Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-21

VI VIM. E. Gould, cashier Of tho E;r..
National Bank, Portland. who i. a def.ul,e,
10 the amount of ss7 900, the Arpus no. rho
following: '"e
ne Is vice president of the port,.,d
~ ana also trustee of the Maine
Ms Dauk' lie IS vice president of the
onai BANKERS Association, and has read
as az .neir meetings. He recently built
uaenlncent residence on State street ar a
cost of $50, 900. He drives a handson,e ..
of horses. '"u'oine span
Mr.. Gould was cashier of the old Jn,ern.
'iohai Bank in 1868, before the bank 80
gained under the United States law. and has
con.ihued as cashier ever since,
WI. Gould Is about so wears of aye and
.n ~iie daughter of Neal Dow. and
.hree children. His father is Edward Gonld
cashier OF the National Traders Bank. He
s"' Always taken great pride in his bows. all
Ioui VI them being in the banking business
IL viii De crushing blow to the aged fathar
WIN. Edward Gould, to whose name the
titles OF "Hon." and Rev" have baan nv
common consent appended. has been for sew
erai years the cashier and, by reason of bis
position the real head of the First National
bshk. he was early destined by his father
lor the banking business, and was thoroughly
EDUCATED and started in life under the immed. .
iate eye OF his father, and worked his way
up step by step until he was acknowledged 70
De the ablest fnancier in the city, if not in the
u. o'"e. but whlle working his way up from
.'e uesk OF the clerk to the Office of
'he CASHIER he made himself prominent in
many ways He b, gan very early to address
pupllc meetings, and was warmly interested
In all rpliUiuna
with his numerous financial enterprises he
kept various religious enterprises moving,
his services as a preacher were at once in de-
mand, and few Sundays have since passed
without finding him occupying some Congre-
gational pulpit in this vicinity.
More than once he has been urged to give
up the business and devote himself to the
duties OF the ministry, hut he has never been
willing to take the important step, but he
mas nlled large place in the religious world,
not alone of this State, but of the country,
having been closely identified with the
american Board of Commissioners of Foreign
MISSIONS, and of the Young Mems Christian
association His large influence in the re-
ilglous world was felt when he was instru-
mental in bringing the Board to Portland for
its annual session.
About the time that the idea of civil ser.
vice reform was first advocated by George
William Curtis, Mr.. Gould accepted his the
cries, and has since remained one of the
prominent civil service reformers of the
State, having written and spoken in support
of the theory
Acknowledged to be the ablest fnan cia
authority in Maine, and being as to all in
tents and purposes, the leading spirit among
the Portland bankers. he became identified
with the American Bankers ASSOCIATION, and
at the annual sessions at Saratoga, has read
papers, admitted to have been of great inter-
est and value
A few years of his married life were spent
at his handsome, but not expensive residence
In Deerlng. where he lived in a manner that
befitted a man, who, having an income of
$4,000 year proposed to save something
While living in Deering he was one of the
trustees for one term of the Reform School,
and later, when Gov. Plaisted ordered his
famous investigation into the workings IF
that institution, he was appointed one of the
commissioners
After some years residence in Deering.
Mr.. Gould sold his place, removed to Port
land ami built one of the best, perhaps the
most elegant resi- iencr in the city. All that
perfect taste and ~ abundance of money
could do to make The house and grounds
beautiful was done.
The fact that Mr.. Gould, with his compar
atively small annual income of 81 800, was
building this expensive house, was somewha
commented upon at the time, but he stood so
high that no suspicion of wrong doing was
entertained There were vague rumors that
he had been lucky in speculaliOns. and be-
side that his fatner-in law, Gen. Neal Dow,
is a rich man, and it was supposed might be
supplying the funds for the building Since
then his style of living has been more than
good; he has kept carriage, and his son.
Neal Dow Gould, has had, it is said, his
yacht
1t is understood that the directors of the
bank took occasion last week, Mr.. Gould
being absent in New York, to put an expert
at work upon the books and to their astonish-
ment he showed that SS7 900 had been alb
stracted Mr.. Gould, it is said, returned
Saturday night. and was at once confronted
with the absolute proof of his guilt. He
attempted no denial made no excuses: fully
confessed, it is said, the entire transaction;
completely broke down when he thought of
the disgrace he had brought upon his family,
and at once was arrested. At his own re-
quest he was allowed to be taken home,
where he could be consulted more readily in
regard to affairs of the bank than at the Jail.
Mr.. Gould, is trying to do all he can under
the circumstances. He has already, 1t is
said, assigned to the bank property valued at
$780, 900. He is acting in very manly way,
and is not trying to evade the full punish
ment due to his crime.
1t is supposed that Mr.. Gould lost his
money in New York grain speculations.
The shock of this fall of one of the most
prominent citizens of Maine will be sorely
felt. II was known that Mr. Gould had re-
turned home, and some surprise was felt that
he Al not attend church or Sabbath school.
So we'll did the directors keep their secret
that not even hint of it leaked out until MI
Gould had been confronted with the proofs OF
his guilt, confessed, been arrested, and the
COMPLETED statement of the condition OF the
bank had been submitted to the directors OF