Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-07
'FRAME-UP,' HE SAYS
Witness Causes Sensation at
Lorimer Hearing.
ALLEGES BLACKMAIL PLAN
Gloss Testifes Frank Seems Told
Him of Plot by White.

George Gloss, the Chicago motorman
who testified before the Lorimer senator
ial investigation committee yesterday,
sprung a mild sensation today, when
he testified that Frank Seems, a friend
of Charles A. White, had told him that
he and White were preparing "a story
to blackmail Senator Lorimer for $780,
900, II possible, or at least $4,000.
The witness declared Seems had told
him White had declared they would turn
over all the papers to Lorimer if they got
the money, and they would all take a
trip
There was a squabble among the law
yers over the admissibility of the tesd-
mony. Attorney Healy. contending that
Seems should be called. Judge Hanecy.
counsel for Senator Lorimer. declared he
couldn't be found.
Testimony Admitted.
The committee decided to admit the
testimony.
Judge Hanecy declared, II allowed to
introduce it, he would prove that White
and Seems were working together on a
story with which they intended to get
money out OF Senator Lorimer."
II want to prove" said he. that Seems
and White were collaborating on a story
to blackmail Senator Lorimer. I want to
prove that Seems told this witness that
they had tried to get $4,000 for their
story. and that a letter was sent to Sen
ator Lorimer saying they had refused
5000 for It,"
Publishers Declined Story.
The witness intimated that Seems had
invited him into the alleged scheme and
that he had declined. He said the story
had been offered to some eastern pub
fishers, who refused it for lack of veri-
fication.
Gloss at first declined to answer ques-
tons about his conversations with Seems,
saying Seems had sworn him to secrecy.
The committee ordered Gloss to answer,
and he continued with reluctance.
Seems told me first that he wanted
me to go with him to the Palmer House
to witness the delivery of the story to
some magazine" said Gloss: Later he
told me those people wouldn't buy 1t.
to sell it to a newspaper, if the Lorimer
crowd didn't fall. I never saw the story
myself
Here Judge Hanecy brought in the name
of Edwin R. Wright. president OF the I'LL
nois Federation OF Labor
Seems told me that Wright was going
to take White to a newspaper that would
buy the story" said Gloss.
Lorimer Will Testify.
Gloss resumed the stand when the hear
ing opened this morning. e. J. Bell. an
other street car man: John Fitzpatrick
William Russell and Ed Nockels, q labor
leader, also had been subpoenaed Tor to-
day.
The committee is pressing counsel to
make all haste to end the case. It may
be closed within the next two weeks Sen
ator Lorimer will be the last witness for
the defense and testify unLer oath for the
first time since the investigation or his
election was begun.
First Told Story Last Night.
Gloss was a witness at both trials OF
Lee O'Neil Browne, but had never told
the story which he alleged Seems told
him to get $4,000 out Of Senator Lori
mer.
Senator Kenyon took the witness.
why didn't you tell this before?
II wasn't asked"
when did you first tell 1T
ITO Judge Hanecy last night
You volunteered it,"
yes"
why didn't you tell Mr.. Lorimer you
thought he was about to be black
| mailed?"
II was afraid he would think I was in
the scheme
"Yet you stood by and saw black
mailing scheme go on?"
| and didn't want to get any one else
in.