Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-05-05

Raymond McCutcheon Of Pennington
Falls, who had sent primary nornina-
tion papers bearing 1922 names as a
candidate for the nomination for Cover
nor on the Progressive ticket to the
Office Of the secretary Of State, was
called before Secretary Of State Bunker
Thursday afternoon to explain why the
names attached to his petitions were
apparently in one and the same hand
writing. McCutcheon stoutly affirmed
that the signatures were all placed
there by the owners of the names. but
admitted that those of four men, who
appeared and stated that they had not
signed the papers. might have been
placed there by his secretary Nc
Cutcheon throughout the examination
was observed and later examined by
DR.. F. c. Tyson. superintendent of the
Maine State Hospital at Augusta.
Secretary Bunker, after the examin-
alton announced that he should decline
To pIdCe MT. hc1 > ndI1e OH tiG
ballot. owing to the similarity of the
penmanship on the papers, and the fact
that McCutcheon, on request, had writ
ten several names and his penmanship
corresponded exactly with the writing
on the petitions and supported by the
opinion of DR.. F. c. Tyson that the man
is mentally unbalanced and rresponsi-
BILE in this matter.
Mr., McCutcheon appeared willingly
at the secretary Of States Office on re
quest. Present beside him were Secre-
tary Of State John E. Bunker; Hon.
Charles A., Milliken, Wilbur I. Emer-
son and w. 0. Bertrand Of Augusta and
E. o. Brown Of Pennington. the names
sof each appearing on the petition; DR..
IF c. Tyson, superintendent of the State
Hospital in Augusta, Assistant Attor-
.ney General Oscar H. Dunbar; State
Treasurer f. E. Newbert and represen-
tatives of the press.
=. McCutcheon in answer to questions
asserted that every signature on the
papers were written by the men them
SclNcS MeSSIS. AhIllihcI, ILHcI SOI bcT
'trand and Brown all asserted that they
never signed the papers and in fact
never before saw them. McCutcheon
then stated that possibly his secretary,
Miss Clara NJ Lewis of Pennington
Falls. clerk in the postoff1ce and store
where he left his laundry, might have
added these names. knowing we'll the
men were all for him. He stuck to the
statement that the other signatures
were genuine.
He caused a good-sized ripple Of
laughter when questioned about the
.5s0-odd names on his papers from
Harrington, when the entire Progress
sive vote In that place was but 139, by
answering in explanation:
why, some of the voters changed
their politics-they have a right to,
haven't they?"
= And he settled back in his chair with
great complacency. his thumbs stuck
into the armholds Of his vest
= He readily consented to give sam
~ple Of his handwriting and wrote with
both ink and pencil several names read
to him from the names on his petition.
In every case his writing was a perfect
duplicate of the petition names.
Secretary Bunker then had private
interview with McCutcheon, in which
he advised the young man to clear up
any doubt as to the genuineness Of the
papers, but McCutcheon insisted on his
previous story. He left the State House
apparently on the best Of terms with
aall he had met and absolutely uncon-
.scious Of having in any way violated
:any law or in any way done wrong. He
stated that he vas going to Lewiston
Thursday night to see friends. on his
way home and should he pleased to do
anythi% in his power to assist Secre-
+tary Bunker in the matter.
Raymond McCutcheon was recognized
shy member Of the party as former
aHallowell boy and McCutcheon recog-
.nized him McCutcheon said he grad