Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-05
DEFENSE EXPERT PICTURES LOEB
AND LEOPOLD AS SOUL ESS PAIR
GOVERNOR MAKES
CLEAR SITUATION
PRIMARY RECOUNT

-
Clarifying the situation in regard
to the Ward Four, Portland, vote in
the recent primary election, and the
second primary election to be held in
that ward by the Governor and Coun-
! Gil, Governor Baxter issued a state
ment on Monday pointing out that
| included in the majority of AZ votes
for Senator Harrington We're the IT'S
votes cast for him in that ward.
Governor Baxter declared that the
vote Of Ward Four of Portland has
been temporarily suspended until the
votes of both candidates in that ward
. can be checked by the Governor and
Council.
Some Of the newspapers have I'M
Intentionally confused the figures of
the recount and want to make them
plain" said Gov. Baxter.
when the Governor and Council
completed their tabulation OF all the
votes. Mr.. harrington had $50 and
Mr.. Brewster 47,326." continued Gov.
Baxter
This gave the former a ma jority
of 294. After this was done the SUI
preme court advised us to throw out
the 252 votes that were cast for Mr..
Harrington in st. Agatha. This was
not due to any, fraud in that town,
but to the fact that no election
booths were used there. The local
officials were entirely honest and
thought they were complying with
the law.
las the matter then stood, Mr.. Far
rington's majority was reduced from
294 to AZ but included in that ma jor-
i ity are the us Harrington votes in
Ward Four. Portland. Mr.. Brewster
had 1913 votes in that ward. For eX-
ample, If the court had advised
throwing out all the Ward Four vote,
on account of fraud. Mr.. Harrington
would have lost his rs votes and Mr..
Brewster his 1913. AS will be seen
from this. Mr.. Harrington would have
lost his Ward Four majority of sos
and this would more than have bal
anced his lead of Az and would have
given the nomination to Mr.. Brew
ster. Instead of throwing out these
Ward Four votes, the court advised
that they be temporarily set aside or
suspended until a second primary
election could be held by the Govern
or and Council,
IL make this statement because
some of the newspapers stated that
Mr.. harrington had Il majority of AZ
not including the Ward Four, Port
land, vote That vote, however, is
included in Mr.. Farrington's total,
| although for the time being suspend
ed until the votes of both candida ties
in that ward can be checked by the
governor and council.
THE Governor and Council by or
/ der of q majority of the court are to
hold what for all practical purposes
is second primary election in Ward
Four. Any voter of that ward who
cares to come before them and state
that he or she voted for either Mr..
Brewster or Mr.. Harrington on June
18th, last. can now vote again for the
same candidate. 1t is simple mat
ter for the voters of Ward Four to do
this, and only those votes that are
given at this, the second election,
will be counted. AS the margin is so
close these votes will decide who is
to be the Republican nominee for
governor.
mo one need hesitate about COM
ing to the council chamber. City hall.
The question will be asked of each
voter: Did you vote on June 16, 1924,
for either Mr.. Harrington or Mr..
Brewster? If the voter is checked as
having voted in June. the second vote
will be recorded by the Governor and
Council as the voter testifies, if the
Governor and Council believes the
truth is being told. The chief JUS
tice of the supreme court has ad-
vised us that the enrolment lists are
not to be considered at this time, be-
cause this is not an original primary
election, but merely an attempt to
find out what happened before and
the number of votes honestly cast for
each of the Republican candidates.
There is to be no investigation of
the alleged fraud at the coming ses-
sion. This matter is in the hands of
the Attorney Generals department
and is entirely distinct from the re-
count or re-checking of the Ward
Four votes which is to be made be-
cause the majority of the supreme
court justices asked that it be DONE"
Plan Yet Incomplete
Asked as to whether the informa-
ton which Ward Four voters would
be asked to give would be held as
confidential or be made public; that
is. would the fact of how the voter
voted to be announced so all present
could near, or only given to the Gov
ernor and Council. Gov. Baxter said
that it was not possible at this time
to give the details of how the exam
ination, or primary, would be con-
Quoted
1.-The details of the work are yet to
be worked out" said the governor.
II shall go to Portland Tuesday aft
ernoon or evening and make a per-
sonal examination of the hall and its
arrangement for the work to be done.
The council will then decide the man.
ner in which this primary shall be
held. This is very sure; great care
will be exercised to follow the direc-
tions of the court implicitly.
Our only desire is to find out the
truth and to give the voters of Ward
Four an opportunity of recording
their vote in the primary correctly"
The governor said that while the
session would open at . o'clock. day.
light time. Wednesday. it would con-
tinue' through the evening and on
Thursday morning and until the
council was convinced that all voters
of Ward Four who cared to had avail
ed themselves of the opportunity to
record their vote.