Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-27

A net gain Of S votes over the
official returns for Senator Ralph o.
Brewster OF Portland, the defeated
candidate for the Republican nomi-
nation for governor In the primary
election of June 16, was revealed in
the inspection Of the ballots cast in
Wards !, Q, s, and I, conduct
ed at the Council Chamber at City
Hall yesterday.
The inspection began at 10 o'clock
Thursday morning and continued
until noon, when only Ward one
had been completed. The original
intention OF the Brewster represen-
tatives was to inspect the ballots
cast in Wards one and four, and
then IL any discrepancies over the
official returns were found to decide
whether or not to continue the in
spection of the other six wards. Mr..
harrington objected to the selection
of Ward four, as the test ward. and
so it was decided to take them In
order.
. The inspection proceedings con-
tinued throughout the afternoon,
and after a recess for supper was
again taken up in the evening.
The Brewster gains were distrib-
uted as follows: Ward One. six
votes; Ward Two, three votes; Ward
Three. seven votes; Ward -Four,
20 votes.
In the wards in which the. inspec-
ton was completed the inspection
disclosed the following variances
from the official returns of the
ward officers and the city clerk:
Ward one-Offlcial returns, Brewster,
$50: Harrington, as. Inspection count
Brewster, S34: Harrington. 500. Gain
of two for Brewster and loss OF four
for Harrington. Detectives, seven, four
of which were marked for Brewster
and three for harrington.
Ward two-Oficial returns. Brewster,
14S: Harrington. ass. Inspection count,
Brewster, 147; harrington. 1854. Loss
Of one for Brewster and four for Far
rington. Detectives. four, three OF
which were marked for Brewster and
one for Harrington.
Ward three-Oficial returns. Brew
ster, 1865; harrington, Sl7. Inspection
count, Brewster same, Harrington $40
Loss of seven for Harrington. Defee-
tivcs, four, one of which was marked
for Brewster and three for Earring
ton,
Ward Four-ofllcial returns, Brew
ster. 20, harrington. GAS; inspection
count, Brewster. IS, harrington 624,
blank, 10, defective, 5.
The inspection of the ballots cast in
this city was inaugurated at the re-
quest of Captain Carl II. Smith of Port
land, on behalf of the Brewster COM
mittee, and the actual inspection was
under the supervision of Alton II
Wheeler Of South Paris, chairman OF
this committee. Senator Brewster was
also represented by Attorneys Thomas
II. Leigh and Frank e. Southland of
this city
Senator harrington was present In
his own interests and followed the in
spection closely throughout the day
and evening. In the cases where GER
tain ballats We're declared defective SO
far as the inspection was concerned
this procedure was by agreement Of
both parties.
For the most part the discrepancies
found in the ward officers returns wore
minor and were only such as would lie
found in an inspection OF the ballots
in any precinct of any size in the State
Both Mr.. Brewster's representatives
and Senator Farrington's supporters
were agreed as to this point. In many
instances the ruling on defective bal
lots was an honest difference of opinion
as to just what invalidates n ballot.
In the seven ballots which the In.
spectorS agreed to get aside as defec
tive in Ward !, four of whihc were
| marked for Brewster and three fol
| harrington. it was found that three
were complete ticket selections hut tn,
crosses had been placed after the
| names instead of in the square resig
! mated for that purpose. The other foul
| were all regular with the exception
| that instead OF being marked with 8
| cross the voters had used the checl
mark as commonly used by invoice
clerks.
| The inspection was conducted will
absolute cooperation between thu
parties interested and with absolut,
| good feeling manifest. Several Incl
| dents served to tighten the tedium o
the long sessions Of counting ballots
| such as the finding of peculiarly
marked ballots in the detectives. An,
! other of the most common ballots
which went as blank in the count
| for governor. but which was entirel,
valid in It's way, were the ballots will
the cross placed only after the nam,
of Senator Bert NJ. Fernald. TIL,
! chances are about 100 to that Tn,
voters who cast those ballots marked
them for straight tickets"
| All ballots are in the official Gus
tody of the City Clerk. and as Cit!
Clerk Dan w. Cony is In New Yorl
In attendance at the National Dem
{ ocratic Convention. Mrs. Witham. TIN
deputy city clerk, acted in the officia
capacity, handling every ballot In
spected in the four wards In tn,
three long sessions.
The inspection is of course unoffl
cial, but the Brewster representative
| pointed out that l. the same ratio o
L diffArAnnaa haid &r,.a AIro...zl,