The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-17
USED THE MAILS FOR sWINDLINa.
Arrest OF . Man and Two Women Tor DupipE
Kind-Hcarted PhiIad eiphians.

Arrest OF y Man and Two Women Tor DupipE
Philad eiphisns.
PHILADELPHIA. Juno 16.-Threo persons who
have been conducting an alleged systematic Inn
position upon the charity Of kind.hearted people
were brought here to-day from Harrisburg by
United States Post Office Inspector William J.
Mehary. They were bound over by United
States Commissioner Wolf. at Harrisburg, for
trial at the session of tho United States Court at
Erie. Ono of then, Thomas D. Hackott, has c
record as a swindler. having been convicted at
Utica. n. ", in March, 1895. Of using the malls
for fraudulent purposes. He was sentenced to
n years Imprisonment. The other two are wo-
men. One is known as Mrs. Lucinda Hackett,
the reputed wife of the chief con pirator, and
the other, who is also a reputed wife of Hackett,
goes under the alias OF Mrs. w. H. Gilmore.
Letters were received by several wealthy and
charitable citizens of Philadelphia last March
from what appeared to be a woman plunged In
the most abject mise-y and want. They wero
postmarked at Homework. Pa, a small settle
ment a few miles from Pittsburg, and dated
March 10. 1897. The woman wrote that she
was a Philadelphia who had been In tho West,
and that through the loss Of her husbands
health they were reduced to absolute want. She
wrote that she was returning with her invalid
husband and that they were not only without
the means to reach their destination. but were
without food. and were obliged to seek the rail
I road stat station oiaS at ho !! Tev % e for shelter shelter: The let
Z The appeals produced results. One Of them
they were all alike-reachcd James Dobson, the
Of the Peace at Homework, to be given to the UNI
fortunate couple IL their case proved worthy.
A sI0 B E letter went to STANLEY G.. FlagS, who sent sem
street. Several other wcll.known Philadelphians
worded. Five copies Of It. received BY i've dii-
ferent persons. are now in the possession of the
Post ONCE authorities. and will be held as evil
In addition to sending pecuniary assistance,
Zee Railroad transportation from Homewood to
Of the PennsyiSa%is K;aElrosd; and RsIs this pro sffadi
The railroad tickets were used from Homewood
to Harrisburg. where the Gilmores, got OFF the
to obtain a refund on the part OF the
tickets not used: The fact was reported
to Ses sema ,n passenser sno agent 1ss Wood Wood. who who
on March 10 he notified Gen. Edgerton. the
Post Office Inspector at Philadelphia. He de-
terday, after a long search for the evidence that
the mails were used to promote the swindlins
Forster street. Harrisburg. where he found MI
and Mrs. Gilmore alias Mr., and Mrs. Thomas
opened a dressmaking establishment.
Inspectors office in this city show that com
ihih "Oioi III 100 ina u l1lNb III
himself Professor Breckenridge" had been So
Letting, aims from Gen. Louis Wagner. Gen.
other Grand Army men under the pretcnce that
they were to be used to secure admission to a
home for a soldiers widow who had also been a
ton that the Professor" had sold a large num-
Der of tickets to Grand Army men for a lecture
Widow" Before the night of the lecture tho
Professor" vas missing: He went to Niagara
Thomas w. Hackett ut Jersey City by Post ONCE
Inspector Lewis. The woman who was with him
gave the name of Mary A. Smith. She was Luz
cinda Hackett.
They were indicted June 10 by the United
states Grand Jury at Trenton. for using tho
mails to defraud. They esca ped imprisonment.
They were next arrested at Buffalo. in 1898, for
sending, false appeals for charity through tho
mails. They were tried and convicted In the
United States Court at Utica, and sentenced by
Justice Cox to a years imprisonment and to pay
nothing had been heard of them until the fraud
was discovered at Homewood.