The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-08
.LOR|MER DEFENDED BY ALABAMA SENATOR Johnston Use Sarcasm to Meet
 Larimer Assaults
ALLEGES INACCURACY
Johnston SarcasticalIy Describes Per- formances of Beveridge, Crnw- ford and Owens and Says Sem
 ate Cannot Rely on Them

Washington. February 7.-Sustaining the report of the committee on privileges and elections, of which he is a member. for Senator Lorimer's retention of his seat, Senator Johnston of Alabama in a speech in the Senate today, employed sar- casm to meet the assaults upon the Hi nois senator
 Referring to the speeches of Senators Owens and Crawford and the report of Senator Beveridge, all adverse to MT. Lormer, the Alabama senator declared they had been engaged in a hurdle race to determine which should have first place in the opening of the case. The senator from Indiana had been the first to arrive, and he described that sen- ator as fresh from an election in that state, with the smoke of battle still on his garments and fire flashing from his eyes. ''
 Coming close on the heels of MT. Bev- erdge was, he said, Senator Owens, with tomahawk and scalping knife, seemingly intent to add one more magnificent scalp to the tent pole of his wigwam.
 "A little later came the senator from South Dakota (Mr. Crawford and whilst his entry was slightly delayed, he made up on speed and energy what he lacked in the start"
 Having thus noted the entries, MT. John- ston undertook to describe their perform ances' to show that the Senate could not rely upon accuracy of statements made in haste. even by distinguished sen ators"
 He went through the Beveridge report and the Owens and Crawford speeches point by point, undertaking to refute their arguments.
 In response to a suggestion from MT. Beveridge, Johnston said that White had been the only witness who had testified that he had been bribed to vote for Lori mer
 Link, Beckmeyer and Holtslaw swear" he said, they were not bribed to vote for Lorimer. Browne, Wilson and Frederick swore that they never bribed or paid anything of value to anyone to vote for Lorimer."
 Replying to a charge by Mir. Craw- ford that the conduct of the Lorimer witnesses while on the stand was not creditable. the Alabama senator declared that anyone who was not present Gas MT. Crawford was noD was incapable of judging on that point
 MT. Johnston pointed out that while 12 men had been accused of participating In the alleged bribery. none of them had been convicted by Illinois courts. Some had even been reelected.
 Summing up the case. MT. Johnston said
 "The whole fabric of this case rests First, upon the testimony of Charles A White, self-confessed scoundred, who was nnntradi,..-sz t--- witnesses a nf whose manner and bearing upon the stant was such that six of the seven members of the committee entirely disregarded his unsupported testimony Second, upon the testimony of Beck meyer and Link, who, taken before a grand Jury, first swore that they never had received any money, were either in dicted or threatened with indictments of perjury and then changed their stories Third, the testimony of Holtslaw, an- other confessed perjurer These men were fatly contradicted by Browne, Wilson and Frederick, men whose bearing on the stand was infinitely superior to these vile creatures"
 MT Johnston did not fail to give at. tention to the possible bearing of his atti. | tude in the case upon his own fortunes "The people of Alabama" he said, "are | a brave, intelligent and law-abiding peo. l pie and they expect my vote In this case | to be cast as a juror according to the law and evidence, and under my oath as | a senator. They shall not be disap. | pointed''