Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-26
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A'etooS sluoIlols!H elels
TESTIMONY UN i !
POLITICAL OEALS|
Leader Of Faction in Illinois
Legislature Says Demo-
Gratis Helped Lorimer Be-
cause He Aided Them.

Gratis Helped Lorimer Be-
cause He Aided Them.
Chicago, Oct. 25.-The committee
investigating the election Of Lorimer
had former State Representative Thos.
Tippit as the first witness at to-
days session OF the committee. Tip
pit was leader OF the democratic fac
tion in the Illinois house which was
opposed to Lee O'Neil Browne. He
said there were twenty-six members
OF the Tippit democrats in the house
who refused to follow Browne as min
ority leader
II was favorable to the election or
Edward D. Shurtleff as speaker" said
Tippit, because / believed he would
give the democrats square deal"
The witness told Of early events in
the forty-sixth general assembly,
which finally elected Lorimer to the
senate. He admitted he wrote and in
troduced a resolution favoring Shurt-
left in caucus Of democratic house
members.
"The resolution was introduced and
then withdrawn by me-" Mr.. Tippit
said, because Browne made such a
noise about this action by democrats
for republican. 's
what was the particular objection
to Browne as minority leader?"
well, there were lot Of US who
objected to his affiliations. He went
up and down the state holding the So
called round-ups, chaperoned by the
United Societies and the brewery In
terests."
Senator Kern questioned Tippit as
to the Importance in the Illinois leg
islative machinery of the minority
leadership. Tippit said there was
great rivalry for the position. He
denied that the federal senatorial con-
test had any effect on the election Of
Shurtleff as speaker.
Senator Kern brought out that the
Browne and Tirnit factions not only
forgot their differences at the time OF
Shlrtleff's election but did SO in the
same manner when Lorimer was.
elected.
Tippit said that former State Treas
urer Wilson was the first man to sug-
gest the election Of republican
United States senator by democratic
votes. The witness said Wilson sug-
gested Shurtleff, but he told Wilson
he believed Lorimer would get more
democratic support.
Why" asked Senator Kenyon
Because Senator Lorimer support
cd Adlai Stevenson In 1908"
Mr.. Lorimer understand at that
time went before the executive Of the
state democratic organization and
made former deal to support Steven.
son against Charles s. Dineen," testi.
fed the witness
Where did you get your informa-
ton? ?" asked several members Of the
committee simultaneously
George Breenan, one Of Roger Sui
livan's lieutenants told me"
Moves to Expedite Hearing.
An end to the taking of testimony
here in the Lorimer Investigation is
by the statement OIL SEN
ator Dillingham;, that examination OF
witnesses must be confined closely
10 the points at issue.
Thirty-one witnesses are on the list !
If those to appear before the commit
tee. Among them are Lee ONeil
Browne, democratic minority leader OF
he Illinois legislature, Thomas Tip.
pitt, leader Of an anti Brown faction in |
he legislature that elected Lorimer
out whose men came over to the re-
publican candidate and e. D. Shurtleff |
speaker Of the house of representa- |
ives in the legislature Of 1901.
That the list may be materially cur
allied is the prospect following Chair
nan Dillingham's statement to the
senatorial investigating committee.
I'VE are wasting time" he said yes
erday, before the close Of the ses-
sion, ''and many of those on this long
list of witnesses have nothing to say
hat will throw light on this question.
n the opinion of the committee much
If the testimony that Is brought out is
,f no moment to this inquiry. The list
must be reduced to those who have
pertinent information to give"
Counsel for Senator Lorimer have
made no attempt at any time to limit
he number Of witnesses called or to
INIT the lines Of inquiry 1t was assert
ID today. The prospect Of night ses-
ions to clear up tho mass of testi-
nony still scheduled for inquiry has
zen mentioned in the committee.
A large proportion Of those still to
e questioned consists OF members and
ormer members Of the legislature.
Iost of these 1t is regarded are fav-
rable to Senator Lorimer.
The Stephenson investigation.
Milwaukee, Wis, Oct. 25.-A story
old by M. j. Regan, Milwaukee
usiness man, that plot existed to
ecure money from Senator Isaac
stephenson while the present lnves-
cation was under way, was inquired
uto further by the senatorial commit
ee today. H. w. Wood, a detective, r
Iad testified that Robert j. Shields
ad come from Washington with "un- {
United money" to buy up the Wiscon-
in legislature so that Stephenson
ould be elected and that Regan had
alked to Shields about 1t.