The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-04-22
AGAINST AKIN
SCHOOL BILL
Petition Does Not Contain the Neces-
say Eight Per Cent of the
Votes Alleged.

Protest against the Akin initiative
measure, which aims to eliminate four
teen state schools. was filed at the
office of Secretary Of State B. F. Har-
rison at noon Saturday and the date
Of hearing the protest set for Tuesday,
May A.
The protest is signed by Noel R. Gas
cho of Woods county, Robert E. Blanks
OF Pontotoc county and r. M. Evans Of
Grady county, voters of the respective
communities in which they live, and
was filed by Oryille T. Smith and Sen
ator Reuben NJ. Roddie.
The list of signatures as filed by
Oliver H. Akin of Moore; author of the
bill, had 20.914 names, according to the
official count at the Office of the secre-
tary of state This is 1,1O1 more than
5 per cent of all the qualified voters,
or 1882, as required by law.
The protest alleges that the petition
is void because it does not contain the
names of the requisite s per cent Of
voters. 1t is alleged that 631 pamph-
let's containing 1850 names filed by
j. w. Akin are not legal in that the
pretended signers to such petition did
not sign in the presence of J, w. Akin.
That the same applies to seventy-one
pamphlets onctaining 1,420 signatures
filed by Adah Akin, ninety-two pamph-
lets containing 1870 signatures filed
by Emma Il. Akin, thirty-four pamph-
lets containing $50 names filed by w.
B. Moore, thirty-two pamphlets con-
tanning GAO names filed by Samuel L..
Davis, two pamphlets containing forty
names filed by D. G. Hurley, ten
pamphlets containing 200 names filed
by John A. Denny, one pamphlet con-
taining twenty names filed by ] 7.
Harkness, twelve pamphlets contain
ing 240 names filed by Charles Sher-
man, eleven pamphlets containing 220
names fled by John Steele, six pamph-
let's. containing 100 names filed by G.
E. Vale, fifteen pamphlets containing
300 names filed by John G. James,
eight pamphlets containing 100 names
filed by J. l.. Overton, three pamph-
let's containing sixty names filed by
Ed Carson, six pamphlets containing
100 names filed by Karl Lowrey,
1t is alleged further by protestants
that the list of names filed by ]. w.
Akin never was sworn to before James
A. Cowan, notary public, according
to law, but that the blanks were sign
ed by J. w. Akin and James A. Cowan
before they were filled out with the
signatures of voters, and that the
blanks were filled out by some person
other than the one empowered to COM
plete and certify to the petitions. The
same allegation is made relative to 214
pamphlets filed by other persons.
1t is alleged that 500 signatures are
duplicated: that in the case of ESQ
signers no addresses are given; that
in the case of 1000 signatures, the post
office address is SO imperfectly given
that it is impossible to tell whether
the signers are bonafide voters;l that
All of the pamphlets containing twen-
ty names each do not show the names
81 the counties in which the signers
reside.
In addition, protestants allcge that
the verifcation attached to 200 pamph-
lets were changed in material re-
speet by some person unknown, after
the same were signed and sworn to
before an officer as required by law
and were never attested by any officer
authorized to administer oats. Finally
it is alleged, that the petition was cir
culated and names placed thereon
without having been numbered as re-
quired by law.
1t is probable that instead OF a large
number of witnesses being summoned
to testify before the secretary of state,
depositions will be taken and sub
nitted to Secretary Harrison.