Omaha daily bee., 1912-06-05
sol-s0o South Sixteenth st.

OF 10 TO W acquitted him March |. 1911
The minority holds that this reasoning
does not apply to Senator Lorimer's
case
The complexion OF the senate has
altered considerably since Mr.. Lorimer's =
vindicaton and this leads to much
speculation. 1t has been reported that
q poll made by Mr.. Lorimer's friends
CONVINCED them they would not expect
more than 40 supporting votes and that
many senators had declined to indicate
their views. now that Mr.. Lorimer was
advised to resign. 1t was even said that
Vice President Sherman recently carried
that advice to Mr. Lorimer in Chicago
Neither, however, has confirmed it and
Senator Lorimer today reiterated his re
fusal to talk about resigning. He will
be in his seat during the attack and de-
fend himself in speech, If his health
permits.
History of Remarkable Case.
In the two years that Senator Lori
mer's election has been under fire 4
has furnished probably more sensations
than any other case of it's kind. Mr..
Lortmer was elected by the Illinois Iegis-
lature on May n, 1909 after prolonged
deadlock In which the names OF more
than one hundred candidates, democrats
and republicans had been presented un-
successfully. However It was not until
nearly a year later that the validity NJ
his election was challenged when the
now famous confession OF CHARLES A.
White. member Of the Illinois Iesis
lature was published, charging that he
had received $1,000 from Lee O'Neili
Browne, democratic leader of the Illinois
house Of representatives in return for
his vote for Senator Lorimer, and also
$500 as share Of general corruption
fund"
Then In rapid succession followed
sensational series Of confessions" by
other members of the legislature. These
confessions, however. were later modi.
fled or repudiated, with the exception OF
Whites. The other men claimed they
has received the money out of a general
fund and not in return for their Lorimer
votes and In some cases charged in
timidation by Cook county authorities to
wiring the confession from them
Lee oNeill Browne. who was charged
with distributing "Lorimer money was
acquitted by jury and other indict-
ments were quashed. Charges Of jury
bribing in the Browne case were un-
sustained in court.
Lee O'Neill Browne, who was charged
with distributing "Lorimer money" was
acquitted by jury. and other indict-
ments were quashed. Charges of Jury
bribery In the Browne case were unsus-
tained In court.
New Senators VIII Decide
A committee Of the United States SEN
ate reported that the charges of corrup-
ton were not proved and held Senator
Lorimers title to his seat valid. In
mediately thereafter the Illinois senate
appointed committee of its own to In
vestigate and this committee reported
that Lorimer could not have been elected
without bribery and corruption and the
Illinois senate by q vote Of 80 to - en-
dorsed that view.
In the meantime. after . series of nota-
BILE debates in the United States senate,
Mr.. Lorimer was vindicated there, & to
10, with five senators not voting. The
quota Of senators was %. with one
vacancy In Colorado.
+ Since then, by the admission of New
Mexico and Arizona, the quota has in
Id kx,.k
still exists. and there are ninety-five
men to vote on the case this
time But of the forty-six who voted to
retain Mr. Lorimer eleven are not now
In the senate and four Of the five who
refrainc6 from voting are also no longer
members Tho ranks of the forty who
voted against Lorimer have been depleted
by only five, and these places have been
taken by men who seem to have indi-
Gated that they will follow the views of
their predecessors.
Two Change Their Positions.
Senator Curtis of Kansas. who voted
for Mr.. Lorimer before. is said to be
ready to vote against him this time, but
this is counterbalanced by Senator Jones
Of Washington. who voted against Mr.
Lorlmer, but will vote for him this time.
This alignment seems to throw the bal
ance Of power mainly with the new sena-
.2rs
The second investigation brought out
the charge that Edward Hines. the mil
ilonaira lumberman, had raised fund of
100000 to put Lorimer over" but the
majority of the investigating committee
exonerated Hines as well as Lorimar.
The senator's election, the majority re-
port hold. was due entirely to political
conditions In Illinois. which made Mr..
Lorimer the only candidate who could
muster a majority.
A sprained ankle may as a rule be