June 5. Affidavits as to the ownership of a portion of the money in the hands of Messrs. Darragh and Kennedy filed. Mr. Finley for Edward H. Brags, moves to take the money out of Court found in the mail stolen, and identified by the affidavits filed. Same gentleman makes the same motion for John J. Young. Both motions referred by the Court to Messrs. Darragh and Kennedy as auditors. Amos Jolliff discharged from his recognizance to attend as a witness. The following report was made to the Court by Messrs. Darragh and Kennedy viz: Pittsburg, June 5, 1841. The undersigned beg leave to report that they have paid out on affidavits to individuals claiming, or their order, the following sums from the money recovered on the premises of John F. Braddee: E. H. Pandell, $250; Timothy Goodman, $1,060; Silas D. Force, $100; James Sproul, $690; H. S. Abbott, $647.10; Sibbett & Jones, $1,127; Haney St. John, $1,455; B. S. Williams, $30; G. G. Moore, $170; A. H. Bangs, $934.90; John S. Young, $190; Chas. S. Bradford, $300; in all $7,154.60. Whole amount recovered, $10,398.60, leaving $3,244 undistributed. Report of auditors confirmed, and claimants who have been paid are directed to give receipts, and the balance unclaimed be deposited in the Bank of Pittsburg to abide the further order of the Court.
United States vs. William Purnell. Wm. Freeman, James McCune, O. T. Moore, H. H. Turk, A. McClelland and William Crawford each bound in a recognizance of $500 to appear at the next term of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Western District of Pennsylvania, on the 3d Monday of November next, to testify in the above case. J. M. Austin moves the Court to direct the Marshal to pay the witnesses subpœnaed on the part of the defendant in the case of the United States vs. John F. Braddee. Court refused, and ordered that the expenses of compulsory process be paid to the officers by the United States.
United States vs. William Purnell. Defendant tent in $4,000 on condition that he be and appear at the next term of the Circuit Court of the United States, to be held in the city of Pittsburg, on the first Monday of November, next. James L. Bugh, Benjamin Watson and John Hendricks each tent in $1,000 on condition that defendant be and appear as aforesaid.
June 7. The Court overruled the motion for a new trial in the case of the United States vs. Braddee, and also a motion by John M. Austin, esq., to postpone sentence, and the Court sentenced the defendant as before mentioned.
November 16, 1841. The United States vs. Margaret Collins. Stealing from the United States mails. Witnesses sworn before the grand jury: E. S. Harris, Johnze Dicus, A. McClelland, D. H. Phillips, William Ebert, John P. Sturgis, Henry H. Beeson, Abraham Alexander and Dr. Howard Kennedy.
Same vs. Same. Charged with receiving a $500 Treasury note, stolen from the mail, knowing the same to have been stolen.
November 17. Recognizance of William Purnell and his sureties called and forfeited, and the witnesses in this case discharged from their recognizances. The grand jury came into Court and presented true bills of indictment against Margaret Collins.
November 22. Defendant pleads not guilty. Tried and jury could not agree, and were discharged. Margaret Collins was Braddee’s mother-in-law. Purnell and Corman were pardoned by the President before trial.
Thus ended the great Braddee trial; an affair that caused more excitement than any local event that ever interested the people of Uniontown. The actors are all dead. Judges Baldwin and Irwin, who heard the cause, are both dead. All the lawyers who were concerned are dead; some of the witnesses are still living. The bondsmen are all dead. Braddee died in the penitentiary about ten years after his incarceration. Many persons believe that he did not die in the penitentiary, but in some manner escaped therefrom. There can be no doubt, however, that he died in the penitentiary.