The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-09-09
POSTMASTERAT
P|TTSF|ELD HAS
DISAPPEARED
No Trace Can be Found OF
Clifford II. Dickson
is A PROMINENT CITIZEN
Suspicion Aroused By His Going
When Inspector Arrived
AT Postoffice

! PittShcld, sept. 6.-POstmaster
Clifford III. Dickson, who walked out
Of the federal building by rear door
Tuesday morning about an hour after
the arrival of Post-Oflice Inspectors
Ernest f. Sharp and George Seaton,
had not been located or heard from
lp to tonight 1t was the first ofllci.
al inspection of the Office since Mr..
Dickson was appointed in July, 1921.
He is grand master workman of the
United Workmen in this state and
he had been accustomed to be away
several days at time on business
for that order. He had received per.
mission from the post-ofiice depart.
ment at Washington to take his va.
cation in insalments. 1t was said to.
night at his home on Lincoln terrace
that he always heretofore had been
accustomed to notify his family that
he was leaving.
Mr.. Sharp was asked tonight If
the inspectors have discovered indi
cations Of any Irregularities in the
9ostmaster's accounts. He replied
"A number Of vouchers and other
things seem to be missing, but we are
gradually finding them, and possibly
all will show up We regard it as
a curious coincidence that he should
walk out and disappear almost as
soon as we arrived for the first in
spection since he took Office. Papers
in his desk indicated he was interest.
ed in many affairs, but so far as we
have found the government accounts
are entirely separate from his per
sonal accounts.
"At the present time we have no
evidence of Irregularities, and It will
be impossible for us to get at the
exact ,situation until we learn the
facts of his last statement, sent to
the auditor at Washington We have
to do only with the post-otilce de
partment Mr. Dickson also is Gus
todian of the building, and as such,
reports to the treasury department"
Mr. Sharp said that so far as he
knew his superior at Washington re-
ceived no intimation or suspicion that
a shortage might exist al Pittsfield.
EThe postmaster is bonded for 100000
in surety company. His sa'ary Is
SSS00. The total receipts of the Of
hce from all sources annually arc
close to $2.000.000
Assistant Postmaster James VI.
Butler, whose accounts baiance~ TO
penny, has been placed in charge OF
the Office. He learned the principal
safe combination from the late Post
master Edward r. SCully, and re-
membered it. so that he was able to
open it for the inspectors. Mr.. Dick
sons rol-top desk was pried open.
Mr. Dickson was born at Middle.
field March ,, 1875. Febreuary |,
1915 he was elected by the city
council tax collector of Pittsfeld, and
served in that position until his ap-
pointment as postmaster He is
treasurer of the Republican city com.
mittee and Is on the house commit
tee of the Pittsfeld lodge of Elks He
is a 32d degree Mason and belongs
to the Berkshire lodge of Odd Eel
lows.
He was married 27 years ago to
Miss Florence TIawley, daughter of
the late Samuel Hawley of Chatham
N Y, and a niece of the late Edwin
r. HaWloy of New York, railroad
magnate, from whom she inherited
Iconsiderahle property There are
five children, two of whom are mar.
rled
Members of the family arc greatly
exercised over the disappearance Of
bMr. Dickson and are unable to offer
and explanation or make any state.
ment that might lead to his dis.
coyery, His home life was pleasant
land never suspicion of any kind
has ever been raised against him in
any of his official pos tiOns
He is an expect at mathematics
and t was largely because OF his
excellent administration in the tax
collectors office that he was recon-.
mended by Congressman Allen r.
Treadway Tor the postmastership.
He had had l6 years experience in
! the post Office as clerk before he be.
came tax collector