Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-14
HUSH IN THE SENATE
AS VOTE is ANNOUNCED
Friends Offer Sympathy When he
Walks Out of Chamber.
CLOSING PLEA Is DRAMATIC
Senator Tillman Weeps as He Has
Statement Read Affirming His
Belief In Illinois Mans
Innocence.

The first man in the history of tho
United States to be ousted from the
Senate on the ground that his election
was brought about by corrupt meth
DDS and practices. William Lorimer
made plans last night for his depart
ure from Washington to Chicago
early this week. In the city of his
boyhood and manhood where he ped
died papers. collected fares on street
cars and fought his way up to mem
bership in the national House of Rep
resentatfves he will take up again
the fight against his enemies and en-
deavor to wipe out the blot the Unit
| ed States Senate yesterday put on his
record
He had sat limp and calm and as i'm
passionate as one least interested dur
ing the roll call which was recording
his political doom. In the hush that
fell over the Senate chamber as Sem
| ator Gallinger. president pro tempore
of the Senate, announced that by q
vote of So to % the resolution had
| been adopted declaring Senator Lori
mer's title to his seat invalid. Mr. Lori
mer rose wearily, pushed back his
| chair and turned toward the door OF
| the republican cloakroom.
| 1t was as II a great tragedy were being
moved. Then some of his friends rushed
| toward him. Senator Smoot threw his
| arm over Senator Lorimer's shoulders
| and others reached for the expelled SEN
| ator's right hand.
Sympathy Is offered.
Mr.. Lorimer fingered in the coakroom
only a minute, acknowledging the express
sions Of his friends Then he stepped out
into the corridor. denied his right to re-
enter officially the door he had just
passed. There other friends gathered
around him. Several Sisters Of Charity.
who had been in the gallery earlier in
the day, as attentive listeners to his plea
| for his official life, pressed through the
| throng to express their sympathy.
| Mr.. Lorimer bowed his ocknowledg-
| ments. but there was not the"Billy" Lori
mer smile on his face. He quickly went
privacy Of his office in the Senate Office
| building. He was attended by physi-
clan and many friends called. He an
| nounced to them that he planned TO re-
| turn to Chicago early this week.
His closing plea. made from the center
aisle Of well filled Senate, made an In
| tensely dramatic scene
He asked senator's, not for their votes.
1 but Tor justice. IN nus CLOSING sentences
he expressed gratitude for tributes which
senators had paid to his private life.
Every man who has such life has
| his own reward-he has ii here" he said.
| II ask nothing on that account; 1t has
no bearing on the case. l hope 1t will
influence no senator in making up his
| judgment"
| He spoke of his family and the tributes
| to his Ideal family life."
when / return to my home" he con-
| tinued, "a glance from their faces,
kiss from each and a caress from all will
| be reward enough for an ideal family
life.
Points to Record.
1T has been said by senators that the
| worst foes of Lorimer have not i'm
peached his integrity. They have said
| that his word was as good as his bond;
| that he never turned on friend: that
he has been consistent, right or wrong.
But l ask no consideration for that.
When senator's are making up their
| minds, when they are deciding whether
| they will believe Lorimer or Charles a.
White. all l ask is to consider in con-
nection with a record of forty years my
truth and veracity stated by my enc
mics. l ask the considera ton OF send-
tors as to whether they will believe the
brike-taker, who has lied time and again.
or believe me.
Much has been said about Lorimer re-
signing he continued.
IF at the beginning of this case had
believed that one man had been brbed TO
vote for me I would have walked in and
laid my resignation on the Vice Presi-
dents table.
But 1 know the record. / know there
was not a corrupt vote cast for me.
Ridicules Resignation Idea.
ITO resign in the face of that knoWl-
Why? Because they say the Senate has
been canvassed and enough votes have
been found to turn Lorlmer out. Resign
because they say defeat stares you in
the face? oh. what an argument! What
sort Of a man is it that runs in such
case? II the men who founded this coun-
try had run when defeat stared them In
the face we would have had no country,
no flag.
And he who is so cowardIy as to run
because defeat stares him in the face has
no place in this body. This chamber is
on cowardice.
.'Oh. senator's. though you all vote to
turn me out. though every vote has been
canvassed and is against me, yet will 1
II 1 go from this body II will be because
more senators vote for that resolution
than against II.
my exit Will not be for fear; 1t will
not be because 1 am q coward 1t will
be because Of the crime OF the Senate
of these United States.
"I am ready" he added, dramatically.
as he took his seat. Senator Lea OF
Tennessee at once asked for call for
q quorum
IT had been understood that Mr..
Lorimers speech would close the dis
cussion.
Reply From Dixon.
At tho close Of the call for a quorum
Senator Dixon Of Montana. manager OF
the Roosevelt campaign. asked permis-
sion to reply to some OF the Illinois