The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-10
LOR|MER KNEW Of
CORRUPT DEAL
-
Senator Crawford Arraigns Ill
inois Legislators and
Their Methods
TRANSACTION REEKED
WITH BLACK BRIBERY
South Dakota Senator Says
He Cannot Escape Conclu-
sion That Lorlmer Was
Aware of Situation

WASHINGTON. January lex
pressing the opinion that William
Lorimer must have mad some knowl-
edge OF the corrupt practices employ
ed to influence Democratic Legislators
who voted for him. senator craw-
ford tRepubiican). OF South Dakota,
to-day stepped into the firing line of
the anti-Lorimer ranks and directed
verbal broadside against the
methods used In the Illinois legislature
TO make Lorimer senator.
With the aid of Democratic votes,
Crawford charged, the legislature "as
organized by Lorimer against Albert
Shurtien, as speaker. being ".he first
step in corrupt program"
The next move Was to install Lee
ONeili Browne in the position OF
leader of the Democratic minority In
the house" said Crawford. Charles
a. White WAS one of Browne's araent
supporters So were the following
men whose names, along with that Of
White, are stepped In indescrIbable
inf&my: IL. J. Bcckemeyer, Nj. s. LINK,
j. S.Ciark. X. h. Wilson. II. A. Shep-
herd. Charles Luke. j, ii. Dewoif.
John Grimm, Manly AbTahams and
Others of their kind.
Senator John Broderick q saloon
keeper from Chicago. Was their handy
man in the senate and men like Sena-
tors Hoitslaw and FemOerton were
not hard to reach. Broderick was
close personal friend and aamirer OF
MIR. Lorimer and Hoitslaw loves the
filthy luce more than he does honor.
Crawford reviewed the testimony OF
men who confessed the acceptance
OF brides and said with regard 10 It:
The strength OF this testimony is
not broken Ivy the asssr ton that
Beckemeyer. Holtsiaw and Link are
seif-confessed criminals. They are
contemplate people. / readily grant
that But there is something here,
when We consider this testimony IS
a whole. SO consistent with the theory
that their votes for Loriruer were
purchased votes and 50 completely
antagonistic to the theory that they
were honest votes cast in honor for
him, that | cannot escape from the
absolute conviction that these men be-
trayed their honor. olackened the fair
name of their State, and for paitry
dollars permitted Browne and Brod-
erick TO sell them like pawns to
ShQrtieff and Lorimer. IL it De true as
to White. Bee kemeyer. Holtslaw.
ink. Luke, Clark. Snephard and De-
Wolf that they sold their eight votes
To Wilson. Browne and Broderick,
then the votes of THESE three bribe-
givers were equal ycorrupt and dis
honored. and the whole eleven should
be taken away from the man who
profted by their casting"
Considers Testimony.
Crawford devoted consiuerab BILE time
to the testimony on the investigation
introduced In fyeftaif of tsornYer His
conclusion was:
This testimony miserahiy fails of
its purpose and its only tendency is
to further confirm and corroborate
the proof that Mr.. Lorimer was not
lawfully elected to the high Office of
United States senator"
He characterized White and Browne
az bad men In tracing Whites
course, Crawford went fully into
Whites attempt TO biackmail Lorimer
before he sold his information to a
newspaper.
Can one conclude. after careful
reading of all the testimony here, that
Mr.. Lorimer himself did not know
that fraud was being committed ,"
asked Crawford. Il wish | could be-
lieve that he did not. because | bear
him no III VIII and would not do him
the smallest injury or injustice know
ingly Crawford then detailed Lori
mers personal activity at Springfield
Thinks IIorinis.r Knew 1t.
Il regret to say it," continued craw-
ford. but am personally convinced
that Mr. Lorimer knew enough about
what was going on at Springfield to
put a reasonably prudent man upon
inquiry: that Browne and Shurtieff
were his political agents and that he
ratified their acts and accepted the
results of their corrupt practices OF
which he must at least have had some
knowledge and that he was not legally
and duly elected to a seat in the
United States senate by the legisla-
ture OF Illinois.
Il may be wrong and the sub-com-
mittee OF investigation may be right:
but am bound to say that am not
willing that this report shall be adopt
ed without any protest. On the other
hand ! stand ready to vote for
resolution declaring that Mr.. Lorlmer
was not legally and duly elected TO a
seat in te senate by the legislature
OF the State Of Illinois"