The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-10
FIGHT ON LORIMER
STARTS IN SENATE
Opening Guns Arc Fired by
Senator'S Beveridge and
Owen.
SPEAKS IN OWN BEHALF
illinois Man Again Disclairns
Innocence Of Any Vote
Buying:
SPEAKS IN OWN BEHALF

WASHINGTON. n. c.. January 9.--The
fight 10 prevent Senator Lorimer. OF
Illinois. retaining his seat In the United
states Senate, was opened .o-day with
a contest between Senators Bevcridgc,
OF Indiana. and owen. of Oklahoma
both of whom contested for the right
10 lire the first gun i'll the same cause
Senator Bcveridgc, by virtue of being
q member Of the, Committee on frivi-
leEcs and Elections, which investigated
charges OF bribery against AIR. Lori
iner. gained a tactical victory of fling
n minority report attacking the posi-
Glcn Of las colleagues on the commit
zee who voted 10 eXoneratc the Illinois
Fenator. senator owen. however. in
troduced q resolution to declare the
election of Senator Lorimer to have
been Illegal and void but he was not
permitted to address the Senate in its
snpport. The Senate held that the reso-
Tuition under the rules would have to
10 over until tomorrow. Mr.. Bcv-
cridEe hcn submitted his report tho
conclusion of which was:
'rhat this election was Invalid under
anY possible View of the law. II the
Srnte SO concludes. It is our duty SO
~ declare Therefore, l submit the
following resolution:
Resolved That William Lorimcr
vas not duly ana legally elected 10 4
scat in the senate of the United states
10y The Legislature OF the state OF ILL.,
nois"
Lorimcr Spcnks.
Before the report was filed Senator
1-orimer made brief speech, declar-
ms his innocence of nr'bery and the
Innocence of his friends OF any partl-
eipaton i'll corrupt practices IL; conncc-
7ion with his election.
The Beverdge report reviews the tes-
timony bearing upon The alleged ac-
ccptance Of hrbes by four members OF
tho Legislature and tic testimony Of
these men that the brides had been
pail by three other members The
minority report declares that II is an
undisnuted fact OF conclusive force al
though lie majority ignores it, that
tho conf sscd bribe-tnkers were shown
60 have lad In their possession in bills
or large denomina tionS. unusually large
sums Of money soon after the dates
when they swore TO having received
the alleged brides. This statement $
made in reply to the contention of the
rpicrity that the men who confessed
10 having received bribes were not TO
uc believed.
Senator Bevcridgc devoted consider
Rble attention TO the claim of the ma
iority that at least three OF those who
confessed to having received brides
had been 'compclled'' or driven 10
make these confessions because of the
treatment received from officers OF
Cool, and SanSarnon counties, Illinois
In this connection the report says:
What the Senate must determine Is
whether 1t believes as a matter OF fact
that these men actually did receive
the money which they testified 10 hav-
ing received. and large amounts OF
which were found in their possession
IN bills OF large denomIna tons"
After the morning business had been
concluded in the Senate. Mr.. Owen
2 gain gained the floor and made the
speech which he had attempted to de-
liver earlier III the day.