Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-07-19
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1912.
The Expulsion of Lorimer

despatched in the arena of the
United States Senate. Many oil
his Judges had not read the testi-
mony of either the first or second
investigation, nor would they listen
to the analysis of it by members OF
the committee. Democrats as well
as Republicans, who had come to
the conclusion that the case against
Lorimer had not been proved, that,
in fact, much of the testimony
against him was worthless and
some of it perjured. Mr.. Johnston
of Alabama, a Democrat and man
of unpeachable character, said in
dealing with the case in the open
Senate:
81 do not suppose that as many
as twenty Senators have read all
the evidence is this case. Seven
Senators were assigned as sub
committee to hear it on the first
trial, and special committee of
eight Senators to hear it on this
trial. Of these fifteen Senators,
composed of eight Republicans and
seven Democrats, eleven have
agreed in their findings in favor of
Senator Lori1ner and four only to
the contrary. In the first trial the
members af the committee, with the
exception of Senator Frazier of Ten
nessee, were unanimous, and on
this trial they stand five to three
for acquittal, and of the five, one
Senator-one of the ablest and
truest in this body (the senior Sen
ator from Washington, Mr.. Jones
voted against Lorimer on the
first trial and has entirely changed
his mind after a patient and i'm
partial hearing of the evidence in
long and protracted sitting"
No Senator gave more time and
labor to the study of the evidence
than Mr.. Dillingham; of Vermont,
Republican of the highest stand
ing and under no suspicion of po-
litical or personal interest. Hewas
indefatigable i'll trying to elicit the
truth, and probably no other Sen
ator had such grasp of the testi-
mony. In an elaborate and pains
taking speech he gave judgment
for and not against the Senator at
the bar. One of the clearest and
most convincing dissections Of the
evidence was that of Senator
Fletcher of Florida, a Democrat,
who had the courage to place him
self by the side of Mr. Johnston and
Mr.. Dillingham;. The sincerity
and integrity of these Senators
cannot be questioned. 1t is true
that the testimony was reviewed by
other Senators who came to con-
trary opinion; but most of them
had not been present at the hear
ings or made an exhaustive study
of it. Senators who spoke against
Lorimer did not, as rule, show
themselves to be familiar with the
evidence, but most of them did
distinguish themselves by bending
it to preconceived theory of guilt
The charitable view is that they
did not approve of Lorimer's ante
cedents and connections and con
victed him on theory Of suppressi
veri; but it is more likely that the,
saw the people giving the sign o
the thumbs and governed them
selves accordingly. How niue
the people really knew about tn
case except as they took their cue
from the demagogues of high an
low degree, or read reports /
newspapers dedicated to the de:
truction of Lorimer, let Senate
Johnston testify:
"Mr. President, day before yes
terday | sent up to the documer
room to inquire how many copie
of the hearings had been taken ou
and / was informed that but forty
one had been removed from tn
document room-not enough t
supply half the Senate; and SO ia
as l am advised not a single cop
had been sent to any citizen i
private life."