The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-02-25
STORY.
Illinois Man Defends Him.
self in Senate.
NO DARK LANTERN" TRICKS
Accused Man Bitterly Attacks Gov
ernor Deneen, Who He Blam-
ed For Deadlock in Illi-
nois Legislature.
NO DARK LANTERN TRICKS

Washington, Feb. 23.-The closing
scenes in the dramatic fight that has
been waged in the senate over the
charge that bribery effected the cleo
ton of Senator William LOrimer by
the legislature of Illinois, were wit
messed when the accused man present
ed his defense in a long and studied
speech.
All the galleries were crowded and
there was an unusually large attend
ance of senators when, following the
customary reading of Washington s
Farewell Address. the blond boss
arose to answer his opponents and
clear. il possible, his right to a seat in
the senate of the faint of bribery.
Mr.. Lorimer never reached a pitch
OF oratory, but he did make a bitter
attack on Governor Deneen, declaring
that the Illinois executive had sought
to force the election of his own choice
as speaker of the lower branch Of the
legislature by threatening to with
would not do his bidding.
As a result, declared Mr.. Lorimer,
members OF both parties rebelled,
crossed the party line" and elected
Shurtleif as speaker. The accused
senator denied that Shurtleff was his
choice, declared that the speaker was
in reality a Hopkins man." and as
serted that his own illness would have
prevented him from engineering the
organization of the house. even If he
had a mind to do so.
Bitterly Assails Deneen.
Renewing his attack on Mr.. Deneen
later in his speech, Mr.. Lorimer de
clared that the governor was the real
cause OF the deadlock in the legisla-
ture: that votes for Deneen at several
stages of the fight were sufficient to
elect Hopkins: that Lorimer's name as
candidate for senator first came up
at a conference he had with Deneen.
and that Deneen tried to prevent men
whose pledges he had obtained to
elect lorimer from fulfilling those
pledges.
Senator Lorimer. at the outset, indi-
Gated the general lines Of his defense
by allusion to questions concerning
his election. which he recognized as
having been raised in the discussion
of his title to his seat
MANY questions have been sug-
gested by the statements OF senators
in the debate on this case he said.
These suggestions or questions con
Germ mostly the actual condition Of
my election to this body.
Did / organize the Illinois assem-
bly, against Hopkins?
Did l make Shurtleff speaker in
order that might be elected sena-
toy?
Did I make Lee ONeil Browne mi.
nority leader?
Was Lee ONeil Browne my agent
my corrupt agent?
why did stay in Springfield dur
ing the senatorial contest?
why did | sit in the speakers
room?
For what purpose did talk there
with Shepherd?
why did the Democrats vote for
me?
These are some Of the questions
suggested by statements of senators
in opposition to the committee report.
or openly put by them in the course
of the debate.
ITO these questions many sorts of
answers have been given by my op-
ponents. Some of these answers have
been fanciful theories; some mere
guesses and surmises.
There is only one kind of answer
that should stand or that should count
in this case That Is the plan fact.
simple truth. 1t is this fact. this truth,
that | purpose to lay before the SEN
ate. The legal argument and abstract
deduction are beyond my purpose.
81 shall riseOtO say simply, to tell
tell as one who lived through it all
exactly how my election at Springfield
was brought abOut-tO answer the
questions with the facts that
alone can answer them correctly
Mr.. Loriiner said there had been
an effort to cover the case with a veil
Of suspicion 1t had been charged
that some one person with a powerful
mind had organized the legislature to
defeat Senator Hopkins.
Senator Lorimer then took up the
list Of Democrats who had voted for
him for United States senator. at
tributing the support Of most of them
to personal friendship and to the ia
vorable impression he had made on
them by his advocacy of the Missis-
sippi valley water way improvement
plan
At one point in his speech Mr.. Lori
mer said: IF senators believe me to
he the low and vile creature the sena-
tors from New York and South Da-
kota say am, then you have plain
duty staring you in the face"
The senate was somewhat startled
ut this statement, but not so much so
as by the one that followed, as Sena-
tor I.orimer again advanced towards
Senators Root and Crawford and fairly
shouted: "lf | can be the foul wretch
you senators sought to paint me, re-
gardless of how I came here. you
should drive me from yonder door
with the brend Of infamy on my back"
E1nTNuU