The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-23
LOR|mER MOVES
HEARERS TO TEARS
Makes Dramatic Plea
in His Own De-
Tense.
ALL CHARGES
ARE DENIED
On His Honor as Man and Sen
tor He Declares That He
Knew of No Corruption
Practiced in His Behalf.
Great Crowd Hears
His Speech.


William Lormcr. Of Illinois. to day In
person made his defense against the
cHa'ge mat Ills election to the Sem
ate OF the United states was accom-
plished by the bribery and corrup ton
OF tho Legislature of the State Of IL
uHois. His defense was a general and
emphatic denial delivered with more
Than ordinary cloquence and fcrvor.
mere was no vote to-day. Immcdi.
Ite!y upon the conclusion of Lori,ncr's
speech. the Senate went into executive
session on the Japanese treaty. and
answer 10 the Lorimer speech, which
Sehator be'erldSe was prepared to
ma ke. went over until to morrow No
body knows when & vote Will be reach.
ed
with almost every Senator In his
seat and In the presence OF grea,
crowd OF members OF the House OF
Representatives on the Senate floor and
OF spectators in the densely- packed
galleries., Lorimer made a speech Of
FOUR hours duration, and even his
bitterest opponent admitted that i,
was very able. we'll sustained and
dramatic utterance
Some OF those who heard the speech
md who have been in and about the
Senate for many years, said that there
pc!er hao been anything just like It.
-hoSCN I'D cuSH.
Mr., Lorimers speech was distinct
j. q human interest story" More than
once there were evidences that the
speech was moving some OF his hear
Srs TO tears
What effect. II any, the speech will
have upon the vote OF the Senate, II is
OF course. imp ossiblc 10 say The gan
raj impression about the Capitol to-
81 night Is that Mr.. L.orimer and his
friends have safely pledged the votes
with which TO defeat the resolution
which would declare his seat vacant
and that the matter comes to a vote
the result Will be I.orirner victory
II Is not Impossible that Lorimers op-
porents may be able to prevent the
matter coming 10 vote at all before
adjournment. II was said to day that
this was in effect the plan which the
GHu-Lorimer people would try to carry
out. 45Is
During the more than four hours that
Dir. Lorimer occupied the floor, lie re-
viewed practically all the charges
which have been made against himself
lie took UP in turn the opprobrious
differences drawn from his intimacy
with Speaker ShurtleN and Lee O'Neill
Brown, his attendance upon the SEES
sions OF the Illinois Legislature and
his presence In Shurtlef's rooms, UNI
dertaking TO show that in each In
H.,
In the line OF performances OF other
public men under like circumstances
He explained his Democratic sup
port on the grounds OF long standing
K personal friendships for himself and or
antipa thy for Senator Hopkins. who
was his principal antagonist in the
senatorial contest.
In the former connection he related
more than one story going to show
attachment running over many years
This portion OF the address appea led
strongly to the feelings of Senators,
out when Senator Crawford intimated
4hat the Illinois Senator was making
bid for sympathy. he resented the i'm
putation and turned the question to
mis- own advantage by declaring that
Oils only purpose was to set before the
Senate the truth. II was not a mat
&er OF sympathy. he said. but OF right
Bnd wrong.
Mr.. Lorimer undertook also to show
how his advocacy OF the Lakes-t the
mississippi waterway had caused many
4 members OF the Legislature to be par
HAL to him.
Knew Of No Corruption.
He said that he had made all effort
30 induce Governor Denecn to be-
come candidate to break tho sena-
Aorial deadlock, and in effect he de-
ciared that If Deneen had been 80 IN
kins by throwing his vote to him
One or two illusions were made to the
prosecution Of the case. and his enc
snies were referred to a S lass ssins of
character" Mr.. Lorimer asserted en-
bhatically that not only had he not
used money to influence his election,
but that on his honor he knew OF mono
having been so employed.
The galleries would hold only a
email proportion of those who sought
admittance. Hundreds stood In line
throughout the speech, devourinE
every word that filtered through the
gallery doors and waiting for the seats
OF those who might grow weary and
leave.
The number of the spectators and
would spectators was not the only
4 unusual characteristic. Society,"" as
known in Washington, was out in
force. Mira. Taft herself and n party
occupied seats IN the executive gal
lery. The diplomatic gallery was fill
ed with representatives OF various ma
lions. The crowd on the Senate floor
5 itself was almost as great as that
which choked the galleries Members
of the House were massed in the rear
Of the chamber. and around the side
walls AT one time eighty seven nom
hers Of the lower body were listening
10 the speech. From the Ca binet there
pame Attorney-General WickershamHt
On a few occasions laughter rang
Through the chamber. Quite chuckle
Dprcad among the less dignifcd In the
Shamber when the speaker. with a
Sweep of his arm. knocked his glass
bf water on the floor, freely bedsw-
z ing Senators in the immediate neigh
borhood.
The names OF many Democrats were
Anentioned as among those who had