The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-07-18
.L0RHNER OUsTED
FROM SENATE
BY a Vote of Fifty-Five to
TwentyEight by His
.l Colleagues.
SENATORS ARE ANGRY
Over the imprisoned and
Bitter Attacks Made by
!. Him on Them. i.

by vote Oh nIty-uV6 10 twenty
eight. the Senate today voted to un-
seat Senator Lorlmer OF Illinois, and
held his election invalid.
This action followed the concur
sion OF an impassioned speech by
Lorimer in which he analysed the
evidence against him to show that
he was the victim of a conspiracy.
For more than two years the fight
had been on to Gust Lorimer from
his seat in the Senate as represen-
tauve Of the state OF Illinois. Al
constant newspaper agitation. inves-
legations by two Senate committees
and one committee OF the Illinois
Legislature, millions OF words of tes-
timony. and scores OF speeches have
kept the case of Lorimer before the
public.
Charges and counter charges OF
bribery and corruption, elimination
and recrlmination, indictments, trials
and Confessions" galore have filled
the history of the case. Today's
vote in the Senate ended one OF the
most sensational legislative i'm
broglios that the country has ever
known.
1t began April 80, 1910. about
year after the election OF Lorlmer
to the Senate, with the publication
in the Chicago Tribune of a story
by Charles A. White. a member OF
the Illinois legislature. exposing cor
ruption in that body and charging
that White had been bribed to vote
for Lortmer for senator. Lorimer
was elected by combina-
ton OF Democrats and Repubh-
cans in. the legislature. Shortly af-
ter the publication OF the White
story the new senator arose in the
Senate chamber oud demanded an
investigation OF his election.
"A Senate investigation was or
dered and a committee headed by
Senator Burrows. Republican. Mich
igna, took up the task. For nearly
four months. September to Decem-
Der. 1910, the committee took testt-
mony, at Chicago and Washington,
and finally submitted a report ex-
GENERATING LorImer. A minority re-
port however, presented by Senator
Beverage, of Indiana, sustained the
charges against Lorimer After
lengthy debate in the course of
which, Lorimer delivered a sensa-
tionally brilliant speech defending
himself. the majority report was
adopted by the Senate on March /,
1911,by vote of 46 to 4s, five not
voting.
Meantime the case had startled
Illinois and the state was ablaze
with the developments. Indictment
after indictment was found against
the members of the legislature which
elected Lorimer. White had con-
fessed that he was given $1,000 by
Representative Lee ONIell Browne,
democratic leader. OF the leglsla-
ltpre, and 5000 by Representative
Robert o. Wilson to vote for Lori
mer Browne was indicted for
bribery. At his first trial the Jury
disagreed, and at the second trial
he was acquitted. Charges of jury
bribery in connection with his ac-
quital were made but a jury WHICH
tried the jury briber case disagreed
Representatives Wilson and Michael
s. Link were indicted for perjury.
The Illinois legislature took up
the scandal and the ''Helmr invests
eating commIttee was appointed.
after the United States Senate exon
crate Lorimer. While this commit
tee was in session Clarence s. Funk.
general manager OF the International
Harvester Company. testified that he
had been asked by Edward Hines,
the wealthy lumberman who had
been closely interested in the Lori
mer case in the senate to give $10.-
900 of a 100000 fund to help put
ILorimer over at Springfield !" This
created another sensation, and re-
suited in the re-openIng of the case
in the Senate. A special committee
of eight began a re-investigatton OF
the case Once more the sordid
stories of alleged bribery and cor
iruption were dragged out, and once
more the numerous confessions"
made their appearance. Nearly one
hundred and sixty witnesses were
examined. ..-..M.
Meantime Lorimer, the calm faced
object Of the bitter attacks took his
place daily In the Senate chamber
and conducted his own defense
against the charges that that place
had been bought.