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Show SEN. HOPKINS ON sL0RIiBER BSIBERY Washington, June 23. Former Senator Sen-ator Hopkins of Illinois, who was defeated de-feated for re-election when Senator Lorimerv was elected in 1909, was the first witness today before the senate committed which Is investigating Senator Sen-ator Lorlmer's election. At the out- ' set of his examination by Attorney Ilealy for' the committee, Mr. Hopkins Hop-kins "was asked; "Who were your opponents at tho Republican pHmarv for United States senator In 190;3''" "William E.' Mason and Geo. E. Foss," said Mrl Hopkins. "How about vyilliam G. Webster?" "Oh, yes. He was also a candidate," candi-date," said Mr. Hqpklns. seemingly a little confused by his omission. After his victory1, at the senatorial primary, Mr, Hopkins said he was considered the Republican party's candidate can-didate for senator just as Governor Deneen was regarded wts candidate for governor. "I -was assessed by the k state .central .cen-tral committee just as the oter candidates candi-dates were, to run tho campaign at the fall election," said Mr. Hopkins. The election of senators by the legislature leg-islature in 1909 was then Inquired in-" to. The witness told of the election of a speaker by a combination of Democrats Dem-ocrats and reca'cltrant Republicans, and of a Republican senatorial cau'eus In which he was selected as the partv's candidate, ' j ,. Elhrldse Hanecy, counsel for Senator Sena-tor Lorlmer, suggested to the wlti ness that the meeting was a "confer-1 euce" rather than a caucus. Mr. Hop- -kins insisted it was a caucus. 1 He said he attended every caucus i. over' night or so, in which his followers fol-lowers congregated. "The main argument argu-ment we used wns that I had been elected at the primary as the party's candidate and that every loyal Republican Repub-lican member of the legislature should vote for me' said Hopkins. Coming down to reports that he had heard about the uac of money to defeat de-feat him, Mr. Hopkins repeated the testimony he gave the Illinois legislature legisla-ture investigating committee, that on the day Lorimer was elected his private pri-vate secretary told him thnt Senator McCormlck had informed him that ?20,000 had been offered him (Mc-Cormick) (Mc-Cormick) to vote for lorimer. "Did he vote for Lorlmer?" the witness wit-ness was asked. "Not until Lorimer had enough votes to elect him." Mr. Hopkins said ho know of "no man who could put his finger" on the corrupt means in the election of Mr Lorlmer, but he addecL that rumors of the use of money "were In the air, the day Lorlmor was elected." He heard talk of Lorlmer's possible election elec-tion two or three weeks before the election. "I felt Lorimer was trvjng to defeat me nnd my understanding was that he would use any Instrument Instru-ment to defeat me," said Mr. Hopkins. "Even to being ejected himself, ' suggested Senator Kenyon. : "I thought he was the Inst man who could do it," responded the witness. The witness showed irritation when Attorney Healy persisted in inquiring JMm about a newspaper article concerning !H alleged plans of the Hopkins men to JmM purchase Democratic votes. H "I have denied that before the Helm . jM committee and I deny it here aud I JmW resent your repeated Inquiries." JaH |