The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-05
Denies That Senate's
Vindication Last Year
Settles Case.
PLEA RAISED ONLY
AT LAST MOMENT
Competent at Any Time for Body
to Proceed in Matters Involv-
ing Integrity of Its Member
ship-Accused Illinois Sen
ator Gives Careful Atten-
tion to Arrangement.

" dSnlnetot, June -lne SeCOn1
trial of Senator Lorimer of Illinois. on
the charge OF having oeen elected b.
corrupt methods. was begun in the Sen
ate to-day with a speech by Senator
Kern, of Indiana, member OF the
Investigating committee who signed
the minority report against Lorimer.
Senator Kern gave especial atten-
! ton TO the plea that the case had been
( settled hy the Senate's vlndication last
/ year. That plea he said. had been
, raised only at the last moment. Hel
J said he would not admit SIS validity. IL
/ had come too late and that the plea
: itself was res 1udicata."
I Reminding the Senate that under the
! Constitution 1t is the judge of the
Qualifications OF its own members, Mr.
! Kern contended it was competent fort
| that body TO proceed at any time in
any matter involving the integrity of
! its membership.
I There was" he said. mo suggestion
| /! Senator Lorimer or any one on his
! behalf. that the Senate had not ample
| power TO direct ADMINISTRATION Of
! his case. He tncitly acluiesced in the
Senate's action. ic appeared in per-
( son and ny counsel before the commit
/ tee in the months OF investigation
! cross examining all witnesses called BY
! tie committee and examining scores of
| witnesses in his behalf on every pos
: sitle phase of the case.
Strangely Reticcnt.
Mr.. Kern declared that If any Of the
| committee believed that questions be-
/ ing investigated were res judicata"
, they Were strangely rcticent in not
/ mentioning IT, while permitting the
I continuation of the investigation al a
cost of more than $4,000 He refused
! to concede that the proceeding was
analogous to civil action at law, but
| Argued that If il We're. tho granting of
( "A new trial even on the sole ground Of
newly discovered evidence. opened up
the case for complete rcinvcstiga-
tlon.
1T is now too late for Senator Lori
mer to be permitted 20 urge this re-
markable defense" declared Senator
! Kern.
Mr.. Kern said he believed the first
! investigation to be utterly incomplete,
and had failed to develop facts which
must have been accessible.
! Senator Lorimer occupied seat
near Mr. Kern. giving careful atten-
ton to his arraignment. There We're
! many visitors in the galleries.
Senator KEN praised the personal
l'reputation OF Mr Iorimer, and said
that but for his convictions regarding
| the gravity OF the charges. he would
, rot be found engaged I'll the disagree
! able tasl: of a prosecutor.
! 'iuy Proiong Session.
| Senator kern's speech leading the
/ attack on Senator Lormcrs election
! brought that case actively before tns
senate. where 1T is likely to be the prin-
! Vipal topic Of consideration for at least
! the next two weeks. and possibly may
/ prclonG the session OF Congress
/ Senators Lea and Kenyon, who. with
/ Mr.. Kern. are the minority of the Lor-
! liner Investigating committee. holding
I that the Illinois Senator's election was
! brought about by corruption, are ready
| to join in the fight sainst the major
| ity report. which completely eXonerates
! Mr. Lormer.
! While the whole question of the
| validity Of the election is the principal
! consideration before the Senate an in,-
/ rortant feature which promises to pre-
! cipitate the first fight and the first ties,
! of strength is the cosiention that l.or.
liners case. in legal parlance, Is res
/ iudicata.' or has been once decided l,v
/ the Senate and canno; be reorened \
majority Of the committee which made
/ the second investigation holds that Lor-
inner cannot he tried again on practI-
Z cally the same charges on which the
{ Senate, by a vote of 40 to 10. acquitted
! him March l. 1911. The minority holds
that this reasoning does not apply 10
! senator Lorimers case at all.
! But tho complexion OF the Senate
! has been altered considerably since Mr..
| Lorimer's vindication. and this condi-
I ton leads 10 much speculation. liz has
i been reported that poll made by Mr..
Lorimer's friends convinced them they
/ could not expect more than forty sup
! porting votes. and so many Senators
had declined to indicate their views
i now that Mr.. Lorimar was advised TO
I resign. 1t Was even said that Vice
| President Sherman recently carried tina,
/ advice TO Nj. Lorimar ~ Chicago
Neither. however. has confirmed it,
and senator I.orimer to- day reiterated
his refusal 10 talk about resigning.
! He VIII be In his seat during the attack
f. and viii defend himself with a speech.
. il his health permits
J Case of Sensations.
In the two years that Senator Lori
mer's election has been under fire. ii
/ has furnished probably more sensa
lions and sudden Developments than
any other case of its k.nd MIR Lori
! nlcr was elected by the Illinois Leeis-
3 Ia ture on May 81, 1909. after pro-
longed deadlock. In whisn the names of
more than 100 candidates. Democrats
and Republicans. had been presented
. unsuccessfuiiy However. II was not
/ until nearly year later that tn" val
4 lofty Of his election VAS challenged
J when the now famous confession" of
1 Charles \. White. member of the
i Illinois Legislature. was published.
! charging that he had received 81 600
| from Lee O'Nell Browne Democratic
| leader Of the Illinois House of Rep.
lesentatives In return for his vote for
| Senator Lorimer, and aSo $9oo as a |
share Of general corruption fund
| Then in rapid succession followed al
| sensational series Of confessions byi
| other members OF The Legislature.
These confessions, however, wcrc later
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