The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-31
..Robbery i'm the Mall"

caption on the recent loss OF Slao,, sent
with an ordinary letter to the Vermont
Nat Bank, at Brattleboro, by f. VIM
chester of So. Londonderry This arti-
Gle seems so misleading and contains
SO many errors that in simple justice
TO Postmaster Wood we propose to
briefly review it.
The Reformer says:
The stealing cannot be definitely located
though bad suspicion is formed, and there is
no doubt that this in connection with other
facts developed will result in Mr., Woods los
ing his place,
Now wherein comes this "bad suspi-
cion," evidently from the statement in
the paragraph which says:
Postal Clerk Hyde on the narrow gauge,
his attention being called to the matter
in very few days, asserted positively that the
letter in question did not come to him from
the So. Londonderry Office. From Nov 80 up
to the time he was questioned he said only
one of those letters had come through,
whereas two had been sent. The other one
which he describes as very "thick,' was des-
crbcd in the same way by the bank which re-
cciyed it all right. Hyde said that number
of business men on the line of the narrow
gauge had been in the habit of sending down
their money i'll the same way; he had always
felt uneasy about it, and had watched Tor ac-
acknowledgements from the bank on the return
train and that day there was neither letter nor
acknowledgement.
This statement seems remarkable,
when it is considered that nearly 100
letters were mailed at this Office on that
morning and nine. beside this one, by
Winchester i'll the same quality and
kind of envelope, that Mr.. Hyde, on
being questioned few days after
wards. should be able to say positive
" that no such letter came into his
hands. But Mr.. HYDE was feeling anX-
ious about such letters and watched
for the return acknowledgements and
on this day there was neither letter nor
Acknowledgements Why should
there be return acknowledgement, if
there was no letter and why should he
be looking for a return when no letter
went through his hands? We disclaim
all intention of attempting to cast d
shadow of suspicion upon Mr.. Hyde
do not believe that any suspicion should
attach TO him, but think in the above
quoted paragraph his position in the
matter is incorrectly stated. This view
Of the matter is strengthened by the
fact that he OIyde) told Mr.. Winches-
ter, the first man who questioned him,
a few DAYS after the letter was mailed,
that he was very sure that such letter
passed through i'll few days. Further,
this letter, with the others mailed by
Mr.. Winchester was brought in at the
last moment, while Mr.. Wood was bus
lily engaged in making up the mail
There was not a minutes time to be
lost. No time to examine into the char
acter or probable contents Of letter
to say nothing about stealing one. II
is also incorrect that Mr.. Wood, as sta
ted by the Reformer, acknowledge
the receipt of this letter. Wood re
members h a Winchester bough
stamps and mailed number of letters
on that morning, but can not say as t
any particular letter or kind of letter
This brings us to those portions of TIT
Reformcr article, which the partie
concerned, assert are positively false.
list. That Smith,
Resigned in his (Woods) favor on condi
lion that the receipts should be divided ant
the Office kept in his store, as is done, Smit
has admitted this, and it is enough to bounc
Wood, even if this trouble had not occurred
This, both Smith and Wood say is ut
tcrly false, and that no bargain was eve
made, offered or talked about until at
ter Mr. Wood received his commission
Then Wood said to Mr.. Smith that hi
assistance for time, at least, woul,
be very desirable and that at that tim
he (WooO was not ready to rcmov
the Office but doubtless would at som
future time, and made propositio
looking to the office remaining for a
indefinite time in his (Smith's) store
and he having Smiths assistance until h
learned the necessary system of boob
keeping, especially in reference to tn
money order business. This prOpos
ton Smith accepted, and so the matte
has stood. 1t does not appear tht
Wood did anything in the matter, thu
was discreditable, or that he had not
perfect right to do.
%. In reference to the Re former
charge that Wood mortgaged proper
ty, warranting the same free from il
cumbrance, when there were attac
nents on it, sc. sc. Wood pc
itivoly denies. He says that he borrow
cd $500 of the West River Nationi
D'Iih' giving u mn i-"SoO VII SOiiIS iut
Der, and afterwards on some machiner
That there was any attachment on {
ther lumber or machinery he did II
know. Perhaps here a history (
Woods connection with this proper
wonld throw some light upon the mi
ter Of attachments.
About five years ago Sextus p. Go
dard, in consideration of sc 900, deed
to Wood, who then resided in Worct
ter, Mass, one steam saw-mill and t
thousand logs, ready cut, located
Jamaica. In the trade Goddard recei
cd Woods due dill for $3.50, payal
in hemlock lumber. Wood immediate
sold the property to parties in Wore
ter, which parties, sent him up here
run the mill, as agent, for them. Wo