Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-18
Senate, 55 to %, Decides That He
Was Elected by Corrupt
Methods,
Ills RXlT MOST DRAMATIC
Wins No Votes ny .he Fury and
Pathos Of His Closing d.
fense-Will Not Give
Up Fight.

Washington, July 14.-1ne Senate by a
vote Il 55 to 2s declared yesterday after
noon that corrupt methods and practices
had been used IN tho election of William
Lrimer, and that his scat "a q senator
from Illinois was therefore vacant. Tho
heavy vote against him seemed to sur
prise every one excspe tho accused. as
his tremendous struggle for himself in
the last three days had been expected
by his opponents to win him enough
votes to make tho result close. Instead.
five senator's who voted for him n year
aso voted against him. apd oniy one of
his former opponeots, Senator Jones of
Washington. changed over to his support.
The galleries were packed to the doors.
while outside each entrance crowd
struggled for admission But. except for
the subdued sobbin6 Of women IN the
galleries there was not the least demon
s.ration when Mr. Lorimer, after speak
ing two hours, concluded his long fight
with an appeal to God as n witness that
he was innocent. Mr.. Lorimer took his
seat solemnly at the back of the hall. and
shortly afterward Mr.. Lea of Tennessee
called up his custer resolution. Mr.. Lori
mer listened to the calling of the roll,
and when the president pro tempore an
nounced the result he thrust back his
chair and walked from the chamber.
smiling to his friends.
Senators and members of the House
gathered about their expelled colleague
as he passed out Of the chamber, grasp
ing his hand and patting him on the
back. Outside the Senate door. as Mr.
Lorimer stepped into the corridor. friends
greeted him again. and a party of Sis
tors Of Charity pushed forward to ex-
press regret at his expulsion. At his
office later. when a physician had at
tended him, he said he would not leave
Washington before the first of this week
FIGHTING SPIRIT STILL UP
The conclusion of Mr. Lorimer's speech
with which he has held the Senate
crowded for the last three days, was
dramatic in the extreme When he re-
sumed yesterday morning, his fighting
spirit was still up, and going over to
where Senators Kern, Lea and Kenyon
sat together, he repeated his Fridays
charge of the fasty of Mr.. Kern's state
ments. and challenged them to reply But
they had heard that any reply from them
would induce Mr.. Bailey to take the floor
IN Mr.. Lorimer's defense, so they let his
attacks go unanswered.
reference to the report that he would
resign to avoid expulsion seemed, how
ever. to madden him again. With the
fury that marked his denunciation Of his
enemies throughout his speech, he de-
clared that he would never resign and
thereby admit that the democrats who
voted for him had done SO corruptly. The
suggestion was a cowardly one, he said
and his whole fight had been to show
he was no coward
"Why should l resign" he shouted. BE
cause defeat is staring me in the face. and
because they say 1t stares in tn, face the
men who Will vote for me? If they are
afraid to vote according to their conv1c-
tons. even though 1t mean defeat, they
are not worthy to sit in this chamber
This is no body of towards. If the franz
ers Of this government had run away be-
cause defeat was staring them in the face
we would to-day not have u flag.
EXIT NOT FROM FEAR.
mo- no, no. no. If | go from this BODY
1t will be because more senators vote for
that resolution than vote against it. My
exit will not be for fear. My exit will not
be because am coward. 1t will be be-
cause OF the crime of the Senate OF these
United States. l am ready"
AS ne drew near the end Mr. Lorimer
softened. He said he wanted to mako It.
plain thnt If he We're driven from the
Senate. as he had been told he would be,
he would not have in his mind that sena-
tors voted contrary to their convictions.
through fear; but that he had simply fail
cd to make them read the record and
study 1t az carefully as they should. Their
minds had been biased in advance. ne
said, and he had not been able to eradicate
that first impression.
Mr. IOT1mer eaic that even his enemies
had said nr,oh OF Ills IDEAL family life and
rad Joined his friends IN saying that in
h:s whole career 10 blot coulc be- found
against hL personal honor. Bu: what
they sa'E, 10 declared. ne hoped would not
influence the votoe OF senators. lie had
nc plea to mako because of his family.
siroe nothing the Senate could do would
shake his fannily's faith in him.
IAN .deal family Etey' re2sa;nd the 40
eusad senator. Yea, II Is idaal But ask
no ono TO spare me for the sake of my
family W!.sn 20 home, one kiss from
each, one 1u.o-a<s Sc1u al VIII teal ne I
en- safo and thet the blows dealt me hera
wGs harmless Do VIVA. you will to me.
ssnatO1s. tset thee q, home vii form,
Arouud ios q L''lcw square through which
all tho world cannot hurt me. Expo. me
frgp this senate. If yoa WHY" he SAID
,a:1H,s 10th hands high and sDiilins
SrcsI,.d too ct~sT,bef. 'Uut as COD IL ms
Sstnass. Avn me hacr.ssr man beneath
.he dsan.'
ELCsGIENvSI; SWAyHD Nd VOTES.
IRE m.vin3 ,n'aracscT o. Lorimecs APP
1rs.i ~>a St,:H'~i on evary hand, bat !,
Apparently sv-sy "a no poGsA Instead .:
the ples.fipR ds:N.se gh.t had been CO
peCts. 10 S~s Throughout a ri15o.rg def.
AnsD b ,11oas vho ',AA lppsSsd him. a
isnAs aoso Of MS unfaltcu1ng belief in the
yRu4U OF HI. elscticn N uitnois, ard q
won1ise .ha: no woaii nos g1ve up his
light a1th HIS evc'k., fam the Senate
rhs VOTE ouStng Am wAs corsn1unAd al
S0 Vchoaah- Tho man pho had occupied
sssx In .ne .Asnsso since June g. lSO9
BY the vote vaase1 out OF the records ant
sSvsr tC1cial.y ,ss hI: +, s~a: in .ha Sen
a'S q tho United INatss.
Tee Lea resolution, ad'Dt - by vols
Of almost two to one was as follow:
'Rnsolvod. THAI cHSupt methods and
prsssts,sS Eore employed In tho election Of
William Lorimer to the Senate Of the Uni
tsd States from the Stea ot Illinois ant
that his election VS. tharefore invalid