The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-11
THINKS LORIMER
KNEW OF FRAUD
Crawford Ready to Vote
to Unseat Illinois
Senator.
TELLS OF BRIBERY
IN THE CAMPAIGN
Makes Scathing Arrangement of
Alleged Corrupt Methods Used
In Election--Says Eleven
Votes Cast for Candidate
Were Tainted-Steps in
Gum Shoe" Work,

III J'.--lH an ca
pausuve speech. senator Cne l. Craw-
iord. OF South Dakota. to-day de-
nounced the alleged mcthods cmnIoval
by agents Of senator William Lori
MGR In the Legislature Of Illinois ana
declared IL his conviction that Mr.
iror!ncr was not entitled to retain his
seat IN the upper branch Of Congress
IN the face OF Mr.. I.orimer's reported
protestations Of Innocence Senator
.ta"iord hatiy charged tina: the lat
ter was coGnizant OF the questionable
practices OF his lcutcnants
regret TO say IT," declared MIR
"ford, with emphasis. nut am
personally convinced hat Mr. I.oriner
khe" enough about what was gon;
on Mt Springfield 10 put n reasonably
lrudent man upon inquiry. that Shurt-
len and browne were his political
AGENTS. ami that he ratified their acts
ana accepted the fruits OF their cor
rHDt practices where no must at least
nave had some knowledge, and th1t
he was not legally and duly elected to
seat in the Senate OF Tie United
states ny the Legislature Of Illinois,
The evidence. In the opinion Of Mr..
Crawford. showed conclusively that
The election OF Mr. I.orimer was the
outcome OF carefully laid plan. be-
ginning with the election OF Edward
Shurtien, whom he described as a bit
80 'Htil. ~ senator hopkins ana n
political henchman OF Mr. Lorirner." 70
hc Speaker of tho Legislature and Ice
oNeill Browne 10 he leader OF tho
minority.
innIyzen Evidence.
The Senator carefully analysed tho
evidence OF alleged bribery, which he
said. proved 10 his Satisfaction that
money WAS used In the garnering OF
votes for Mr.. I.orlmer. Shurtlen and
Srowne were the active agents In this
'ampaign OF corruption. commended the
Senator and he charged that Mr.. Lori
mer was aware or what was trans.
piring,
Not only I'D Senator Crawford argue
that eleven OF the Democratic votes
east for Mr.. Lorimer In his election
were tainted with fraud and corrup-
ton" but he commended that Mr. Lori.
iner himself AT leas; must have sus-
pccted that fraud was being COM
United.
Mr. Crawford reviewed the essential
features OF the testimony 10 show why
the four men who confessed bribery
should he believed, and why the de-
malls OF the seven others that their
votes were tainted should not he ac-
1cpted as conclusive.
Appeals for Traditions.
Whittier are we drifting" he CON
tinuod, III conditions like those OF
Springfield are 10 be passed over in
silence? We may make mistakes in
framing tariff laws, but they can he
amended We may adopt wrong poll
cies in the administration OF public af-
fairs, but they can be corrected. But
what is the future OF representative
government II men are to enjoy seats
In the Legislative department which
have been purchased with psltry gold |?
What is 10 become of our institutions
and who can answer for tomorrow,
yia1a Inn tn
nois is 10 be bought and sold by men
who are provided with corruption
fund for that purpose; United States
senatorship thrown into the bargain?
Are the members of this Senate Will
ing that testimony like this. which /
have attempted to review here, shall be
put aside is insufficient to overthrow a
formal certificate of election simply be-
cause that certificate comes here under
the seat of great State?
~ know Senators will not do that II
They see this evidence as 1 see 1t. j
claim no superior virtue and would not
reflect in the smallest particular upon
Tic sincerity and good faith of any
senator. My only fear is that the tes-
limony was so much broken into by in
tcrruptionS and argument of counsel
during the hearings and the time in
which to weigh and analyzA Ii was so
rhort. that the subcommittee did not
give II the weight to which it seems 10
me 1t is entitled and the full commit
tee had little opportunity TO examine it
before submitting its report. l may be
wrong, sir. and the subcommittee may
be right; but ] am bound to say that
am not willing that this report shall
DC adopted without my protest. IN the
other hand stand ready TO vote for
resolution declaring that MIR. Lorimer
was not legally and duly elected to a
scat In tho Senate OF the United States
by the Legislature of the State OF Ill:-
nois."
steps In tho CAMPAIGN.
Senator Crawford took up the steps
In what he called "a corrupt program"
and "a gumshoc campaign for his
Lorimcr's) election" Three facts. Mr.
Crawford argued are all correlated
and they arc sequences which must he
kept in mind In order TO properly un-
hcratand the manoeuvres which are
disclosed in the evidence presented 10
rs here"
These three facts. lie stated thus:
'lirst-rhe election Of an ;inti-ll Hop
kins man and lorimer Republican IS
speaker by means Of Democratic votes
in order that the Lormcr men might
control the organization OF the House
Second. The election of Lee O'Neil
Browne the absolute dictator of u
faction consisting of about thirty
Democratic members of the House, for
whom he could make corrupt and I'M
scrupuous deals and whose votes no
Gould deliver,
Third. y complete understandings
between the mon who handled the
Jackpot fund in both the Senate and
House. and the men who were further
ing tho campaign Of Mr.. T,orimer for
election 10 the office OF United states