The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-19
Posi- OFFICE ROBBERY AT LOWELL, MAS

Posi- OFFICE ROBBERY At LOWELL, MAS
sACHUSETTs-AN OLD CLERK Detected IN
SERIES OF RoBBERIKs OF VALUABLE LET
TERs.-A dispatch from Boston states that
during the past year or more the business
noyed by the loss Of money placed in let
tiers for transmission through the mails,
and for long time the guilty party worked
his cards 60 ingeniously and shrewdly that
he set at defiance all the practices of the
special agents of the Post Office Depart
ment until yesterday morning, when he
was detected in the act Of opening two let
ters which contained valuable papers,
though no money was in them. The name
Of the guilty party is Philip P. Haggerty,
forty-two years of age, having wife and
four children, and residing in Lowell.
The populations Of this man have been
going on for the past two years. For this
length of time it has been known that let
tiers passing through the Lowell Office and
the Office in this city we're distracted.
Postmaster Goodwin, Of the former office,
relaxed no efforts to detect the thief, but
he failed to discover any clue to the guilty
party. The matter wss finally taken in
hand by Mr. C. P. Johnson, of this city, 8
special agent connected with the Post-ofice
Department, who went to Lowell on Mon
day. he ascertained that there were three
persons in the Office there who had unusual
opportunities for abstracting letters. Those
persons were closely watched. In the
course Of events it occurred to Mr.. johnson
that the clubhouse connected with the office
might be the only place where letters would
be taken to be tempered with. Accordingly,
every person connected with the Office who
visited that place was watched by MIR. John
son. .-o ne
To better facilitate his purpose, the officer
bored an aagur-hole through the ceiling
above in the clubhouse, through which to
notice unobserved the occupants. Yester-
day forenoon Hsggerty went into the out
house about 10 o'clock, and, looking through
the hole, Mr.. johnson saw Haggerty open
two letters, as stated above. Haggerty was
Immediately taken into custody. He at
first denied his guilt, but soon after con-
fessed to having opened the letters which
he had brought from the Office. The pecu-
lator was brought to this city, and yester,-
day afternoon he was taken before United
States Commissioner Hallet and bound over
in the sum Of $1,000 for examination, and
was committed to Jail for want Of bail.
Among the losers by Haggerty's populations
is J. c. Aver s. Co., of Lowell, who have
lost numerous small amounts. Thousands OF
dollars belonging to other parties have also
been abstraeted by Haggerty in small sums.
Factory girls, too, are among his victims.
Ole operative sent 9twenty-fv dollars
abroad, and it was never received. Regis
tered letters were missed about q year and
q half ago, and ever since that time an
effort has been made to apprehend the
guilty party.
Haggerty was seen last week by another
clerk in the Office TO act very suspiclously,
and good deal Of importance WAS attached
TO his conduct, the sequel TO which has
transpired. The alleged peculator has al
ways moved in good circles, and has for
some time past been member OF the choir
OF the Rev. George P. Hepworth's church,
in this city. MIR. johnson has been at work
on this case during the past two years, put
Haggerty managed his business 80 shrewdly
that at one time it seemed az though he
would escape detection.
MASS MEETING OF WoRKINGMEN-AID
FOR THE STRIKERS. York, April To-
A mass meetipgof Wor&ingmen WAS held to-
night to sustain parties now On q strike.
John Jesup presided. Resolutions pledging
z .--