The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-26
.[0R|MER CASE
GRUDGE EVENER
Being Used to Settle Person
al and Political Scores in
Illinois

Chicago, Oct 26.-Former State
Representative Sidney P. Esty of Ben
ton, Ills. declared before the Lorimer
investigating committee of the United
states senate that the inquiry is beng
used in southern Illinois as a means
OF settling personal and political
grudges.
Esty testified that certain men in
Benton and Mount Vernon conspired
by means Of false reports to involve
him in the Lorimer case for the pur-
pose of attempting to discredit him at
his home, where he is mayor of the
town.
"These people," said Esty, have
communicated with counsel for this
committee and have charged me with
saying certain things about the Lori
mer case which l never said or even
thought OF. They threatened they
would get even with me by CONNECTING
my name with this case"
The witness named P. T. Woodward,
William H. Hart and William Blythe
In this connection and subpoenas were
issued for them.
IN relating his experiences in the
forty-siXth general assembly, Esty
produced letter from Mrs. John A..
Logan, widow of General Logan, in
which Mrs. Logan asked Esty to vote
for George Edmund Foss for United
states senator. The letter was dated
Mrs. Logan had known Esty at his
nome when he was young man.
FORMER state Representative Thom-
as Tippit was the first witness at to-
days session of the committee. Tip
pit was the leader of the Democratic
faction in the Illinois house which was
opposed to Lee O'Neil Browne.
II was favorable to the election Of
Edward D. Shurtleff as speaker" said
Tippit, because I 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
cnilel States senate. He admitted he
wrote and introduced a resolution ia
voring Shurtleff in caucus Of Demo-
cratic house members.
then withdrawn by me-" said Tippit,
because Browne made such a noise
about this action"
What was the particular objection
to Browne as minority leader?" he
asked.
We'll. there were a lot of us who
objected to his affiliations. He went
up and down the state holding So
called roundups. chaperoned by the
SAA1Cu SVSASlASSs duU luc brewery
terests.''
Tippit denied that the federal sena-
torial contest had any effect on the
election Of Shurtleff as speaker.
Senator Kern brought out that the
Browne and Tippit factions not only
forgot their differences at the time Of
Shurtleff's election, but did so in the
same manner when Lorimer was elect
ed.
Another witness who told Of alleged
political Vaccinations was former
State Representative Sidney P. Espy of
Benton. ILL.,. who informed the COM
mittee that the investigation was be-
ing used by politicians in southern Illi-
nois as means of settling personal
and party grudges. This was being
done, he said. by relation to the In
vestigators of alleged conversations
and acts Of the men the traducers
wished to injure the subsequent in
quiry and disagreeable publicity was
the object sought.
Tippit's story excited more COM
ment among attendants at the hearing |
than any other testimony Of the day. |
He said he received his information |
from George S. Brennan. a close poll |
tical lieutenant of Roger c. Sullivan,
who backed Adlai Stevenson's CAM
paign. He did not aver. however, that
lHe seudtorSnlp was quoted price
for his aid to Stevenson, though he
offered the incident as a basis for the
action of the twenty-six Democrats in
voting for and electing Lorimer.
Tippit said he heard of no jack
pot and received no remuneration for
MS vote for Senator Lorimer.
Testimony by William C. Blair,
neighbor of Mr.. Tippit. was that he
had eleven new 800 bills after a visit
10 MIR. Tippit's home. Mr.. Blair did
aot give version of political graft
ude. as did MIR. Tippit, to account for
MS vote for Lorimer.
Tippit ir the afternoon session, de-
1ied knowledge Of corruption in con-
lection with the fishermen's bill, in
which it had been charged the fisher
men along the Illinois river had been
assessed" for Jackpot fund" to pro-
note their interests.
He also denied he met Mr.. Blair
It times the latter specified in his tes-
imony. though Mt. Vernon papers
we're shown recording the visits in
question. Tippit showed his bank ac-
'ount for 1909, and testified about the
contents of safety deposit box for
hat year.
MERGER POSSIBLE