The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1912-07-19
LORIMER
IS VOTED OUT

III WILL w
Washington, July 49, By vote of
55 to % the United States Senate to-
day took away from William Lorimer
his seat as juEior senator from Illinois.
His election was held to have been
invalid and he was declared to have
been the recipient of votes obtained
by corrupt methods and practices. "
TIE Senate by it's action today re-
vei sed the majority of its own invest
igaJing committee and changed its
vote of March let 1911. when Lori
mer retained his seat 46 to 40.
Technically Mr.. Lorimer will pass
out of the records OF the Senate as q
member of that body, notwithstand-
ing his more than three wears occu-
pancy of that seat.
Facing his associates with the de-
claration II am ready" Mr.. Lorimer
sat in the chamber and heard his fate
decreed as the roll call showed the
adoption of the resolution of Senator
Luke Lea. of Tennessee, the senate's
youngest member. The man who for
three days had held the senate with
his remarkable speech of defense and
attack upon his enemies rose wearily
from his seat and passed back through
q cloak room door. Senators aud
members of the House gathered a.
bout him, grasping him by the hand
and patting him on the back. Out
side the Senate door as Mr.. Lorimer
stepped into the corridor friends greet
ed him again and q party of sisters of
charity pushed toward to express re-
gret at his expulsion. At his Office
later when a physician had attended
him he said that he would leave
Washington before the first of next
week. ..
The outcome of the vote was not o
surprise, but the leaders of the fight
against Lorimer had not estimated a
greater vote than so to 35. Lorinfer
gained only one of the men who yot
ed against him March 1,1911 ,-Senat-
or Jones, of Washington; while ne
lost the vote of his associate. Senat-
or Cullom. and Of Senators Curtis. OF
Kansas, Briggs. OF New Jersey, Sim
mons. of North Carolina and Watson,
of West Virginia.
Lorimer's fight for his own official
life began in the senate chamber
early Thursday afternoon. When he
concluded his eloquent declaration
that he was not coward and "would
not run in the face of certain defeat"
at 2 o'clock this after noon, he had
held the floor for ~ hours with inter
missions and recesses to restore his
strength,
The moving character of Lorimer's
appeal was admitted on every hand
but 1t apparently swayed no votes.
Instead of pleading defense that had
been expected, it was throughout q
ringing defiance of those who had
opposed him, declaration of his un-
faltering belief in the purity of his O.
lection in Illinois and promise that
he would not give mp his fight with
his eviction from the Senate.
1T has heen suggested that l re-
sign," he said in his closing declara-
tion. He who is so oowardly as to
run because defeat stares him in. the
face has no place in this body.
Though You all vote to turn me out;
though every vote had been canvass
ed and is against me, will not resign.
My exit from this body will not be
from fear. Ii will not be because
am . coward. 1t viii be because of
the crime of the Senate Of the Unit
ed States.n II
Lorimer went after Senator Craw-
ford, OF South Dakota, who had spok-
en- and voted against him at the first
trial. He referred to charges made
against Mr.. Crawford OF which the
South Dakota senator was fully ac-
Quilted and invited Mr.. Crawford out
to the cloak room while he read an
affidavit which charged him with
having employed . man to file pub
lie land claim in his interest.
"This is supposed to be . sworn
affidavit, "ssid Senator Lorimer, 'sbut
all the circumstances. surrounding
the case deny its truth. A federal
grand jury cleared the skirts of this
SENATOR" He declared the affidavit
itsself, which had no foundation,
appeared to be truthful on it's face.
HAS Chas. A. White made any
statement to your committee strong
| or than that Crawford affidavit?' he
asked. II think not. And vet Senat-
or Crawford would turn me out OF
this body on the statement Of man
more foul than the man who made