urged his friends to go to
Yates, and Yates was nominated. When
Yates was a candidate for a second
nomination there was opposition. and
an effort to have the convention
adopt a resolution of censure. This
effort was defeated. and at the same
time Hopkins was Endorsed for sena-
tor. Yates. however. had less than
third of the conventions votes for his
own denomination.
Yates on sixty-nine ballots, then most
of them went to Lorimer. Deneen was
nominated.
"I think, instead of going back on
Yates, I did more for him than most
men would have done under the cir
cumstances," concluded Senator Hop
Asked If he could give the commit
tee help in getting to the substance of
matters under inquiry, Senator Hopkins
smiled broadly and said:
81 am the fellow in the crowd knock
ed down by bludgeon. in sight of
everybody. ! didn't know any more
than the crowd-and was a good deal
more injured
Have you any knowledge to Justify
belief that any of the men who left
you were Influenced by corrupt rea-
sons?"
'T don't believe I should be called
upon to answer that question, know
just what the public knows-when
that fight was over, put 1t behind
me, knowing the public had no>inter-
est in a man with e grievance. AS
to knowledge that would enable
man to form a belief, 1 have none
further than I have told you"