Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-06

1
that ballot was marked in the straigh
Republican column with the sheriff.
name stricken out. and the Democrat,
name written IN. Where did he get thu
1t from his pocket? He had no bushes:
with the ballots. and we say that it is Z
fair inference, if there was bundle OF
| ballots missing from that ward in tn,
morning. that they came into the posses.
sion of M. b. Costello. Then this matter
was taken to the grand jury of the county
of Androscoggin. Every one in the city
desired that this matter be sifted to IFS
final conclusion; and it was brought be-
fore grand jury composed of at least
| three to one of the party TO which the
most of you belong. And the grand jury
as result of the entire investigation ONLY
indicted Nj. 3. Costello who was handing
ballots marked in that way Now that is
the result of the courts, that is the result
OF the grand jury; and l ask you if that
| should not weigh somewhat with the de-
| liberation OF this body?
| What was the result in Ward on that
day? The Governor received l09 votes il.
that ward. If you subtract from those
1903 votes the 20 ballots marked as the bal
| lot Costello was indicted for handing to
| Radigan already marked, It would leave
S3, which is exactly the vote that Cum
mingS, the candidate for sheriff receiy-
| ed. If you add % ballots 10 the Vote of
| the Democratic sheriff you get 364, which
| is within one of the votes that he receiy
| ed-he received .63. tvN
1
/ fore you and say that every Republican
gained over his gubernatorial vote and
| every Democratic lost under his gubern;-
| torial vote in the ward where they claim
| fraud existed. Now Haskell gained one
over the 9ubernatorial vote in that ward .
Little gained seven; Kelley gained 10 over
| the Governors vote, and 'fremblaS gained
| II, making total gain OF IS votes over
| the Governors vote on the part oil the
| Republican contestants in this case What
| happened to the Democratic vote? If q
| fraud was committed there in the inter.
| ests Gf the Democratic party Would we
not have gained? But instead of that we
| lost. Garcelon ran behind the Govern
or's vote five votes. Morey ran behind H.
| Coyne ran behind nine. Narcotic ran be-
hind q, total of 81 votes that the Dem
ocratc members ran behind the Govern
or's vote, and total gain of 3S votes that
the Republican ran ahead of their vote
in that ward: Now in the face of those
facts, with the action of the court upon
them. with the finding of the grand Jury
fwhere % witnesses were examined in one
case before the grand jury, appears
from the testimony here-when all these
are presented | ask you this to leave il
where the grand jury left it,
But they say. we cannot tell how far the
fraud went All We can do is to produce
our lists, all We can do is to produce the
votes and have them counted 1t is fo,.
them to show how far the fraud went.
And / ask gentlemen here, when they vote
upon this measure. that they do not re-
gard it from party standpoint, because
from a party standpoint we haven't got
but one vote wheres YOU have got seven
J. ask You to look at tho future and es-
tahlish precedent governing the actions
OF TINS body. When two members come
here with clear majority over any pos
sihle fraud that can be fairly inferred
from the returns in the easel ask you
not to say that You don't know. that there
may be fraud somewhere else and th:.t
we must step aside. Gentlemen, ycu can
not afford to take q position of that kind
when your honor is at stake as is the
honor of the sitting members whose sea Is
are contested: and / ask gentlemen
when you vote on this question that it be
as honorable men, and that when you
decide it, it be according to these facts
and upon the law WHICH will be given to
you by the chairman of this committee
(Applause). f
Mr.. MAYBURY of Saco: Mr. Speaker
and Gentlemen of this House: The time
has about arrived when it becomes neces-
sary for us to express ourselves by a
yea and nay vote on the question that
means so much not only to the gentlemen
whose seats are involved in this, contest,
hut to the city of Lewiston which is en-
titled to a fair and equitable representa-
ton on the floor of this House.
" course we can by a strict party vote
deprive these gentlemen of their seats,
but l seriously question whether it is
right just or equitable. SO TO do. In a
limited and somewhat varied political ca
reer. | have learned that the best time
to count ballots is on objection day. and
having listened to the evidence with
ordinary diligence, have heard nothing to
centrovert that lesson. If | understand
this matter, there is no one that for Il
moment questions the honesty. integrity
CT patriotism of the gentlemen involved
in this contest. Then is it not a grand
opportunity to make a practical applca-
ton of the Golden Rule? 70 be sure, We
are in an overwhelming majority. Then
can we not afford to be magnanimous?
We must remember, that there are many
OF us who hold our own seats on dam
gefouSiy narrow margins. There are a
Soodly number of us who appear to have
received much smaller majority than
the gentlemen whose seats are involved
in this contest.
| freely admit, though with some cha |
grin, that | held my own certificate of
election with fear and trembling till the
time had expired when it was possible for
a contest to be made.
Now, gentlemen of the House. shall
be compelled as n matter Of principle as
a matter of justice to all concerned to
sup port the majority report | sincerely
nope that my associates will do the same |
for If you do not you will be trampliug
forever under the feet of political preju 4
dice that great principle of eternal justice, |
do as We would be done by" tApolause)
Mr. DAVIS of Waterville: Mr.. Speaker, 1
did not intend to trespass upon the time |
of tho House at this time. and I promise |
that | will take but a few moments in |
what have to say. 1t seems TO me that
there is one very important thing that 1
has been omitted thus far in the discus
sion of this matter. This House. at its |
formation, selects from its members to
fill its various committees men in whom
We have confidence.amen who can act in !
diligently; and, Mr. Speaker, this ulies- |
ton which not only concerns the par |
ties interested but which concerns the |
purity of the ballot and of the State it. |
self, has been given to this committee
chosen by this House. and they with all
the evidence. with better facilities than, |
we as individual members possess, have
dug into that question, and they come |
before you with these reports, one q mi |
nority report and one majority report |
and there seems to be an intent expressed |
on the part of members here to set asid /, |
the majority report and to act upon the |
minority report Now. unless it shall ap |
pear that there is good and sufficient
reason for setting aside reports that have
been adopted by the majority it seems |
to me that we are in duty bound at least
not to accept the minority report | have
in mind two years ago when one ballot
that was stamped by the election clerk /
for a man who could not mark his ballot, |
and when instead of being marked with
the cross-end of the stamp it was marked |
with the butt end of the stamp, that lit |
tie or was worked into an elaborate ar |
gumeut before the election committee and |
they We're asked to believe that possibly |
that might have been a DISTINGUISHING |