Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-22

| minority of the committee say, erased
| the name of Lafayette B. Waldron and
written beneath the name so erased the
| name of "W. S. Brown" in shaky
hand, the handwriting of some old
| citizen of Dexter, who, doubtless had
voted for many years, who wished to
express his will at the polls on this
election day. The trembling hand of an
| old citizen wrote the name of "W. S.
| Brown" Perhaps with all that formal
| ity some of you may think, he should
nave used when you are seeking for
| tcchnicalities. he did not erase the
name of Lafayette B. Waldron. But
what cid he do? He took his pencil and
perhaps with his dim eyesight in his
declining years he tried to pencil out
| the name Lafayette B. Waldron," and
write beneath it the name of the candi-
date of his choice as he had right to
| do under the statutes of this State. He
| took his pencil and through the word
'Lafayette' there appears a dim line
running through the &C." cutting the
| top of the 'B' and then slides up over
"Waluron." He did not have a rule with
| him with which to make 4 straight line
! through all the letters of the name
| but he commenced to erase the name
| of Lafayette 3. Waldron, commenced
| with his Christian name and then shot
| up over the name "Waldron." And then
another attempt was made evidently
| because another line appears on top of
| or next to the line through the word
! Lafayette" and then when it reaches
the final sc" of the name it divides.
| Now as that ballot appears today there
is a plain mark through the word ia
| fayette" and through the top of the
| 'B." I understand the majority of this
| committee to say that when that ballot
first came to their hands-and they
| have had these ballots under their con-
| trol-that line commenced with the fin
| al "e'' of Lafayette" and erased the
''e" and the "B' and they think that
another line has been added inadver-
tently, they say. Who has added it?
| These ballots have been in their con-
| troll. The minority members of this
! committee, all of whom I have seen,
| say that that ballot is today as it was
| when they first saw it. Discussion arose
among them as to whether there was
Il dim line through the word "Lafay-
cite" and a magnifying glass was OBJ
tained and the line appears as it will
appear to you all, commencing with the
| first letter Of the Christian name La
| f1yette," and then the name "W. s.
! Brown" under it. Now, gentlemen, we
arc establishing precedcnts in this
| counting OF ballots. We count not only
for today. but we establish precedents
! Tor time to come presidents to be re-
| ferred to, prccedents to govern in the
| future III contest before this Legisla-
| turc which is supreme and from which
! there is no appeal because you are the
| judges Of the elections of your own
| members. Judges, gentlemen, and the
| term Judge implies judicial fairness,
| justice and Il love of justice. You are
! the sole judges Of the election of the
| members of this House. Now, if it be
! true that that pencil mark began with
| the &C." erased that "c'' as they admit,
and went up through the 81" then slid
uD over the "Waldron'' because the old
| gentleman. rs l say. with his failing
| sight could not control his pencil or did
! not see just where it was going. was
| that substantial erasurc, / will ask
YOU that, and when he afterwards went
| hand the name "W. S. Brown" under it
was it an erasurc? Was it put in there
| inadvertently, a. mere chance mark over
| the name of Lafayette 3. Waldron? Or
| did he do the best he could at the time
| to erase the name of Lafayette B. Wal
dron? do not believe you are going to
say that it is necessary that the voter
| should erase every letter in a candi-
dates name to make an eraSurc. If he
makes a substantial erasure, a crossing
out nf that name. l submit it IS su1fi-
Gent and there is no court in this lard
which in passing upon that question.
compelled to pass upon it. with judicial
fairness and a love of justice, but what
| would say that that old voter made an
erasure of the name of Lafayette E.
Waldron. and, as under the statute he
had right to do wrote the name of w.
8 Brown. 1t is admitted and no con-
troversy is made that vote for w. S.
Grown should be counted for Winfield
s. BroWn-one and the same name.
There is no dispute about that. If that
is an erasure of the name Of Lafayette
l.. Waldron it is vote for Winfield S.
Brown or W. S. Brown and should be
counted for him. He has 422, and if you
add that one vote to which he is legal
iy entitled under any fair system. under
any judicial system, or counting the
ballots. he will have 423 votes, a tie
with Mr. Waldron-that is. if You take
from Mr.. Waldron the vote where his
name IS erased by cross, that is the
way the vote will stand, q tie.
Now. there are six ballots here where
t.,a yot e.-S tried ~ vote az her than heir
party tickets. In three of those ballots
here were stickers used over the name
of Winfield s. Brown by Democrats who
wished to vote for Lafayette B. Wal