RUMFORD – It has been little more than a month since workers fixed a misspelling on the Edmund S. Muskie Memorial in Rumford. Now, police are searching for someone who vandalized the memorial.

The vandal or vandals painted a dark substance on Muskie’s lips, cheeks, teeth and nose. Douglas Maifeld of the Rumford Police Department believes the incident occurred on the night of Nov. 5.

“I’m speechless. … We had hoped something like this wouldn’t happen,” said Rich Allen, a member of the Muskie Memorial Committee.

The 8-foot-tall monument in black and gray granite consists of three panels. The side panels contain information spelling out Muskie’s achievements. The center panel has a bas-relief of Muskie.

The memorial, which cost nearly $100,000, was dedicated in August on the ledge overlooking the Androscoggin River.

The town’s favorite son served as U.S. senator, Maine governor and secretary of state under President Carter. Muskie, who died four years ago at age 81, was also the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 1968 and made an unsuccessful run for the presidency four years later.