The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-10
LORIMER TOLD HIS ELECTION
 WAS BOUGHT
Especial from United Press,

Especial rom .Gnitads HreSs.1 Washington, Jan. 1O-Expressing the opinion that William Lorimer must have some knowledgeo of the corrupt practices employed to Influence Dem ocratic legislators for him, Represent tative Crawford. Rep.,s s. D.). step ped into the firing line of the Lorin- CT ranks, and delivered a verbal broadside against the methods used in the Illinois Legislature to make Lorimer Senator.
 With the aid of Democratic votes. Crawford charged, the Legislature was organized by Lorimer. against Albert J. Hopkins, the election of Ed ward Shurtleff, as Speaker, being the first, step in a corrupt program.
 "The next move was to install Lee O'Neill Browne in the position of leader of the Democratic minority of the House. said Crawford. Charles A. White was one of Browne's ardent supporters. So were the. following men whose names, along with that of White are steeped in indescribable infamy H. J. c. Beckmeyer, M. $. Link, J. s. Clark, R. E. Wilson, H. A. Shep- pard Charles Luke, J. H. DeWolfe. John Griffin, Nanny Abrahams ana others of their kind.
 "Senator John, Broderick, a saloon keeper from Chicago, was their handy man in the Senate and men like Sen ators Holtslaw, and Pemberton were not hard to reach. Frederick was close personal friend and admirer of MT. Lorimer; and Holtslaw loves the filthy lucre more than he does hon or''
 Crawford reviewed the testimony of men who confessed the acceptance Of bribes and said with regard to 1t:
 ",The strength of this testimony is not broken by the assertion that White, Beckmeyer. Holtslaw and Link are self confessed criminals. They are contemptible people. I readily think that But there is something, when we consider this testimony as whole, so consistent with, the theory that the votes of Lorimer were pur- chased votes and so completely antag- ouistic to the theory that they were honest votes cast in honor for him, that we cannot escape from the ab- trayed their honor, b1ackened the fair name of their State and for paltry dollars permitted Browne and Broder- ick to sell them like pawns to Shurt- Jeff and Lorimer. If 1t be true IS to White, Beckmeyer. Holtslaw. Link that they sold their eight votes to Wilson, Browne and Frederick, then the votes of these three bribe givers were equally corrupt and dishonored and the whole. eleven should be taken away from the man who profited by their casting"
 Crawford devoted considerable time to the testimony in the investigation and in behalf of Lorimer. His con- c1usion was:
 "This testimony miserably fails of it's purpose and it's only tendency is to further confirm and corroborate the proof that Mr. Lorimer was not lawfully elected to the high office of United States Senator
 He characterized White and Browne az sbad men," Tn tracing Whites course, Crawford went fully into Whites attempt to blacklnail Lorimer before he sold his information to newspaper.
 "Can one conclude, after careful reading of all the testimony here, that MT. Lorimer. himself, did not know that fraud was being comniitted?" asked Crawford. "l wish I could be- I'eve that he did not, because I bear him no i'll will and would not do him the smallest injury or injustice know ingly."
 Crawford then detailed Lorimer's personal activity at Springfield. "I regret to say it.'' continued Crawford. t'but T am personally convinced that MT. Lorimer knew enough about what was going on at Spr ngfield to put q reasonably prudent man upon inquiry; that Browne and Shurtleff were his political agents and that he ratified their acts and accepted the results of their corrupt practices of which he must at least have had some knowledge ard that he was not le-