Evening star., 1912-07-14
Hope of Senator Ti1lman.

Mr. Lorimer would consecrate the re-
mainder of his life to the publication OF
politics in Chicago and to the uplift OF
his fellow citizens in Illinois.
81 believe IL he does bravely fight for
purer and better government In Illinois,
he said, God will strengthen his arm
and he will return to the Senate Vlndl-
Gated by the people of that great state
The vote then was taken.
The outcome of the vote was not
surprise, but the leaders of the fight
against Lorimer had not estimated a
greater vote than so to 35. Lorimer
gained only one OF the men who voted
against him March I, 1911. Senator
Jones of Washington, while he lost
the votes of his associate, Senator
Cullom. and of Senators Curtis or
Kansas, Briggs of New Jersey, Sim
mons OF North Carolina and Watson of
West Virginia.
Cullom Explains Vote.
In long statement, explaining why he
voted against Senator Lorimer yesterday
after having supported him on the former
vote on the Lorimer case, Senator Cullom
of Illinois last night said:
There was no evidence in this investi-
cation to show that Mr. Lorimer. either
personally or through others. was guilty
of corrupt practices in his election to the
Senate. Yet there is evidence, to my
mind, of conclusive character which
shows that corruption did exist In the
forty-sixth general assembly of the state
of Illinois, and that the Senatorship was
connected with. and became part OF,
program of a certain membership of the
legislature which sent Lorimer to the
Senate. Whether 1t was intended that
the senatorship should become a part OF
this program avails nothing. The fact
remains that Senator Lorimer was elect
ed by votes that were tainted, and the
testimony of confessed bribe-takers re-
.Lorimer money"
After thorough review Of the testi-
mony in the case Senator Cullom con-
cluded:
After considering all the facts 1 came
to the conclusion that l could not con-
scientiously sustain my colleague.
Lorimers fight for his own official
life began in the Senate chamber early
Thursday afternoon. When he ended
his eloquent declaration that he was
not a coward. and would not run in
the face of certain defeat" at o'clock
yesterday afternoon, he had held the
floor for twelve hours. with intermis-
sions and recesses to restore his
strength.
Not Swayed by Appeal.
The moving character of Lorimer's
appeal was duUlltcQ on every HdHu,
but 1t apparently swayed no votes.
Instead of the pleading defense that
had been expected. it was throughout
ringing defiance to those who had
opposed him. q declaration Of his un-
faltering belief in the purity OF his
election in Illinois. and a promise that
he would not give up his fight with
his eviction from the Senate.
The Senate. as constituted when the
All 1nl %0,sr
members. The vacancies caused by the
deaths Of Charles ]. Hughes. jr.. of Colo
RADIO, and George s. Nixon of Nevada
had not been filled. Immediately after
the vote. however, the Nevada vacancy
was. filled. when w. A. Massey. appointed
by the Governor of Nevada to fill Senator
Nixon's unexpired term. was sworn In.
He had been waiting three days to take
the oath of Office. but was prevented by
consideration Of the Lorimer case.
The unseating of Lorimer closed a fight
that had not ceased since the publica-
ton Of the charges Of Charles l.. White
by the Chicago Tribune early in 1910.
Elected Nav 26, 1909.
Mr.. Lorimer was elected as junior SEN
ator from Illinois by the Legislature Of
that state May %. 1909. He was at that
time a member of the United States
House of Representatives. having been
elected first to the Ffftyfourth Congress
in 1894 He continued to hold his seat in
the House OF Representatives until June
II, 1909, nearly a month after his election
to the Senate. He then resigned. and
was sworn in a sen-tor the next day.
His election came after the statewide
primary had indorsed Senator Albert j.
Hopkins for reelection. A deadlock in the
legislature prevented the selection of Hop
kins. and Lorimers election ultimately
was brought about by the support Of f1f-
ty-three democrats.
The charges of bribery in connection
with the Lorimer election were made
public by the Chicago Tribune April 80.
1910. when II published a confession Of
State Representative Charles A. White
that he had received $1,000 to vote for
Lorimer. Senator Lorimer specifically
denied these charges in a speech in lie
Senate May 2S of that year, and said he
courted an investigation.
Exonerated by Committee.
The Senate authorized an investigation
June ~. and 1t began In Chicago Septem-
ber %. 1910. under the direction of Sena-
tor Julius c. Burrows Of Michigan. AS
a result of that first investigation Lori
mer was exonerated by the Senate COM
mittee, and on March 1. 1911. the Senate.
by a vote Of 40 to 40, affirmed his title to
a seat.
The second investigation began June 20.
1911. as result Of charges that new evi-
dence had been found. particularly the
statement Of Clarence S. Funk OF the In
ternational Harvester Company that Ed
ward Hines had asked him to contribute
10 a 100000 Lorimer fund. The second
investigating committee, presided over by
Senator Dillingham; of Vermont, again
affirmed Mr.. Lorimer's title TO his seat.
but the vote in the Senate yesterday was
an overwhelming defeat OF the committee
report as we'll as of Mr.. Lorimer.
On Over Two Years.
For more than two years the fight had
i,een on to oust William Lorimer from
his seat in the Senate. A constant news
paper agitation Investigations by two
paper agitation, Investigations by two
the Illinois legislature. millions of words
of testimony. and scores of speeches,
have kept the case of Lorimer before the
public.
Charges and countercharges OF bribery
and corruption, elimination and recrimi-
nation. indictments, trials and "confes-
sions'' galore have filled the history OF
the case. Yesterdays vote ended one OF
the most sensational legislative i'm
broglios that the cauntry has ever known.
Demands Investigation.
1t began April 80. 1910, about year
after the election of Lorimer to the SEN
ate, with the publication In the Chicago
Tribune Of q story by Charles A. White
a member Of the Illinois legislature, ex-
posing corruption in that body. and