Brief of the Case of J. M^cRae P. M. Fayetteville N.C.

This claim consists of three items,—one of them being for the expenses of a Special Messenger from Fayetteville to Charleston amounting to $53 ⁵⁰/100, and the other two being for rewards of $200: each for the apprehension and conviction of two mail robbers. Account marked N^o 1

1. It appears from a letter dated May 6^th 1837 addressed by A. Kendall, Postmaster General, to J M^cRae, P. M., that the President of the United States gave M^r Kendall, some time in March preceding, the sum of $30:—“to be paid to the young man sent by M^cRae express to South Carolina,”. This money was forwarded in M^r Kendall’s letter of the date above, with directions to M^cRae to “apply (it) according to the President’s intentions”. M^r Kendall’s letter is marked N^o 2.

2. With regard to the two sums, each $200:, claimed for the arrest and conviction of mail Robbers the following facts connect themselves with the subject:.

^X^ On the 15^th August 1832 J. Small, Postmaster of Pittsborough, N.C., informed the Department that Straughn, aged 13 or 14 years, & a son of the mail Contractor, had committed a depredation on the mail, and had confessed the same; it, also, appeared from Small’s letter that the lad was induced to commit the act by some one, not named. Perhaps the person alluded to may have been Mills. From a letter of P.M.G. Barry to M^cRae dated Feby 8^th, 1833, in answer to one from him dated 31 January 1833, claiming a reward for the apprehension ^X^ of Straughn, who it seems had previously been tried and convicted, and afterwards escaped from prison, that the claim was rejected on the ground that it was not “consistent with the usages of the Department to give a

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reward for the apprehension of a convicted mail robber who has made his escape after sentence”, the pursuit & re-arrest being the business of the United States Marshall.

On the 29^th May 1833. the PM of Fayetteville wrote that he had arrested the carrier on the route from Salisbury by Chisholm’s [Store?] to Fayetteville NC for having robbed the mail and that he had confessed his guilt. This seems to have been Butlers case. The papers are marked N^o 3

The Department’s correspondence with M^cRae seems to throw little or no light on by which we can discern the precise nature and extent of his service or claims. The following however presents all that seems to be at all to the point

June 21^st 1832 The Department acknowledges the receipt of information that the carrier on route N^o 2160 has been committed to await his trial; forbids his offering a reward; but is willing he should “incur the necessary expense not exceeding, $100:—, to bring the man to Conviction.” To this letter the following postcript is added: “The Postmaster General instructs me to inform you that your impressions in respect to a standing rule authorizing you to offer $200:—for conviction &c of a robber are incorrect. He is willing that you incur the necessary expenses to bring the man to conviction”—the remainder is stated above.

Octr 26 1832 The Department acknowledges the re^t of information from him authorizes M^cRae to investigate the route from [Windsor?] by [Winton?] to Fayetteville; but on the next day informs him that the PM of Winton has absconded, being probably the rogue, & that therefore he need not make the investigation unless he has doubts

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as to the honesty of some other [office?] on the route.

Septr 7 1835 The Dep^t acknowledges information from him that the letter bag from Petersburgh V^a arrived at his office unsealed and with the N.Y. Dist^r package missing; and requests him, should a robbery have been committed, to use every means to detect the depredater.

May 6 1837 The Dep^t declines appointing him to investigate certain losses reported by him.

M^r M^cRae claims that it was usual to allow to Postmasters arresting and convicting mail Robbers a reward of $200: in each case.

In June 1834 Tho. G. Scott PM of Raleigh N.C. was allowed $200: for arresting and convicting Dillahuntie for mail robbery.

In the same year N D Coleman PM of Maysville Kenty was allowed & paid for apprehending & convicting Divens $200:.

These two cases of allowing rewards to Postmasters are cited as showing the usage of the Department about the time of McRaes claim

Rewards to agents

July 5. 1837 The Postmaster General (Kendall) says in a letter to John A Webber, Special agent: “I have this day directed that $200: be allowed you for the apprehension and conviction of Sparks for robbing the mail, and have also decided that it is inexpedient to make any similar allowance to the agents of the Department in future.”

This case was submitted to M^r Wickliffe, Postmaster General, Febry 1842, who decided

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against it as, will be seen on paper Marked N^o 4

In Jany 1845 the claim was again presented by Hon: R.M. Saunders to M^r Wickliffe who again rejected it & notified M^r Saunders & M^cRae both to that effect

The expenses of the Messenger to [?] sent by direction of the President would seem to be a subject for the State Department to act on.

The question of the two rewards claimed is the only one for this Dep^t to decide.