The Portland daily press., 1883-09-29
Postmaster Goddard.
The Article in Ihe Washington Post Ac-
cusing the Portland postmaster of Ne
glect and Dishonesty.

Cus1nk ene TOrIlaDQ FOStndSbSK "a NS
glect and Dishonesty.
From the Washington Post, Sept. 27.l
A REFORM oPENING-wHERE THE P. N. GEN
ERAL CAN DO SOME HONEST WORK.
As the Postmaster General is attitudinizing
before the country as a great reformer, and
has made one or two dismissals, and each one
to the chorus of full band and noisy claque,
the Post proposes to call his attention to some
genuine fields of labor. 1t has come to its
knowledge-how, is nobody's busness-that
an official of the Postofice Department, re-
Gently on a tour OF inspection through the
New England States, found the postotnce az
Portland, Me-, in an unsatisfactory condition.
It was ascertained that the postmaster,
Charles w. Goddard, gives NO personal at
tent;on whatever TO the duties of bis office. In
defiance of rthe regulation that prohibits an
officer of the department from holding any
position under the State government, Mr..
Goddard has been devoting almost his entire
time for two years past TO the duty OF revising
the statutes of Maine. He was regularly ap-.
pointed to this duty by the authorities OF
Maine, and has been and still is receiving psy
from the State treasury at the rate OF some
five thousand dollars per annum. Meanwhile,
Mr.. Goddard has been steadily drawing from
the United States his generous salary OF three
thousand dollars as postmaster, leaving suDor-
dinates to perform all the duties.
A still more serious report is that Mr.. COG
dard has been wrongfully and illegally appro-
priating to his own use nearly $1,000 year IN
connection with the money order department,
which money, it is said, he will be summary
required to refund to the government. In addi-
tion to these gross transgressions OF law, God
dard is charged with petty and disrePqtaoie
peccadilloes in using room in the United
States building as his private office while work.
ing upon the Maine statutes, paying no rent
therefor and having his fuel, lights and attend
ance at the expense OF the national govern
ment.
It is also asserted that within a recent period
Mr.. Goddard has received the grace and
clemency Of the department in overlooking
defalcation of some three thousand dol
lars which was discovered in the office
and hushed up by the money being made
good, it Is also reported, from the private
pockets of his clerks, Goddard's Office is q first
class one, paying him salary large enough to
live on and one that should call out his con-
tinuous and best exertions. On the contrary
he seems to have been an offender against
every law made for the protection OF the
postal service. 1t is possible that the Post
master General has not h nd report from the
special agent of the department, and 1t is also
possible that when it is made it will be kept
from him by serviceable assistants. 1t is also
possible that the Postmaster General Will be
unable to pay any attention to any misconduct
Of his subordinates while stimulating and fer
tilizing his Vice Presidential "ooom" in his
home Stale. But the Post informs him Of
Goddard's case, nevertheless, and will await
his action or non-action with some interest and
yet with composure
From the washington Correspondence of the New
York Times
To all of which reports, and accusations, and
insinuations, the Post Office Department an
swers to-day that ii knows nothing about them;
that Mr.. Goddard's accounts are all right with
the Auditor; that no defalcation has been
heard of; that there has been no misappropria-
ton of money order funds; that there is no
knowledge in the department that the Port
land Postmaster is delinquent, or has commit
ted peccadilloes. and the suggestion is made
| that II anybody knows any OF these reports to
| be true, and will sign a complaint embodying
| them, they will be fally investigated. 0--
[From the New York Timesl
The Washington organ of the Louisiana Lot
| terry Company appears to be getting reckless in
| its fight against the Postmaster-General and in
behalf Of the disreputable concern which 1t
| champions for share in the gains. IL reaches
| down to Portland, Me-, for Postmaster against
| whom 1t makes charges with view to bring
| ing discredit upon the department, but MIR:
| Gresham does not appear to be much frightened
1 and avows himself ready to investigate the
| charges whenever any responsible person will
| put them in proper shape. The influence OF
| the lottery company seems to be far-reaching,
| but its numerous organs and agents will proba-
/ bly, find themselves unable to direct the policy
| Of the Government in its interest.
