Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-21

d
fessed to having part in an infamous
proceeding, this committee can not do
otherwise than discard the testimony
of Mr.. Burgess as proof of any facts
alleged
In this connection the committee con-
sidered the attempt to impeach the
testimony of Charles MCGOWAN, the
young Canadian who testified in Wiehe's
behalf This impeachment was sought
by private detectives with a stenog-
rapher and telephone apparatus ex-
tending into a room in which Mr. Nc
Gowan was supposed TO have acknowl-
edged having perjured himself The
committee related an attempted repro
duetion of the conditions under which
the stenographie report of McGowan's
conversation was made, and added that
the results were so disastrous to the
claims made by the stenographer to
satisfy the committee that no depend
ence whatever could be placed upon his
testimony.
The committee passed Judgment up
on some of the prominent features of
the first investigation which We're the
further subject of inquiry at the sec
ond Investigation.
The sensational account by Former
State Representative Charles A. White
of receiving Lorimer election money
was pronounced "as a pure fabrication
so far as it relates to the election of
Senator Lorimer.
From a most exhaustive examina-
ton and painstaking consideration of
all the testimony in the case" the
report declared, the committee finds
that White was one of the 50 Demo-
Gratis who felt justified in voting for
Mr. Lorimer in order to break the
deadlock which had existed in that
body for so many months, and that
Whites attempt to enrich himself at
the expense of his own reputation was
the result of an after thought ana of
a purpose which he had conceived at
a time when he had reached the lowest
depths of "degraduationv
.fhe committee advanced the theory
that instead of Senator Daniel w
Holstlew having been paid S250o for
having voted for Lorimer it might have
been paid by liquor interests TO de-,
fray his election expenses although pos
ing as dry"
cumstances,e it is explained. f'the COM
mttee is satisfied that Holstlew was
the candidate of the liquor interests
in his senatorial district and was elect
ed by them; that he was subjected to
large campaign expenses, and money
being dcarer to him than his reputa-
ton. and felt convinced that he would
not be likely to incur such expenses
unless assured that he would be reim-
bursed 1t is conceded that liquor leg
islation has been one of the prominent
and continuing elements in the Hill
nois General Assembly, and John Brod-
erick being saloonkeeper in the city
of Chicago. was naturally a representa-
tive of TIE liquor interests, and money
passing from him to Talstlaw is a fea-
ture of the east so suggestive. in the
absence Of any other consideration for
its payment, as to raise strong pre-
sumption at least that its payment had
some connection with the election of
Mr.. Holstlaw to- the Senate of Illinois.
Everything connected with the evil
dence given by Senator Holstlaw indi-
Gates that his love of money is a con-
Stunning passion: that 1t dominates his
destroys his regard for trlth.n
Taken altogether. the committee said,
the testimony indicated TO It that Mr..
Lorimerss election was the result of
political conditions and not attribut-
able to the corrupt use of money 1t
dwelt upon the statement that not
Single witness had reflected upon Sena-
lof Lorimer personally and that no
testimony existed as to single in
discreet remark or improper action on
his part
As to general corruption funds in
the Illinois legislature, ii was said, that
without definite proof of the existence
Of specific Jackpot, the committee
can only report that general belief
exists among many classes that cor
ruption funds have been more or less
common in connection with legislation
in that ct TO