The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-06-20

The Post-office at So. Londonderry-A
Disgraceful appointment, made In
the face of Overwhelming testi-
mony against II.

--SN'S ~ ,~eSNNANe' AASASNohOiSS phSoO
have been met fearlessly by the editor
of this paper, and he sees no reason
why he should at this late day aban-
don this course, although it calls for
severe criticism of public official
against whom he has no personal i'll
feeling OR antipathy.
About four weeks ago it was an
nounced that Henry p. Chase was
appointed postmaster at this place,
and week ago it was further an
nounced that commission had been
issued to him. Without any hesitancy,
whatever, we characterize this ap-
pointment as disgraceful, and in many
respects unparalleled in the history of
the different administrations of the
country. For four years past Mr..
Chase has been assistant postmaster
under H. w. Goddard. During this
time he has had entire control of the
office, Goddard never having assumed
it's duties for even one hour. This
position was obtained by his bargain
ing and intriguing with Goddard,
who everybody in this section knows
was totally untitled for the position.
Through the influence of certain Brat
tleboro politicians, Republicans, God
save the mark y over Hiram Atkins
this was consumated, Chase agreeing
to pay Goddard one hundred dollars
a year, the balance of the receipts to
be his. There is long and disgrace
full story connected with this opera
ton, which for want of space must be
deferred for the present, but the
bare fact above stated would seem a
sufficient bar to hisI appointment by a
Republican administration, to those
not posted as to the inside working of
the political machine in Vermont.
But this is mere circumstance; a
drop in the ocean. For four years
the management of the Office by
Chase has simply been damnable, no
other word would properly character
ize it. Nothing has, seemingly, been
safe that entered it. Even letters
passing through, IN transit, have re-
Ipeatedly been overhauled, boxed and
delivered to patrons of the office.
Letters, papers and other mail matter
have been distributed and given out,
almost Unfortunately, without any
regard to address. During the past
winter a certain family in the village
gathered around the table when their
evening mail was brought in and
found they had mail belonging to four
families. This indiscriminate boxing
and delivering mail has not been mere
| ly isolated cases but are numbered by
hundreds. Parcels and packages,
anxiously awaited by their owners,
who daily called for their mail, have
been held from three to ten days, and
in some instances longer. Letters
and cards have been held in like man.
ner, days, aceeks and months, and in
some instances greatly to the disad-
vantage of the persons addressed.
Registered letters have been retained
from ten days to over thirty. And
last fall, it is alleged, Mr.. Chase, to
prevent lady sending her money to
Brattleboro for dress pattern, and
that he might sell her one, denied that
it was a money order office.
| To the majority Of the patrons of
the office these charges will not ap-
pear strange, but to those outside it
will certainly seem monstrous, and
they will at once exclaim, surely the
post-office department knew nothing
Of this !! Honest, pious John Wana-
maker would never have signed this
mans commission had he known of
this management Alas, dear reader,
the power of the political boss is
mighty, and he has absolute sway
even under the present administration
in the year of grace, 1889. This
whole matter was laid before the De-
partment at Washington, and the at
tention of honest, pious John Wana-
maker was especially called to it.
How was all this done, do you ask
In the shape of
NINETEEN SWORN AFFIDAvITs.
Every charge above made, and more
too, were put into the form of affida-
Wits, subscribed and sworn to and filed
in the post-office department at Wash
ington, to the number of nineteen by
nineteen different persons, reputable
patrons of the office. These aflidavits
besides containing general charges OF
gross carelessness and Outrageous in-
competency made mention of numer-
GUS special cases. Some of these are
here appended:
One of letter parcel that remain
ed in the office 5 days, as shown by
the receiving stamp, the same being
called for every day one in which the
maker stated that he had received
during the past winter, more than q