Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-28
Mistsllaneous &eaains,
LoRIMER BRIBERY INQUIRY.
Witness Tells Damaging Story of
What He Overheard at Telephone


Witness Tells Damaging Story oi
What He Overheard at Telephone
| Station.
| Springfield, H., April 25.-C. F
| Wiehe. brother in-law of Edward
Hines of Chicago, lumberman, today
admitted before the senate bribery
investigation committee that Hines
sent him on a midnight mission to
the Grand Pacific hotel in Chicago in
an effort to have w. H. Cook and Will
liam O'Brien, Minnesota lumbermen
evade Cook county process servers at
the time the charges that bribery was
used in the election of William Lor-
inner to the United States senate were
first published in May, 1910.
Wiehes statement followed the tes-
| timony of w. H. Cook of Duluth who,
ii was brought out, had written a
threatening letter to Hines. Wiehe
corroborated some of Cooks state
ments, but denied the pungent part of
his charge.
Cook declared that he was in room
at the Grand Pacific hotel, May 26,
1909. with William O'Brien and Ed
ward Hines when Hines telephoned to
some one called Governor" at SPRING
field. During this alleged telephone
conversation by Hines, Cook said that
Hines declared to the governor" that
he was ready to take the next train to
Springfield with all the money neces-
sary to effect William Lorimer's elec-
ton to the senate. Lorimer's election
occurred later that same day.
NJ. B. Coan, investigator for the
committee, testified that he interview
ed William O'Brien in Duluth within
the last week and that O'Brien told
about the same story as Cook, only
differing in that OBrien got the i'm
preston that Former Gov. Richard
Yates was on the Springfield end of
the telephone.
Following the recital of Cook be-
fore the investigating committee Gov.
Chas. S. Deneen issued a statement
in which he declared that he had new
er at any time held such a conversa-
tiion with Hines.
Former Gov. Yates also denied that
he ever had any such conversation
with Hines as that related by Cook.
Wiehe stated to the committe that
he, although not in the room when
Hines got the Springfield CALL believed
that Hines talked to William Lorimer.
Wiehe testified that on May 26,
1909, Hines set out for Chicago from
Hines had put in" several telephone
calls to Springfield that day but did not
know whom Hines was calling. Hines
at previous hearing testified that he
talked with Gov. Deneen on that
morning from the Continental and
Commercial National bank.
Cook today declared that he an
swered the telephone in his room at
for Hines.
Il understood the central girl to say,
Here's governor or The governor OF
Springfield for Hines" He then re-
lated the conversation as he remem-
bered it as follows:
Hines took the receiver out of my
hand and he spoke in the phone. He
| asked: Hello, hello, hello, is that YOU
governor? Well l just left President
Taft and Senator Aldrich last night in
Washington. Now they tell me that
under no consideration shall Hopkins
| be returned to- the senate. Now, will
be down on the next train. Don't leave
anything undone. l will be down on
the next train prepared to furnish all
the money required. Now, don't stop
at anything; don't leave anything un-
done; l will be down on the next train.
Or words to that effect, repeated over
three or four times"
Cook was specific regarding the
matter of money being mentioned and
on cross examination repeated this
part of the conversation. On this
point of the Grand Pacific hotel con-
versation by Hines Wiehe testified:
why, the conversation was sub
stantally or practically as follows:
have just talked with the governor on
the long distance telephone and he as
sures me he will do what you ask
| You know what the administration
wants. Now, leave no stone unturned
to be elected. | will get down to
Springfield if necessary in the morn
ing
And when he got through talking
he turned to the people in the room
and said:
"I have just been talking to Sen
atOr" Lorimer.'
Wiehe stated that he, Cook, O'Brien
isaac Baker and Hines were present
at the time.
Wiehe asked to be allowed to ques-
ton Cook and was allowed to do So
He charged Cook with trying to black
mail Hines and the Weyhauser lumber
interest
Cook admitted that he had sent a
letter to f. E. Weyhauser and also to
Wiehe in which he threatened to tell
what he knew of the Lorimer matter
unless they agreed to settle fight
among the stockholders of the Virginia
and Rainey Lake Lumber company
These letters were produced by Cook,
who also admitted that the Edward
Hines Lumber company held $4,000
of Cooks notes and mortgages.
| Cook also testified that he and Hen
ry Turrish of Duluth met Mr.. Hines
going through the hotel lobby in May,
1909, shortly before the election OF
Lorimer. MIR. Turrish asked him,
said Cook, how he was getting on
down i'm Washington. Oh he said, 1
am having a hell of time. Now,
there is, for instance, old Stephenson
After | elected him, he has gone down
to Washington and started working