The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-21
CYRUS MCCORMICK IS FIRST WITNESS
 IN LORIMER PROBE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE n

 in the s100,O00 pool should have man at Washington who would properly represent them.
 While denying that the Interna tional Harvester company had a legislative agent, MT Mccormick admitted that he and MT. Funk both gave attention to legislative matters when necessary. He said the company had had no repre- sS,AtativSs at Springfield in 1909 and had taken no part in the lumber fight in connection with the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill.
 When 1t was sought to bring out the fact that there had been disagree ment between McCormicks company and Lorimer regarding the closing or the Chicago river near the harvester plant, the witness said the closing of the river would have benefited his com pany but that he had never known of Lorimers endeavor to keep the river open.
 The investigation promised to take far wider range than the one of last winter, which, after a bitter fight, re- suited fayorably to MT. Lorimer.
 Begin Early
 The new committee appointed by reso- lution of the Senate had not expected to begin it's hearings until Thursday, the 22nd., but the desire of material Wit ness to get away to Europe brought about a decision to begin the taking of testimony with Cyrus H. McCormick president of the International Harvester company as the first occupant of the witness stand. Room 301 of the Senate office building, a large and airy apart ment, has been set apart for the use Of the Lorimer committee. MT Mccormick was brought into the case with the testimony given the Helm Investigating committee of the Illinois Senate by Clarence S. Funk, manager of the harvester company. but he was not himself witness before that commit tee.
 It was not expected that his testimony would be extensive as, from Funk s1state nent his only knowledge of the alleged Irregularities in connection with the Lor- finer election consisted of what Funk had told him of his reported converse ton with Edward Hines relative to the raising of the fund of $100,0OO in Lori mer's behalf
 Provided with an ample corps of at torneys, clerks and stenographers ana other assistants, the committee of eight is prepared to proceed with the work as rapidly circumstances will permit.
 The committee continues to promise that if possible the work will be con- cluded during the present session of
  in order to accomplish this result it will be necessary to crowd on all possible steam. Every person mentioned In con nection with the case will be examined, together with new witnesses and it is ex- pected that visits to both Chicago and Springfield will be necessary. MT. Lori mer himself will be questioned minutely
 No Stone URturned
 ''We will follow every lead that pre- gents itself" said one of the members of the committee just before the begin ming of today's sitting.
 The inquiry is in the hands of a select committee composed of eight members of the committee on privileges and cleo tions but, notwithstanding the relations of the members to that committee this organization will be entirely independent of it. Having been directly authorized by the Senate, the committee will be responsible to that body. It is in no sense a subcommittee.
 Of the eight members of the special comminttee, four, Dillingham; of Yer mont, Gamble of South Dakota, Jones of Washington and Kenyon of Iowa, are republicans and four, Johnston of Ala bama, Fletcher of Florida, Kern of h. diana and Lea of Tennessee, are demo-