Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-11-21


land fisheries and game case and that
after lecess the Lewiston police bill
would be taken up.
) Lewiston Police Bill
After recess Governor Milliken made
the following statement;
I Remarks Of Governor MIliken
/ This is an investigation for the pur-
1 pose of determining whether or not ten
! thousand electors have addressed the
! Governor upon written petition re-
Questing for a referendum vote upon
! AN act to provide police commits
/ sion for the city of Lewiston and to
I promote the efficiency Of the police de-
partment thereof.
7 In order to give all the citizens OF
the State full opportunity to he heard
/ in person or by counsel and to pre-
sent any facts tending to show the
validity or invalidity Of any petition
presented in accordance with the rules
laid down in the opinion Of the JUS
tices and whether or not the names
on such petitions appear on the voting
lists of the several towns, cities and
plantations as qualified to vote for
Governor and the authenticity of the
signatures on the petitions filed with
the Secretary of State in this matter.
| have thought best in the course Of
this investigation to hold public hear
/ ing.
have asked MIR. Crockett TO assist
me in this matter and Will ask him
during this hearing to present such
( facts relative to the validity or in
validity of these petitions and as to
the authenticity of signatures, and as
/ to qualifications Of electors as are
within his knowledge as the result of
1 his investigation.
Notice has been given to the public
! bv the publication in all of the daily
papers Of the state 90 days prior to
the beginning Of this hearing. | have
directed also that so far as Mr.. Crock
ett's investigation has indicated q rea-
sonahIe question as to the truth of
the VcrifiCation of any verifying petl-
TONER notice be given to such verify
: ing pc itioner IA days at least prior to
the beginning Of this hearing. | have
also directed that where investigation
( has indicated question as TO the COR
! rectness of the certificate of a city or
town clerk. notice he given such clerk
whose certificate may be questioned at
least IA days p1ior to the beginning Of
this hearing
While citizens are entitled to be rep
resented either in person or by coun-
sci, this is an investigation and not a
/ court proceeding There are strictly
speaking no plaintiffs. or defendants,
! no prosecutors and no respondents.
Mr.. Crockett will first present the
! facts within his knowledge properly
bearing upon this petition. All per
sons interested or counsel for inter-
csted parties Will have full opportunity
to cross examine witnesses or other
wise properly to check up and correct
such evidence as is presented. After
/ that evidence is presented any person
present will be given full opportunity
to present material evidence which
may aid in this investigation.
Attorney Crockett appeared in
charge Of the inquiry as to the validity
Of the petitions and Attorney Frank
| A. Morey Of Lewiston for Mayor
( Charles r. Lemaire of Lewiston
Harry \. Shorey. Jr., of the State
! department, was the first witness
called and testified as to the petitions
being in the charge of the department
OF State and the signatures a. filed
numbering 1920 On cross -examna-
tion Mr. Shorey stated that there We're
but 9O27 names questioned by him,
leaving 1l.I93 good names on the peti-
ton. The Attorney Generals Office
baY inyNt ,f M.
names and they were taken to the At
torney Generals office for examina-
ton.
Mr.. Kelley Mr.. Crockett and others
| had examined the petitions. noticed
I that marks had been placed on the
petitions: had written words on them,
had known OF others doing SO. Should
say some had been done by those not
State officials in the strict sense of the
term on re direct by Attorney Crock
EFT witness stated that these marks
were checking and identifying marks.
! Tie petitions had been altered in no
material way and the names We're the
same as those originally placed on the
! list 50 far as his knowledge went
! Arthur Gravel of second street. New
Auburn, testified to signing a petition
! in a barber shop in that place. Ar
! thur Lebarge brought the petitions into
! the barber shop and he signed them.
! One was the referendum upon the
! Lewiston Police Commission. bill. Wit
ness admitted his signature
7 Counsel Norey and Crockett argued
the admission of testimony along this
line. by ruling Of the supreme court
I
admission OF such evidence and Mr.
Morey stated that he should enter OBJ
lection in each case.
Gravel said he did not swear to sig
nature before Chas. p. Lemaire or any-
one and did not sign the veritication.
Answering Mr.. Morey. Has never
known LeTnaire nor been often 10 CITY
tan.