Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-06-07
KERN's SPEECH IN SENATE or
EMS THE BAIL-MAY BE END
OF "BL0NDE BOSS"

Washington, June 5.-The speech of
Senator Kern yesterday, attacking
Lorimer was the opening gun of what
will undoubtedly be q. finish fight on
the Big Blonde Boss. It will undoubt-:
eddy be the chief topic of conversation
for some time in the Senate, and its
consideration may take two weeks, and
it is highly possible that it may pro-
long this session of Congress.
Lea and Kenyon, who with Wern are
ing committee, holding the Illinois SEN.
ator's election was brought about by
corruption are ready to join the fight
against the majority report, which COM
pletely exonerates Lorimer. While the
whole question Of the validity Of the
election is the principal consideration
before the senate, an important. feature
which promises to precipitate the first
fight and the first test of strength is
the contention that Lorimer's case is
res judicata, or has been decided once
by the senate and cannot be re-opened.
The majority of the committee which
made the second investigation holds
that Lorimer cannot be tried again on
practically the same charges on which
the senate by vote Of 46 to 40 ac-
quilted him March !, 1911. The min
GRITTY holds this reasoning does not ap.
ply to Lorimer's case.
The complexion Of the senate is al
tered considerably since Lorimer's vim
dication and this leads to much specu-
1ation. It has been reported the poll
made by Lorimer's friends convinced
them they could not expect more than
forty votes and that many senators had
declined to indicate their views now
that Lorimer has been advised 10 re-
sign.
In two years Lorimer's election has
been under fire it has furnished prob.
ably more sensations than any other
case Of its kind. Lorimer was elected
by the Illinois legislature May z, 1909,
after a prolonged. deadlock in which
the names of more than 100 candidates
democrats and republicans had been
presented unsuccessfully. However, it
was not until nearly year later that
the vadility of his election was chal-
lenged when the now famous "confes-
sion" Of Charles A. White, a member
Of the Illinois legislature was publish,
ed, charging that he received $1,000
from Lee O'Neal Browne, the demo-
cratic member Of the Illinois house of
representatives in return for his vote
for Lorimer and ALSO 5000 as share of
q general corruption fund.-, Then in
rapid succession followed a sensation
al series of Confessions by other
members Of the legislature. These con-
fessions however, were later modified
OF repudiated with the exception Of
Whites.
The other men claimed they had re.
ceived money out Of the general fund
| and not in return for their Lorimcr
votes, and in some cases charged init
midation by the Cook county authori-
ties to wiring the confession from them.
Lee O'Neil Browne, was charged
with distributing the "Lorimer mon
ey" but was acquitted by jury and
the other indictments were quashed.
The charges Of jury bribing in the
Browne case were unsustained in court.
A committee Of United States sena-
tors reported the charges Of corup-
tion not proved and held Lorimer g ii.
tie to the seat valid. Immediately af-
ter the illinois legislature appointed .
committee of it's own to investigate
and this committee reported that Lori
mer would not have been elected with
out bribery and corruption and the IL
inois senate by vote Of 80 to 10 en-.
dorsed that view.
I'm the meantime after q series of
notable debates in the United States
senate, Lorimer was INDICATED there
40 to 40 with five senators not voting.
The second investigation brought out
the charge that Edward Hines, 4 mil
| Ii. naire lumberman had raised u fund
Of 100000 to "put Lorimer over'
but the majority of investigating COM
mittee exonerated Hines Is well -
Lorimer. .-I....4..-.l