Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-11
ALABAMA SENATOR, S MEMBER OF
INVESTIGATING BODY SPEAKS
IN SUPPORT OF LoRIMER COM.
MITTEE'S FINDINGS.
SAYS WHITE ALONE
CONFESSED BRIBERY
SENATOR STATED, HOWEVER,
THAT HE REFUSED TO ACCEPT
THE TESTIMONY OF "THIs SELF
CONFESSED scoUNDREL."


Washington, D. c., Feb. 10-Sustain-
ing the report Of the committee on
privileges and elections, of which he is
member, in favor of Senator Lori
mer's retention of his seat, Senator
Johnson of Alabama, in speech in the
senate today employed sarcasm to
meet the assaults upon the Illinois
senator.
Referring to the speeches Of SEN
ators Owen and Crawford and the re-
port of Senator Beveridge all adverse
to Mr.. Lorimer, the Alabama senator
declared that they had engaged in q
hurdle race to determine which should
have first place in the opening Of the
case.
Saying that the Indiana senator had
been the first to arrive, he described
that senator as "fresh from an election
in that state, with the smoke of battle
still on his garments. and fire flashing
from his eyes, having in his mind, no
doubt former elections when the fair
fame OF the state was smirched by the
shiny conduct of blocks Of five but
where now happily no corruption ex-
lists, where all is pure and serene, ana
every official represents the souna
sober, well founded Judgment of an in
Itelligent and virtuous electorate"
Coming close uTsDn the heels Of MT
|Beyeridge, was, he said, Senator owen,
t"with tonahawk and scalping knife, tn !.
Pocahontas blood in his veins surging
and throbbing at the sight of the aub-
urn locks Of the senator from Illinois,
and seemingly intent to add one more
magnificent scalp to the tent pole OF
his wigWam."
"A little later came the senator from
South Dakota, (Mr. Crawford) ana
whilst his entry was slightly delayed,
he made up in speed and energy VIVA. ,s
he lacked in start. and his path
through the law and facts of the case
was as fast and furious as that made
by frightened herd Of buffalo rush
ing furiously over the plains OF Soutn
Dakota, trampling down everything IN
front, and leaving only destruction
dust and death behind
Holds Statements Not Reliable.
Having thus noted the entries, Mr..
Johnston undertook to describe their
to "show that the SEN
ate could not rely upon the accuracy OF
statements made in haste even by dis
tinguished senator's" He went through
the Beyeridge report and the owen and
Crawford speeches. point by point, ana
undertaking to refute their arguments.
In response to q suggestion Irom NJ.
.Reyeridge. Mr.. Johnston said that
White had been the only witness who
had testified that he had been brlbed
to vote for Lorimer. Link, Beckemeyer
and Holstlaw swear" he said. thev
were not bribed to vote for Lorimer.
Brown, Wilson, and Broder1ck sWore
that they never bribed or paid any
thing of value to any one to vote for
Lorimer or because ne or, tney hao
voted for any one for senator.
Replying to charge by Mr.. CraW =
ford that the conduct Of the Lorimer
witnesses while on the stand was not
creditable the Alabama senator de-
clared that no one who was not present
(as Mr.. Crawford was not) was cap
able of judgment on that point.
1--WE all know" he said, that the
senator is a gentleman of extraord1n-
ary mental ability, but we had never
SUBJECTED that he could, with his x-ray
eve, look across part Of South Dakota
and count as nothing the distances ana
spaces of the great states OF Iowa ana
Illinois and penetrate the champer
where the witnesses were being exam
ined before the sub committee ana
distinguish their conduct and manner
of testifying."
Gives Summary Of Testimony.
Mr. Johnson pointed out that while
twelve men had been accosted of par
ticipatins in the alleged bribery, none
of them had been convicted by llllnols
courts. Some had even been reelected.
Summing up the case, Mr.. Johnston
said:
.;The whole fabric of this case rests:
"First. upon the testimony of Charles
A. White, self confessed scoundrei,
who was contradicted by many wit
nesses, and whose manner and bear
ing upon the stand was such that SIX
of the seven members of the committee
entirely disregarded his unsupported
testimony.
"Secondly, upon the testimony OF
Reckemeyer and Link, who, taken be-
fore a grand jury, first swore that they
never had received any money, were
either indicted or threatened with in
.dictments of per rjury, and then chang
ed their stories.
'sThird the testimony of HoistlaW,
another confessed perjuror.
"These men were flatly contrad1cted
by Brown, Wilson, and Broderlck, men
whose bearing on the stand was IN
finitely s''perior to these we crea-
lures"
Mr.. Johnston did not fail to give at
.tention to the possible bearing OF MS
attitude In the case upon his own 1or-
tunes. "The people of Alabama, ne
said. "are brave, intelligent ana law
abiding people, and they expect my
vote in this case to be cast as q Juror
according to the law and the evidence
and undtr my oath as senator. Ihey
shall not be disappointed