Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-22

were checked on the page cf ms"
and IL they had voted but this line
of questioning was shortly discontin- I
ued.
Attorney Dubord here brought to
the attention of the governor and
council the fact that there was
difference In opinion between him and
Attorney B. r. Maher with regard to
the defective ballots. There were
several of those which were marked
defective but which on inspection ep-
peared to be all right. On inspec-
ton it was impossible to tell whether
they had been thus marked by cleo
ton officials or by voters and made
mistakes and who had secured new
ballots. OF this number Dubord
claimed that Cummings should re-
ceive 81 and Jewett 10, while Maher
claimed that Cummings should get
Al and JeYett Is.
In taking up this matter the two
counsel seemed to be in agreement
in the belief that some of the election
officials of the town of Windsor. were
under the impression that any split
ballot was defective.
Here q laugh was caused when
Attorney Maher was asked II he was
. through and he answered that he had
not yet begun.
He then called for the ballots Of
Ward 3 In Augusta but they decided
not to count them at that time and
the two attorneys summed up the
case.
Attorney Dubord in his address to
the tribunal contended that all that
was necessary for him was to show
that the ballots could have been tam
pered with, and that If this was so
they had lost their probative force.
II that be the case, he declared, the
returns as made on the night OF the
election are the best means or snow
ing what the vote actually was.
Attorney Maher on the other hand
stated that it is his belief that what
ever errors were made were due TO
honest mistakes and that the election
officials were doing their work IN an
honest manner.
The Governor and Council then
went into executive session, this be-
ing at midnight They however, ad-
mitted the interested parties ana
counted over the ballots of Ward
| Three in which a considerable diff
ference between the official returns
as received by City Clerk Daniel w
| Cony and the result of the tnspec-
| ton had been discovered. AT the
suggestion of Governor Brewster
| check was made on the number OF
| straight tickets and the error was
| then quite apparently one Of over
sight on the part of the ward OIL
| Gals. 1t was found that they Lad
| evidently sorted GU the straight
! ballots and then had counted by Of
I fices. The straight ballots had been
/ included in the return for governor
I but had apparently been overlooked
7~aeVltinor n the difference
| noted.
! Shortly after this was completed
! one of the councillors announced to
! the attorneys that there would IN
| doubtedly be some change in the
vote but that it would not be sufi-
! cient to give JeWett the election.
! Still later the figures were given out
as follows, Cummings 1902, Jewett
9579, giving Cummings the election
I by % votes.
These figures were arrived at by
! using what, by agreement of counsel
were considered the official figures Of
! Ward Four. although no return is
made to the secretary of States Of
| fee by wards, and by the inspection
! figures on the town of Litchfiel1,
| which included the 30 ballots later
! found and returned to the State
| House, and the inspection figures of
| Ward Three.
| The disputed ballots were appor-
! toned Cummings 81, Jewett 10, each
man receiving the MINIMUM figure
| that had been set by counsel for the
4 other side.
1t was announced that a certif-
/ cate of election to the office of sher
if of Kennebec county will be issued
! to Henry +. Cummings in the near
/ future by the Governor and Council.