The United States
To John McRae Dr.
| For Expenses of an Express messenger to Charleston by order of the President in May 1837 | 53.50 |
| For the Apprehension & prosecution of Straughon & Mills, convicted of robbing the Mail Sept. 1832 | 200.00 |
| For Arrest & prosecution of Butler for robbing the Mail, convicted Sept. 1833 | 200.00 |
| 453.50 |
The President of the U.S. (Mr Van Buren) in March 1837 through the P. M. Genl. (Mr.
Kendall), directed the P. M. at Fayetteville to send a special messenger with a letter
to Mr. Poinsett in South Carolina. The messenger was sent accordingly to Charleston
and thence to Santee, a distance of more than 400 miles going & returning, Incurring
an expense as stated. In May following the P. M. G. sent to P. M. at Fayetteville
$30. to be handed to the messenger as a reward for the prompt execution of the service,
which was so disposed of, and the messenger J. Johnson’s recpt. returned. Thus it
appears that the travelling expenses have never been repaid, and are still due.
The charge for reward for the reward apprehension of Mail-Robbers, rests wholly upon the fact whether or not it was the
established custom of the Department to pay such rewards at the time the service was
rendered. In proof that it was I refer to the records of the Department from which
it will, be seen, as follows;
| In 1819 J. McRae P. M. for apprehending E. Boland | $200 |
| In 1827 J. McRae p“ m.fo“ for app“ Skipper & McKiney | 200 |
| “ 1834 F. G. Scott P. M. Raleigh m“ f“ Delahunty | 200 |
| “ 1834 M. D. Coleman P. M Maysville K. f“ Devany | 200 |
| “ 1839 J. A. Webber Agent momen“ f“ Sparks | 200. |
Many others doubtless might be found on record but these
Respectfully submitted John McRaePost Office<Page 2>
are deemed sufficient. It is not my fault that the Account of so old a date has not
been settled. It has been brought to the attention of each succeeding P. M. Genl.
and was only considered by Mr Wickliffe, who declined paying it, as he thought it the duty of Post Masters so to
arrest and prosecute. It may be proper to state that much address and management
was requisite in the arrest of these felons, and no little enmity incurred from their
friends, attended with great risk of life or personal injury in the case of Mills,
who was known to be a very dangerous man. In each of these cases I incurred considerable
expense and trouble in attending the Circuit Court at Raleigh, for which no charge
is made as I calculated upon receiving the customary reward. I could have obtained
a liberal settlement of this account from P. M. Genl. Barry, but I found that excellent
and available man surrounded by scores of hungry leeches and I could not consent to
gain such company even in pressing a claim I knew to be just.
Fayetteville N.C.
January 1848
Handwritten Document Signed, 2 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB,