Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-10-23
rhe Root of!ioe pefaieatlen.

NV EODA SNtN0G 9ONGNVGkl0Ua
In. our heading 10 the little post Office affair,
yesterday, we may have done injustice to the
party or parties involved, by the use of the word
robbery" and we hasten to conform to the "pro-
gress'' of the day by modifying the expression; as
the case is likely to be enumerated among the cir
rsgularitiss" of hepAry in power and the culprit
or culputs slip through the law as defAuters.
There appears to have been great deal of Sc.
crecy about the matter from the start disposi-
tion to cover up the crime, Accordingly it seems
to have been communicated to one of our city
papers on Tuesday, aud on the evening Of that
day the resignation Of E. J. DOugherty and the
appointment of Mr.. Pyle was announced. This
attempt to suppress the crime is stated by Every
Eeenlng, of Wednesday, as follows, that paper
seeming willing to unite IN the business, if its
oEn words can I've credited 1t says:
1--WE announced, yesterday, the fa:t that VIM
NJ. Pyle had been appointed Deputy Postmaster
at this city, IN place of Edward J. Dougherty. So
sudden change, of course, caused q great zeal OF
comment and speculation, and though advised of
tue cause for ii, we complied with request for
the temporary suppression of the facts, on the
ground that their publication might defeat the
ends OF justice.
The true cause, however, is rumored about the
streets TO such an extsnt, with those additions
OIs j
no further reason tor suppressIng the publication
OF the facts 90 far as we have been able to learn
them"
As the crime had been detected on Monday, it is
difficult to understand how the publication Of the
facts on Tuesday afternoon might defeat the
enGs Of justice how the ends of justice might
be secured by tie publication of '.resignation'
thai was actually expulsion Of an alleged y
criminal frcm office.
1t is due to our readers to say that We knew
nothing Of this affair until the Postmaster came
to the GAZETTE Office on Wednesday morning to
inform US OF II, as he said the other papers now
had 1t and would publish it. The frequent occur
fence OF such crimes, we believe, requires that
every journalist should be found on the side of
morality aud use its best efforts to render such
gets detestable and odious. This cannot be ac-
oomPllshed so long as sympathy Is allowed to take
the place OF prompt punishment. Only the other
dry the Commercial found i; necessary to lecture
the oficeholders OF the Republican party because
Of the notorious fact that 50 many OF thai party
sought Office for the money they could get out OF
the government rather than to perform faithfully
their ofieial dutes; and Its advice was in
favor Of reform in its party aud it said wherever
AuCu hcAN apFSAA1 "ft IT. AaAs was Ouiy a
day or two since, aud already we find it avoiding
its own advice, and, as iu yesterdays issue, pas
aing off great crime in our own city with the
following brief reference;
ALLEGED DEFICIENCY IN THR ACCOUNTS OF T. a.
DoUGHKRTH,
Cpon lie complaint OF Mr. Henderson, a spe
cial agent OF the Post ofice Department, a war
rant Of arrest issued against Capt. f. j
Douhgerty, Assistent POSTMASTER in this CITY, ON
Monday aud he was held 10 ball by Commissioner
Smith The special agents allegation, after a
thorough examination of the Post-01ice accounts,
is that Mr.. Dougherty, who has been cash ier is
shor some $1,000 No other irregularity appears
Should the charge be established, 10 loss accrues
10 the Government, or 10 the Post Once, here az
Captain Dougherty IS bonded in 1000 with sure
ties entirely sufficient The whole matter VIC
Trust, may be capable Of satisfactory explanation.
The Postmaster on Wednesday, informed us
tlat hc was responsible for the amount Of the
dsialcation, but he presumed the gentlemen Oh
the bonds for Capt. Dougherty would make up
tle "deialcaton,' and the matter would end there.
at least that was what he was led TO infer from
his conversation with the detective.
We expected to find our neighbor exercising its
frequently boasted enterprise; the opportunity
oilers the head appears. but the Commercial re
coils; docs 1t fear TO "hi ii" Or, docs il fear il
may hat the wrong head Certainly this cannot
be- for the blow can only be aimed at the guilty
The street rumors are numerous. In addition 10
those mentioned by our own reporter, who did
hot succeed in getting an interview with Mr.
Dougheriy, We quote the following from the re-
port in Erery Erening:
" 1t is Que to say that Dougherty claims that be
Is innocent and declares that the management of |
the oce has been so lOose that II IA in to
tel who the defaulter is That there is defalca-
uon Is not denied. but DOugh0rtys friends declare
he s not the guilty man. or if guiIty is not the
chief culprit.
The Republican deVOtes five lines to the "defal.
eltion, in which ii hopes it will be Satisfactorily
explained" Just So