Norwich bulletin., 1912-11-07
WESTERLY TO CONTINUE 10 BE WET
Members of Town Council Discover Majority of Two For License in Their Canvass of the Vote-Several Ballots in Dispute-Govemor Pothier and New England Con- gressmen at Funeral of Congressman Utter.
is plain that the voters of wes

It is plain that the voters of West y!ly, irrespective of party, are evenly Aivided on the liquor license question. 1t has taken precedence over all other local questions and is live issue ev- cry day in the year, many matters Of public interest being given secondary consideration. Just prior to Tuesdays election there commenced an unusually vigorous campaign against license by the citizens no-license committee, es- pecially organized for the purpose. In add4ion to personal efforts there was newspaper advertising and attack on license was increased by a generous Eistr4bution of show window cards containing matter that was strong in hdvocaoy of no-license. As a result the vote on license was closer than ever before and, after counts and re- counts of license ballots, it was first announced that the town had gone wet by these figures:
 First Distrfct-Yes 329, No 26S; 61 majority for license.
 Second District-Yes 330, No 3S7; 57 against license.
 A clear majority of 4 in favor of license.
 The vote remained as announced in the Second district When the close ness of the total vote was ~ascertained,
 
 John J. Dunn of the First district, decided, after completing the count of the general, to recount the license votes, and they discovered five alleged errors. The changed figures were as follows:
 Yes, 327, loss of two; No, 26S, a gain of three, which reduced the ma jority from 61 to 56 for license.
 In the Second district. the vote was S7 against license, making the vote for the whole town of no-license by a majority of one. Immediately after this change in count was made it was circulated from the no-license camp that another complication was known that would cause a tie vote on the liquor license question, and so it re- mained in the public mind during Wednesday.
 The matter was discussed wherever pen assembled, and arguments pro and con as to the final result were heard here and there about the town It was set up by a well known lawyer that tie vote meant a discontinuance of the legalized liquor business in Westerly as the question of license or no-hcense was of affirmative nature; that the creation of the tie settled the tie for the affirmative. He said that was law in Massachusetts and presumably elsewhere. Others claim ed that if there was to be a tie ii must be settled by a special election just the same as if the tie. had been with some elective officers.
 According to the election laws of Rhode Island. all ballots cast for can dfdates for office in every election in which the state is interested are re- counted by the board of canvassers but the ballots on the liquor license question are recounted by the mem bers of the town council, sitting as a board of caltvassers. The Westerly town council met Wednesday evening for that purpose in the town clerks office, which was all too small to &C., commodate those who desired to wit ness the recount of the license vote Councilman c. Clarence Maxson hap. pens to be the most experienced mem. Der of the state board of canvassers pnd the rules that governed the state board were adopted by the town coun. cilmen.
 The public schools, the library, ths stores and all places of business were closed Wednesday afternoon, during the funeral services which were con. Herbert Utter. From Il to 1 o'clock hundreds of townspeople viewed tht remains at the Utter home in Higl street, and many mourners attended the funeral services where were con. ducted by Rev. Clayton A. Burdick pastor of the Seventh-day Baptis church at the home of deceased.
 In addition to relatives there were people of prominence from all section! of Rhode Island. including Governor Pothier and staff. and a number iron other states, including members o1 congress, college classmates and inti. 2 mate friends. There were beautiful floral tributes. Burial was in the fam. fly plot at River Bend. The bearer. were Ira B. Crandall, Charles Perry Everett B. Whipple and Samuel H David of Westerly, Henry M. Maxsor of P1ainfeld, N. J., and Tyler Page who was secretary to Congressman Utter
 Among those from out of town whc attended the funeral, besides the gov. ernor and staff, were ex-Gov. lame. H. Higgins, G. D. Russell Brown, c D. Kimball. Congressman Riley. Hig gins and Tillson of Connecticut, Con gPessman OShaunnessy of Rhode Is Rnd, Congressmen Greene, Weeks anC CDley of Massachusetts, Attorne7 9eAeral Rice, Mayor Fletcher of Prov heBzce, R. B. Burchard, Gen. c. A. Will eoa. ex-Lieut Gov. T. H, Jackson %~OuSI SSSIldH oHeIlelQ, Henry Cut Fer, Senators Wetmore and Lippitt E J. H. Manning, Captain Arnold, Her bert J. Wells, Henry B. A Joslyn O Providence, Postmaster McGinley, M W. Towne, Benjamin A. Armstrone Benjamin L, Armstrong, Cyrus W Brown of New London. The state of fcials and other officials of rank Wer received by Senator Louis w. Arnol and Representatives Murphy an Langworthy.
 When the meeting was in orde President Clark presided and all mem .. bers of the council were present. Judg John w. Sweeney, interested in tn legal status of the case, was presen accompanied by Stenographer Farne of Providence. The package contain ing the ballots of the First district wa opened and certificate of moderate read stating that there were 617 bal lots deposited, of which 327 were fo license, 271 against, 1 defective ballc and IS blank ballots, majority of 5 for license.
 Judge Sweeney stated that he repre- sented large number of persons wh were interested in liquor license fc Westerly and asked the privilege inspecting the ballots during tn count. This privilege was granted { Judge Sweeney and also to Clifford V 2 WHY NOT TRY POPHAM'S