Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-15
Rrewster's Statement

Brewster's Statement
To the Honorable Percival p. BaX-
ter, Governor of Maine, ana the
Members of the Executive Coun-
Gil:
/ understand that, by virtue or
the provisions OF Chapter Zoo IL the
laws of Maine Of 1919 omending
Section Is of Chapter & OF the Re-
wise d Statutes of 1910, it is incum-
bent upon you to ascertain the num-
Der OF ballots "actuallv cast in the
cities, towns and plantations i'll the
state FOR the cand dates Tor the Ike
publican nomination for Governor
in the last Primary Election held on
Monday, June 49, 1924, and TO cor
rect all returns Gin accordance with
the number of ballots found to have
been actually cast" when the re
turn or record is found (bv you) to
be erroneous" The amendment OF
1919 very greatly enlaTges the pow
ers formerly possessed by the Gov
ernor and Council and was enacted.
as expressed in the title, in order
to enable the Governor and Councll
Ito correct the record to accord with
the facts"
IT is clear that the laws of the
state now make you the proper and
competent tribunal to determine the
results OF a Primary Election in ac-
cordance with the facts, and pursu-
ant to the suggestion of your letter
of June %, 1924, / am laying before
you certain information which seems
to be of Importance in your de-
termination of the results.
A review of this election is asked
for both because of evident errors
in the fluctuations in the various
municipalities which have been dis
closed by the examination of the
ballots and also because of very
Gross frauds and irregularities in the
conduct of the election. Some of
these irregularities have been dis
closed in considerable detail by a
committee of citizens who have been
investigating this matter.
I am attaching to this statement
original affidavits of municipal off,
GERS and of other responsible citi-
zens which will be of great assist
ance to You in ascertaining by COM
petent evidence material facts as to
the number of ballots actually cast
or in other words lawfully cast"
The facts evidenced by these afli-
davits can be substantiated either
by the oral testimony or by the de-
positions of the citizens making the
affidaVitS and of the numerous citi-
ZenS whose names and addresses arc
shown in the affidavits.
The contents of these affidavits
may be summarized as follows:
/. In the election district desig-
mated as Ward in the City of Port
land at least four hundred Republic
can ballots furnished by the Secre-
tary of State for use at said election
were fraudulently marked for Frank
G. Harrington as the Republican
candidate for Governor and were
placed illegally and fraudulently
with the ballots actually cast" in
said ward in said election for the
candidates for the Republican nomi-
nation for Governor. This was done
secretly after the polls were closed
and without any color of right and
names of voters on the registration
lists were checked roughly to cores
pond with the number of ballots
thus fraudulently marked and placed
with the ballots cast for the Re-
publican nomination for Governor,
and said ballots SO fraudulently
marked and placed, were wilfully,
falsely and fraudulently included in
the record and in the return of the
election officials of said Ward 4, Ill
though they were not actually cast"
in said ward in said election for the
purpose of deceiving the canvassing
board which should review this mat
ter. thus vitiating the return of the
said election officials and discredit-
ing the vote of said ward except as
it may be determined by other COM
petent evidence.
II. 1t appears by the official re-
turns of Fort Kent, FrenchviIle,
Grand Isle, Madawaska, Saint
Agatha, Van Buren,. Cyr Plantation.
Hamlin Plantation. New Canada
Plantation. and Wallagrass Planta-
ton that 2,062 votes We're reported,
in the last Primary Election for the
Republican nomination for Cover
nor, OF which 2,036 were return ed for
Frank G.. Harrington as Republican
nominee for Governor. and IS. for
Ralph Q. Brewster as Republican
nominee for Governor Affidavits
are attached of John a. Sweeney,
Town Clerk of Fort Kent. of John
.Pelletier. Town Clerk of Van
Buren,. of Joseph G. Ouellette, Town
Clerk of Saint Agatha. and of Ar
thur ]. Nadeau, prominent citizen
anu dllOTlty HI FOTL Kent, showing
that over a thousand of the votes
cast in these several towns and
plantations were marked by the
election officials in defiance of the
law. rather then by the voters
themselves. and affidavits of individ-
ual voters are also attached showing
illegal marking of their ballots in
this way. 1t further appears by the
affidavit of Joseph B. Ouellette,
Town of Saint Agatha, that the polls
OF said town were not closed until
$50 p. NJ, Standard Time, on June
liz, 1924, and that thirty ballots were
marked by the election officials and
placed in the box after the legal
time for closing the polls at 81
O'Clock. All of the ballots shown
by the record and return of said
town were marked for Frank G..
Harrington as the Republican NOM
inee for Governor. 1t further ap-
pears by said affidavit that election
booths were not used. but all ballots
were marked at tables in an open
room.
III. In Ward 4. in the city of
Lewiston DDS Republican ballots
were reported by the election off,
Gals in said ward as lawfully cast"
T.