| (From the Boston Journals Washington Cor
respondentl
Frank Hatton, Acting Postmaster General,
| said to-day that the department has no record
Of an investigation into the affairs OF the post
| Office at Portland, Me-, an account OF which
was published in the Post of this morning The
| various bureau officers who would be likely to
/ know anything of the matter decline to say
| word, only referring the inquirer to the Acting
| Postmaster General. II such an investigation
as is referred to 10 the Post has been made.
| the authorities appear to be unnecessarily
| mysterious about it,
| From the Portland Advertiser If yesterdayl
The story, on its face, is absurd.. There Is no
| complaint in Portlandof the genera. manage-
| ment of the post Office The postmaster has
not neglected his duties. He has passed GDon
/ all questions that have arisen in the admins
tration of the office; he has attended PERSONAL
/ ly to all matters requiring his personal atten-
/ ton. It Is well known that he has been en-
/ gagged in the revision of the Maiue Statutes;
/ but he has not neglected his official duties and
i it is not credible that Judge Goddard has either
| wilfully or ignorantly violated the regulations
| of the department. Ii the revision Of the
| Statutes was work which he could not properly
/ undertake, it would seem that some notice
| should have been taken Of this employ
| ment during the two or three years
| while he was openly engaged in 1t,
/ and not now when it is completed.
| The Washington paper makes more serious
/ allegation,-that Judge Goddard has wrong
fully appropriated $1,000 year Of the govern
ment's money to his own use, and that he has
/ received the grace and clemency OF the depart
| ment in overlooking a defslcation OF some
| 5000 which was discovered In the office and
/ hushed up by the money being made good
| from the pockets of his clerks. These are
/ charges which will have to be explained. 1t
| is evident, however, that this is no official re-
port. If there had been any such grace and
| clemency," there would have been no occasion
| to rehearse it in an official document. The
article appears to be piece of malicious
| slander.
| From the Argus of this Morning.l
The above article surpasses in malignity
| anything that we have ever seen. Judge
| Goddard has been one Of ths most efficient
| postmasters that we have ever had, prompt,
| courteous and attentive 10 his duties. The as
sault upon his integrity will receive no
| credence whatever from anybody that knows
him. We believe baser SANDER was never
| uttered. OF course there will be an investiga-
| ton, and II Judge Goddard does not come out
| from IL without spot or stain, our faith IN
human nature will be gone. II we have q
square, honest, upright man among us Judge
Goddard is one. The attack upon him will
prove as futile as it is ingenious and malicious.
This is our Judgment; that investigation will
confirm it we have not particle OF doubt.
An AGED Clergyman's;s Supposed Fate.
A dispatch from East Pepperell, Thursday,
SAYS: "Men have been searching the Nashua
river for two days for the body of Rev. John
| Parkman of Boston, who mysteriously disap-
peareJ from the hospital Of DIR. j. s. N. Howe
/ on Monday. He was first missed about
| o'clock, and somewhat later appeared at the
/ house of Thomas Murray, and after making
| some inquiries in regard to boat, ha went In
| the direction of the Nashua river, since which
| he has been notlseen. On Tuesday, a boat which
| was afterward identified as belonging to him,
was found floating in the river at point some
| distance below where the boat was fastened.
A careful search of the vicinity has thus far
! revealed no clew, although a force of men
were engaged Wednesday In dragging the riv-
er. The general opinion is that he was drown
ed, either accidentally or with suicidal intent.
Mr.. Parkman was Unitarian minister, and
had been engaged en- some German works at
the time of his disappearance. He had occu-
pied the pulpit in this town, and, although .
nervous invalid. had not been regarded as in
sane. He was so years of age, and leaves two
| daughters. He was nephew of DR.. George
Parkmsn, the noted millionaire, murdered by
Professor John w. Webster, OF Harvard Col
leQe, Nov. %, 1849."
Another dispatch states that the clothes of
the unfortunate man have been found near the
river.
/ xx.4-o rr,oa N1I11 Raptfsta