Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-21
LORIMER CASE IS REOpENED
Cyrus H. Mccormick is Asked About
Hundred Thousand Fund.
TELLS OF TAI. WITH FUNK
General Manager OF Harvester Trust
Said Edward Hines Asked Him
to Chip In to Elect Lori
mer senator.

WASHINGTON, June 2o.-Iittle but hear
say evidence was brought out today when
the senate Lorimer investigating committee
held its initial hearing in the inquiry that
is to go deep into the charges of corrup-
tion in the election of the junior senator
from Illinois.
Cyrus H Mccormick, president of the
International Harvester company, was be-
for the committee to tell what he knew
of the collection of $4,000 fund alleged
to have been used in Lorimer's behalf He
testified that Clarence S. Funk, general
manager of the company. had told him of
activity in behalf of Lorimer and that their
cooperation had been invited by Edward
Hines Of the Hines Lumber company to
contribute to the election fund. ,.,t.
William ] Hynes, who requested perTnis-
sion to appear as personal counsel for Ed
ward Hines, objected to the line of ques-
tionlng. He was overruled.
What did Mr.. Funk say to your asked
John II. Marble one of the counsel for
the committee.
"Mr. Funk came to me in my office"
said Mccormick, land said that Mr.. Hines
at the Union League club in Chicago had
approached him on the subject OF our com
pany making a contribution. The object
was to obtain a contributor to fund which
he understood was to be made to recoup
expenditures in connection with the cleo
ton of Senator Lorimer. Mr.. Funk told
him that his suggestion could not be con-
sidered. told him I was glad that he had
declined and that practically ended the in
cident."
TiIden's Name Mentioned.
Mr.. Marble took the lead in the question
! ing OF Mr. Mccormick.
| Are you a relative of Mr. Medll Nc
Cormick of Chicago Tribune2" ne asked.
| Yes. Mr., Mccormick is the son of a
cousin Of mine. We are good friends, but
are not related in business or politics."
The witness said he had never met Sena-
tor Lorimer. and when questioned as to
difficulties about taxes, admitted that he
had had some. but had not connected
Lorimer with them.
Asked II Mr.. Funk had mentioned any
other persons in connection with the col
lection of the fund, Mr.. Mccormick replied
that he had brought in the name of Mr..
Tilden of the National Packing company.
Mr.. Mccormick then told OF subsequent in
terviews with Mr.. Funk.
AS to the editorial in the Chicago Record
Herald concerning the alleged fund OF $780,
900 In behalf of Senator Lorimer, the wit
ness said that at about the time the
article appeared Mr.. Funk had told him he
had given the facts to II. H. Kohlsaat, the
editor of that paper had said that he had
advised that Mr.. Kohlsaat be relieved from
his pledge OF secrecy.
II did not think that Mr.. Kohlsaat should
go to JAIL" said Mr.. Mccormick, "and
consequently advised that he be authorized
to give the source Of his information"
second Interview with Hines.
| Mr.. Mccormick said that Funk had told
him OF a second interview with Hines, and
that Hines had sought him out to tell him
that he had not meant that his suggestion
of the $4,000 contribution would be taken
seriously.
Il felt rather indignant and so did Mr..
Funk" replied Mr.. Mccormick when asked
/ II he had been shocked by Mr.. Funk's
revelation.
do you not think that you should have
given the information in the previous in
quiry?" asked Chairman Dillingham;.
The witness replied that while he con-
sidered the matter an important one. he
had not felt impeled to testify.
1T did not seem to me to be my duty
TO go before the committee" he said: Il
did not follow all the details"
''Then your only interest was in keeping
Kohlsaat out OF jail?'
| NO but tne gravity OF the sltuauon was
such that l felt that we should interfere
in Mr.. Kohlsaats behalf. / had heard OF
other funds in connection with political
elections and I had supposed that there
would be plenty of evidence"
Mr.. Mccormick said he had heard among
others of the Jackpot" fund OF which there
! had been common talk for years. His
company had never been called upon to
contribute to the fund, he added. although
II had various applications to contribute to
such funds in other states.
He said his knowledge concerning the
! Jackpot" was not heaTsay.
The witness said he had had no prefer
enee for any senatorial candidate in the
! election OF 1909.
| Recalling the testimony OF Mr.. Funk be-
Continued on Second Page)