Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23
Large Crowd Hears Him Ad-
dress the Senate.
TELLS OF HIS EARLY LIFE
Says Democrats Supported Him in
Return for .Kindnesses.
NO KNOWLEDGE OF BRIBERY
Advancement From Bootblack and
Newsboy to Political Prominence
Graphically Narrated.

claim no more virtue for myself
than I concede to any other decent citi-
zen. In my life of forty years l have
tried as nearly as human flesh can try
to live life that would make me ut
least acceptable to the decent citizens
OF my community. I have tried for forty
years to live life that would make my
neighbors. townsmen and people of my
state have confidence in me- I may not
nave succeeded, but God knows | have
trled. DO not believe that votes were
bought to secure my election. / started
out 10 tell all | knew about my election
10 the Senate, and l have told nothing
but the truth.
say again OH my word as a man and
as senator that am not guilty and
mat nave no knowledge in the remotest
degree that bribery and corruption we're
pract1ced to gain a seat for me In this
pooy, and do not believe, whatever the
newspaper that is bounding me may say,
or may have been able to do by coercion.
that votes were bought to send me To
this Senate
Senator William Lorimer or Illinois
mus concluded his appeal in the Sena re-
yesterday afternoon to be yindicated of
charges that his election was brought
apout pF bribery and corruption.
Speaks for Four Hours.
Mr.. Lorimer told the story of his po-
iltlcal career, Of his advancement from
oootblack and newsboy to United States
senator. during the four hours he held
the attention of practically every men,
Der of the Senate and OF a crowd that
oh al 10 IL
ships had sprung up in early life that
eliminated In democrats uniting with
republicans to elect him to the upper
house Of Congress. And his stories OF
the early friendships Of his life were. in
the opinion OF more than one who heard
his address, the most interesting features
Of his address.
Let me tell you story he said at
one time in his speech. 1T won't take
but a moment AS boy 1 had all the
care that a loving mother could give.
Perhaps l was kept a little too close to
the apron strings. There came a time,
however, when l had to go out to work
to earn food for the family. l was ten
years old.
Somebody in the neighborhood sug-
gested that 1 sell newspapers. / went
down into the basement of one Of the
Chicago newspaper offces-the paper that
has since been trying to hound me to my
graveyard bought some newspapers. l
sold them in my own neighborhood. After
awhile l was able to buy $50 worth.
making 81 profit il 1 sold them all.
Story Of "Hinky Dink."
"One day, as l was coming from the
newspaper office with my supply, some
bigger boys rushed at me, and while sew
eral held my hands and others caught
me by the throat my papers were taken
from me. l stood alone and miserable.
/ did not know what to do.
Presently a boy came to me and
asked me what was the matter. l told
him my papers had been taken from me.
After awhile he returned with my papers.
He was the king Of the neWsboys, and
they were all afraid of him. To me he
was a hero. We became loyal friends.
When he was stuck with too many
papers I would take them Oft his hands
and sell them in the district 1 worked.
THAT man-for he Is man now-is
Michael kenna. You have heard him
called 'Hinky Dink,' the democratic pol
itician of chicago. 1t has been asked
l am telling you. 'Hinky Dink' and /
went our separate ways as boys, but the
friendship formed then lasted always.
He came into my Office when my name
was first mentioned for the senatorship.
He told me to count on him. He said
John Griffin would vote for me. And
Griffin did,
Queries Senator Root.
AS he finished the dramatic story Sena-
tor Lorimer turned to Senator Root, who
had scathingly arraigned his election only
few days ago.
do you MIR. Root, know what such
friendship means?' he asked. do you
know what it is to have a friendship last
through boyhood: a friendship that will
last through thick and thin?" Mr.. Root
made no reply. Then Mr.. Lorimer con-
tinued:
Peter Gallagher. he is another demo-
crat who has been mentioned as voting
for me. Let me tell you about Peter
Gallagher. ! knew him when he was a
boy in knee brooches. He would have
done a great deal for me. but he was a
partisan pure and simple. He would do
anything for me- outside of politics. But
one day his wife became ILL., He was out
Of work. There was no food in the house.
His democratic friends would not help
him. His party refused to give aid. He
came to me. ! got him a job-not a fine
job, but one that helped to keep the roof
over his head and buy medicine for his
wife and food for his children. His wife
died, and helped him to pay the funeral
expenses.
AFTER that Peter Gallagher was my
slave. There was nothing within the
bounds of decency that he would not do
for me. What did for him l would do
for any friend. I did not think 1t much.
His gratitude. however, was big and last
ing And yet l am asked how this demo-
crat, Peter Gallagher, came to vote for
me-
Incident of NANNY" Abrahams.
Soon after he remarked that Nanny
Abrahams had voted for him.
I'm this great prosecution he contin-
ored and ruined from the United States
Senate. you should have all the facts
After graduating from newsboy and boot
black, l became street car conductor.
In the section through which l ran, a
great many immigrants sought passage.
1t was optional with the conductor wheth-
err he should permit men with bundles to
board or bar them. l have seen the con-
ductors kick the bundles into the street
when an immigrant tried to board the
car.
Nanny Abrahams was a man with
one Of these bundles. treated him
courteously. I let him board my car and
treated him as / would any other human
being. l treated all the people of that
district the same way. After awhile,
when l went into politics, those people
made me their hero. They came to my
home with their troubles. l helped them
in sickness and in DEATH AS precinct