The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-13
LORIMER OUT.
Continued from Page one.l
History of the Case.

| History of the Case.
For more than two years the fight
| has been on to GUST William Lorimer
| from his seat in the senate as a rep
| resentative of the state of Illinois. A
constant newspaper agitation, invest1-
! cations by the two senate committees
and one committee of the Illinois leg
islature, millions of words of testi-
mony and scores Of speeches have Kept
| the case of Lorimer before the public
Charges and counter charges OF
bribery and corruption. elimination
and recrimination, indictments, trials
and confessions galore have fliled
the history of the case Today's vote
! in the senate ended one of the most
sensational legislative imbroglios that
the country has ever known
1t began on April 80, 1910 about a
year after the election of Lor1mer to
the senate with the publication in the
Chicago Tribune of a story by Charles
A. White, q member of the Illinois
BODY and charging that White had
been bribed to vote for Lor1mer Tor
senator. Lorimer was elected by
com bination of Democrats and Repub-
licans in the legislature. Shortly after
the publication of the White story the
new senator arose in the senate cham
Der and demanded an investigation OF
his election. A senate investigation
by Senator Burrows, Republican
Michigan, took up the task. For near
| Iy four months, September to Decem-
Der, 1910, the committee took testl-
mony and finally submitted a report
| generating Lorimer. A minority re-
| port however, presented by senator
Beveridge, Indiana, sustained the
charges against Lorimer AFTER
! lengthy debate, in the course of which
Ilorimer delivered a sensetionally bril-
liant speech defending himself. the
majority report was adopted by the
senate on March 1, 1911, by a vote OF
B A q 70 axra Of
Indictments for Bribery.
Meantime. the case lad startled
Illinois and the state was abIaze Win
Developments. Indictment afte~ IN
dictment was found against the mem,
bers of the legislature which elected
Lorimer. White had confessed that
he was given $1,000 by RepresentatiVe
Lee O'Neil Browne, DemocfatIc leauer
sentative Robert o. Wilson to vote Tor
Lorimer. Browne was indicted TOT
bribery At his trial the jury dis
agreed and at the second trial he was
acquitted. Charges of jury bribing in
connection with his acquittaI were
made but jury which tried the jury
bribery case disa greed. representa-
tive Wilson and M1chael :. LINK were
| indicted for perjury.
The Illinois legislature took up the
scandal and the ''Helm'' investigating
| committee was appointed, after ths
United States senate had exonerated
! in, session Clarence S. Funk. general
manager of the International Harvester
company, testified that he had been
asked by Edward Hines, the wealthy
lumberman, to give $4,000 of 100000
| fund to help put Lorimer over at
Springfield This created another SEN
ton and resulted in the re-opening Of
the case in the senate Once more the
sordid stories of alleged bribery and
corruption were dragged out and once
their appearance.
The Second ESenort.
The second committee headed by Sen
ator Dillingham; (Vt-), brought in a ma
jcrity report, again generating Lori
mer and minority report condemn
ing him. Again the debate began and
for months the matter was under dis
cUssion. Finally an agreement was
reached that a vote be taken on the
Legislative day. of July 6-Iast Satur-