The Old Pike / A History of the National Road, with Incidents, Accidents, and Anecdotes Thereon

by Thomas B. Searight

Pittsburg, Penna., 25th of Jan’y, 1841.

Howard Kennedy, special agent of the Post Office Department, in addition to the testimony given by him before His Honor Judge Ewing, in the case of the United States against Braddee, Purnell, Strayer and Corman, relative to the probable loss of money, drafts, &c., in the stolen mails, further deposes, that since that time he has received reports from various persons and places in the West of letters mailed at dates which would have by due course of mail been in the bags stolen, containing bank notes, scrip, certificates, drafts and checks, amounting to one hundred and two thousand dollars and upwards; that every mail brings him additional reports of losses, and that he believes the amounts reported will not constitute more than one-half of what has been lost in the mails between the 16th of Nov., and the 18th of Dec., 1840, on the route from Wheeling to New York.

HOWARD KENNEDY,
Special Agent P. O. Dep’t.
Sworn and subscribed before me the 25th January, 1841.
T. IRWIN,
District Judge.

PETITIONS FOR HABEAS CORPUS.

To the Hon. Thomas Irwin, Judge of the United States Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania:

The petition of William Purnell respectfully represents that your petitioner is now confined in the jail of Allegheny county, in obedience to a warrant of commitment, a true copy of which is prefixed to this petition. Your petitioner humbly prays your Honor to award a habeas corpus, that he may be bailed by sufficient sureties, according to the first article and ninth section of the Constitution of the United States, January 29, 1819.

WILLIAM PURNELL.

To the Hon. Thomas Irwin, Judge of the Court of the United States for the Western District of Pennsylvania:

The petition of Doctor John F. Braddee respectfully represents that your petitioner is now confined in the jail of Allegheny county, in obedience to a warrant of commitment, a true copy of which is prefixed to this petition.

Your petitioner humbly prays your Honor to award a habeas corpus, that he may be bailed by sufficient sureties, according to the first article and ninth section of the Constitution of the United States.