Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-12

circulate petitions?"
Eyes"
"And paid them for their work?"
eyes"
"You were reimbursed"
"Yes-money was paid me-"
"At the rate of six cents?"
Eyes, in that vicinity"
did You sign one of these petit
tions?"
"Yes."
did you verify the signatures?"
"Yes."
Before whom did you take oath?"
"Mr. John T. Ferry"
did you take any other petition
into John Ferry?"
mo-.
did your wife take any petitions
to Ferry?"
mo"
The following statement was then
made by Attorney Ferry:
II know Josephine F Smythe and
have known her for 20 years and she
never appeared before me to ask me
tures-oath-or any other docu-
ment."
Mr.. Ferry further declared that he
but Is a notary public.
. Testify as to Irregularities
When the hearing was called to
order in the council chamber yester-
day morning Attorney Fisher called
as the first witness George e. Ma
room of Bangor, who was shown a
paper purporting to be signed by
him as petitioner and as a verifer
of the petition.
II never signed it, said Mr..
Maroon in reply to question by
Attorney Fisher.
DO you know Michael Pilot to
whom this petition says you gave
oath?"
Il do not know him."
do You remember of taking an
oath as a verifier of this petition
asked Governor Brewster.
II do not" replied the witness.
The witness then wrote his name
on a yellow pad, at the request of
Gov. Brewster and it was the unani-
nous opinion that the signature on
the pad was very different than
those on the petition.
Ethel NJ. Clark of Bangor testi.
fed that she was a waitress and
lived at Ia State street, Bangor. She
was shown a petition headed by
Joseph E. Gillespie and containing
100 names. Miss Clark was a veri-
fer of the petition.
did you circulate this petition 2"
asked Attorney Fisher.
II did. not" replied the witness.
do you know whether the sigma
lures on this petition are genuine
or not?
II do not"
"How did you happen to sign this
petition?"
Ralph Baker called me into his
tailor shop and asked me to sign the
petition"
Did you know what you were
signing?"
mo"
"Who was in the tailor shop"
Erred O'Connell."
ibid you take any oath or did you
raise your hand I" asked Gov.
Brewster.
II did not" replied the witness.
Lincoln NJ. Harris of Boothbay
Harbor identified a petition headed
by him and certified by him.
THAT is your signature at the bot
tom of this paper as verifier?"
asked Attorney Fisher.
YES" replied the witness.
Ibid you circulate that petition?"
II did"
did you see every one whose name
Is on the petition sign 1t
mo, not every one. I should say
that / saw about half of them sign
the petition but all of them signed
it in my presence. / did not think it
necessary actually to see them sign
it."
WaterviIIe Man Didn't Sign
George H. Simpson of Waterville
declared that it was not his sigma
ture as verifier to the petition con-
tanning So names.
II do not make an H the way it
appears on the petition"
Mr.. Simpson said there were two
other men in Waterville by the same
name.
Elmore Earl of Brewer testified to
verifying and circulating a petition.
did you see every person whose
name is on this petition, sign tt?"
asked Atty. Fisher.
II did not" replied the witness.
Continuing. the witness testified
that he should say he saw 100 out OF
1870 whose names appear on the pc
tition sign the document.
did most of these people sign
their names in your presence?" ask
ed Judge Sanford L. Fogg. deputy
attorney general who Is sitting in the
Investigation in an advisory capacity.
eyes, but 1 did not look over their
shoulder to see them sign their
Names" replied the witness, land
half a dozen people asked me to sign
their names for them and did"
Emery l.. feathers of Hermon
identified a petition headed by
Howard B. feathers, also of Her
mon and verified by the witness.
as that your SIGNATURE" Attor-
ney Fisher asked.
at is,' replied the witness.
did you circulate the petition?"
Yes, part Of the time"
"Who else circulated it?"
"My father, Howard B. Leathers.
"How many people did you actu-
ally see sign the petitions"
about one third of them"
Attorney Fisher stated that he
summoned James ]. O'Brien Of
Lewiston, but a physicians certifi-
cate had been received stating that
Mr.. O'Brien was too i'll to be present.
Attorney Fisher said he would
ask for a rejection Of the petition
containing 118 names, verified by
Mr.. O'Brien, on the grounds that
some Of the names were apparently
written by one person.
Attorney Fisher cited the names Of
Vervelle, Therrian, Gilbert, Dostie,
Pelletier and DeMain.
Attorney Fisher stated that one or
two witnesses whom he considers
important, cannot be located at pre-
sent by the sheriffs and he asks
that the hearing be kept open to
see If these witnesses cannot be
found.
The hearing adjourned subject to
the call of Gov. Brewster.