Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-22
Looking into Signatures
OF the Referendum Petitions

known none OF them have been delivered.
! But 1t Is understood the letter TO each per-
son whose name appears on the petitions
makes its mission clear. Each person re-
| ceiving one Of these letters must. under the
rules OF the department, sign a receipt or
return card. This return card, as the name
| implies, goes back 10 the sender OF tie
registered letter. showing that the service
OF the department has been completed.
In this particular instance the return
I card has a two-fold value. 1t will show that
the registered letter reached its destination
and will also bear the signature of the per
son receiving it. With these return cards
it will be an easy matter, so it is thought,
TO make a comparison OF signatures, those
on the cards with those on the petitions, and
in this way determine whether or not the
signatures on the referendum petitions are
genuine.
To delinver all of these registered letters
is no small task for the postofice depart
ment. Each letter must be delivered IN per-
son TO the one to whom IL is addressed so
that he may sign the return card. 1t is ex-
pected that it will take at least two weeks,
and probably much longer, to make all Of
the deliveries. In cases where persons are
, out of town or are not easily located it may
be necessary for the carrier to make several
trips to deliver one letter.
Many Of the addresses on the letters re-
ceived here were incomplete, It Is under
stood. and that both the city directory and
check lists will be useful to those who are
trying to make the deliveries. In instances
where deliveries cannot be made, the Gov
ernor will be notified to that effect. Ac-
cording to this method Of proving the list
every failure TO deliver one OF these letters
to the person to whom It is addressed will
Indicate that no such person exists and
therefore his name could not legally appear
on the petition.
Thus IT would seem that a large part OF
the responsibility in reaching a true verdict
in LeWiston's famous police case rests with
the postoffce department.
The procedure is unprecedented, II l.
claimed. and is easily the sensation of the
investigation to date.
The Lewiston Journal Saturday said
Thousands Of registered letters ask
ing the recipient whether he had
signed the referendum petitions on
! the Lewiston police bill, and Mayor
Lemaire's notification OF City Treasur-
er Hale to pay the policemen that are
now serving, were the new reels Sat-
urday in the great municipal movie
entitled Being a Cop in Lewiston, or
Living on Credit"
There were $500 names sent to Lew
iston addresses and the total number
sent out was 5000, according to a state
| mont Nv poInL wv C~.
during the brief life Of the commits
sion. Mr.. Crockett has been in Au-
Gusta for several days in connection
with the petition investigation.
Many Of the letters were addressed
like the following:
John Doe,
Lewiston, Maine"
On the envelope In blue displs '
type was printed ITO Be Delivered "a
Addressee Only. Return Receipt De-
manded."
Mayor Lemaire and his counsel
Frank A. Morey, were not inclined m
believe that the letter would
prove much one way or the other. an
peared as confident as Yer that there
are at least 10000 names on the petit
ton which demand referendum.
Mr.. Morey stated that In case de-
cision was made by the Governor and
Council throwing out the petitions The
case would not be dropped but that a
writ Of mandamus to declare a refer
endum would be asked.
This would entail proving the in
suf1ciency Of the petitions in court IN
the opinion Of Mr., Morey and the bur
den Of proof would be on the obiec-
tors.
Mayor Lemaire wants the poIicena,
paid, he stated to the Lewiston .Jonr-
nal Saturday. and said that he mott
ned treasurer Hale to pay the men
now serving and upon the refusal IN
get the treasurer to agree to paw the
policemen whose terms of office. under
the appointments, had not expired.
Mr.. Hale stated that he had M.
been notified and upon being told h.,
the writer that the mayor has sail
that he notified the treasurer was in
formed that the mayor had Spoken IN
me about it"
The letters arrived from Augusta AZ
o'clock Friday night. and the mail
men were busy, Saturday. delivering
them. The clerks at the post once
had to can for help to find addresses.
according to a statement by Mayor
Lemaire' Many Of the letters had not
street addresses and check lists were
provided at City hall to assis. 4, erd~
ing them,
The police appointed by the alder
men disappeared Saturday. as f.- &C
ooins outy was concerned. with the
exception Of Deputy Picard. and it is
understood that although the niunc-
ton restraints him from acting as chief
II does not restrain him from acting as
deputy. He was in his office at City