Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-13
A SOLDIERS STORY.
Lamoille County People do not all Want
this Kind of "a Governor.


To Editor of the Free Press
l enclose to you a communication to the
st. Adams Messenger, which may have es-
capped your notice. The writer of it, Mr..
Whitney is u business man, an officer
bearer in the Methodist church, president Of
the Lamoie Valley Campmeoting associa-
ton, a member of j. Nj. Warner post G..
A. r., of Morrisville, and much respected
in this county. AS a month has elapsed
since his communication was published, and
no denial Of the facts has appeared, it is
fair to assume that they cannot be denied.
Ii true, is not the public entitled to them
Some of us up this way do not want for
governor rich man who would skin
Union veteran out of quarter of the little
postoiiice commissions to which he was law
fully entitled. VETERAN.
Editor Messenger:-In recent issue of the
News and Citizen it says, Turn on the light.
Go ahead gentlemen, let the light IN on the
dark places. Mr. Page will welcome an inves-
tigatiOn.N As understand there has been
large number of copies of the life of Hon. {. :.
Page printed and circulated, and as have not
seen part that greatly interests me, and may
be OF some interest to others at the present
time and as it is known to but few, and some
who know ii would not write 1t, ! Will attempt
to state few facts that occurred from May !,
1919, and during the next two years.
My brother, j. >. Whitney, and myself were
sworn assistant postmasters at Ilyde Park, VI,
and did almost tho entire work of the Office,
although G. }. Patch, who is hrother-in-law
of c. >. Page, was postmaster My relatio to
Air. Page have been friendly, although nave
always felt the course he took was cruel and
unjust to my brother, who IS now dead, as well
as to us now living. Aud although IL has ever
since been the cause of sorrow and regret to
me, it did not inter st the public as it does now
Nht We are asked to place him IN the h CHEST
office in the state.
was member of Company l. LIST Vermont
cavalry Tor three years haries "A. Woodbury.,
brother of L. A. Woodbury. was our
orderly sergeant when We went out.
My brother, L. :. who is now referred to, was
a member OF [. 4. WoodbuIy's company, llth
Vermont. My eldest brother was in Company
Nj, of the 18th, and my youngest and only
other brother was in Company e, 18th Yer
mont, and was wounded in Picket's charge at
Gettysburg He died of his wounds two we KS
later and his remains rest in the cemetery
there.
My brother, J. S at the close of the war, re-
turned home to Wolcott to help father on his
farm, as he WAS alone, but was unable to do
this kind of work. lie soon went to Johnson
as clerk for h. Nj. Knights. lie had no means
except What he could save from his salary.
| lie married while there, and after having been
| there several years bought drug store in
! Hyde Park, paid in what he had, and ran in
| debt for the est, which was much the larger
| part There lie went to work as best lie could
| honestly to get homo and support for his
| family, in the fore part of the year 1873.
was at Hyde Park. Mr.. {. J. Patch had
hired one corner of the drug store for the post
| Office a short time before. j. ;. informed me
/
| office as he did not wish to be confined to it.
| If lie should do this, OF course he would
| have to hire help and would be pleased to have
me come. In due time he wrote asking me If
| | could commence work May |. | answered |
| would. and did. All went well for awhile, but
! he soon said the postotlice was, not pannng
| out what he expected. He said he was to pay
| the postmaster $40 per quarter and have the
| rest of the receipts. We both knew {, =.
Page was using several thousand stamped en-
Nelopcs and p stal cards per year. The ac-
| count ran during the quarter, but neither of
us had the least idea that he was not to pay
| in full for them, but when my brother went
ed. He refused to accept OF this and went for
| Mr.. Patch to either fix this matter or take
| less for the Office for his share Mr. Patch :
reply was, II always let linn do about as he
has mind to, but you are not Obliged to be-
| cause did, After laburlng some time with
both parties he accepted Mr. Pages terms
We talked over matters and about what it
was best to do He could not do the work, and
there was not enough to hire l offered to go
outside to work when could be spared, which
| did. If we made too much stir the other par
ties were in position to make matters worse in
stead of better 1t would not be long before
| presidential election, and if it went democrat
| ic of course we were out any way; and II II
went the other way the parties would not dare
| refuse him the whole proceeds. But he died
! February 4, ISL.
a week before my brother died, l.. II. Lewis
came in the office and wanted 1000 three cent
and 1909 one cent stamped envelopes on PAGE
account knowing that this meant So or 81
out, Went up STAIRS ana asked my ofolAel
what ! shouId 90 AIlfr q moment le sAiu
You VIII ne opilged 10 lGt nm huNe theui' pul
IL Is perfect robbery. II get OUT OF w? WI
nave Wnnt belongs TO me or Gear the lhIhS ou
Oh mere. ..,.,
- -\oW a large snare Oh lnese We're prlhled WIZ
- :. rage address ana sent 10 MS customers
10 use IN WrltinE nm as many otIers 90 now
On tIesr the - per cent on was a uetu Ios9 u
my brGIher' as me commissions oeIohsed =,
otner Offices, ana he hau 10 pay lqT theIu II
full while OF those cancelled at Hyde Parb
| at ign ha of "a
ly returns March !, after my brothers death
~ mar cent ~ off and tha remainder was FOR III,