Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-15
Associated Press, With Practically Complete Re.
turns, Says Maine Retains Prohibitory Amend
Tent.. Democratic Figures From the State
House Will Be Wiped Out by Corrections.
NO BY set.


Portland, Me, Sept. l4.-Maine re-
mains in the prohibition column. The
majority against the repeal of the
constitutional prohibltory amendment.
| which was voted on at q special cleo
tlon last Monday is, according to fig
ures tabulated in Portland, 361 votes.
Reports received by the secretary of
State indicate dry majority Of 356,
but because he cannot legally accept
corrections in the returns until aft
er they have all been tabulated and
placed before the Governor and Coun-
Gil he will be obliged to report ma
ioritv for repeal of 1S4 votes.
Comparison of the returns received
in Portland with those mailed by the
town and city Clerks to the office of
the secretary of State was completed
at midnight tonight.
In the course of the comparison it
was found that in seven instances re-
turns received In Portland and in All
gusta showed the yes and no votes ex-
actly reversed.
In each case communication was
established with the el rk of the town
II question and the correct figures as
aertained. These showed dlscrep-
aney of AGO votes in the returns as
abulated at Augusta and indicate a
majority against repeal of 365 votes.
This leaves a difference of but five
totes between the figures compiled al
Portland and those compiled at Au
gusta. the latter unoficially corrected
rs the secretary of State has not au-
hority to officially correct the returns
It this time.
The towns responsible for the mix
up in the figures which has kept the
for four days are Limestone. TopsAeld.
Natinlcus Isle, Salem, Brownsville,
ST. Francis Plantation and BowerbanK.
The error In the returns from Lime
! stone vas discovered carly this morn
ing and few hours later the secre-
tary of state had in his possession a
telegram signed by the town clerk
1 stating that the Portland returns were
corrected and that if those received
at Augusta were different they were
wrong. This town made the greatest
inroads into the repeal majority, max
ing difference to 326 votes.
One by one as the two lists of re-
turns We're checked the other dis
| crepancies were discovered and cor
rocted and it was not until II O'Clock
tonight that the last one. the town OF
Bowerbank. came to light In order
that there might be no question both
a member Of the board of selectmen
c. T.. Glover. and Town Clerk G. III
Clarke We're interviewed by telephone
and both emphatically declared that
their town had gone dry instead oil
wet. as was indicated by the returns
al Augusta.
In the case of ST. Francis Planta.
ton the figures received from tbs
clerk ct Portland and at Augusta were
identical, but the fact that the plan
tatior, which is located on the st
john river. close to the Canadian line
showed Dry vote when all of the
other places in the vicinity were re-
ported on the other side led to an
investigation. The result was the dis
eeyery that in both cases the clerk
had transposed the yes and no vote.
Secretary ef state Cyrus w. Davis
was present during the entire time
that the work of comparing the lists
of returns was in progress. ALLOWING
the checkers the use of his office all
comment to make on the apparent re-
| suit
The secretary of state has yet to heal
officially from two cities and three towns
, the cities of Rockland and Old Towr
and the towns of Northport, New Port
| land and Island Falls-before he car
make his final official announcement oil
the returns as received by him. THAI
there can be little If any change wher
these reports come in Is admitted, fol-
in all but one case the figures have beer
verified by telephone or mail by the
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