Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-26
MRS. DIR. BRADDEE.
The wife Of Peunsyivania's Noted Mall
Robbcr-iiistory Of Their Curious Couvtship
and MarriDQe.

The wife of Peunsyivania's Noted Mall
Robbcr-Hisiory of Their Curious Court,hIp
and Marriage.
The Uniontown Pa.) correspondent OF
the Pittsburgh (Pa.) Commercial Gazette
writes There has just been buried in the
cemetery at Uniontown woman who
nearly half century ago was prominently
connected with one Of the most celebrated
court trials ever held In Western Pennsyl-
vsnia. This was the wife OF the famous
Or. Braddee, the Unionlown mail.rOb5er,
whose trial in Pittsburgh in 1910 will be
remembered by many Of the older citizens
Of your city,
Hannah BIaddee was the daughter OF
Joseph Collins, who lived in South Union
township. on the farm now owned by Mr..
Isaac A. BrOwnfeld, where she was born
April u. 1910. She was taken sick in 1929,
and had been given up by Dr. Harchaund
and other physicians who attended her.
About that time there came along one
day two men, one OF whom was DR.. John
+. Braddee. lie carried a case OF medicine
with him. which he used with skill. While
there he learned, OF course. OF the sickness
OF hi.s Collins. and when told that the
doctors had no hope OF her recovery he
stated that he could eure her. The family
put no confidence in his boasts, but he
persisted ard declared his ability 10 re-
store her. IL will cure her," the price OF
his cure being her hand in marriage. She
was Young lady OF handsome form and
great beauty, and was tit prize for the
ambition aud skill Of any doctor. He gave
the mother some medicine for the fair SUI
ierer. This will cause her stomach 10 rid
itself Of all the medicine and other matters
now lying upon it, directed he; latter
that. give her some chicken broth" The
dii ections were followed and the patient
recovered. They became warmly attached
TO each other. and the kind and grateful
mother looked with favor upon the union
Of her daughter with the mysterious
stranger. The stern father objected. but
thew finally ran of and were married.
The Doctor now removed TO UniOntown
and announced himself q physician. lie
was wholly without education or prepara-
lion. vet be possessed remarkable assurance
and great tact, and in a short time he had
achieved wonderful reputation AZ ply
sician. He soon grew wealthy. and pur-
chased from Hon. Thomas Irwin the Ma
tional Hotel property, corner torgantown
and Favette streets. lie advertised literally,
and people came from far and near to he
treated hy him. Their horses often lined
the fence for many rods. His reputation
was bv no means confined 70 that II n
quack Many had strong faith in hls skill
Mr.. G.. W. Rutter, our veteran Main-Street
grocer. during one OF hi. trips - Baltimore
for goods. bought Il. 900 worth OF medicines
FOR Br.ddee. Among these was an order
for a ucculiar and rare herb. WHO i'm the
world wants that:" inquired the astOnish-
cd Baltimore druggist. Mr.. Rutter told
him, and the drus giSt replied: Il doubt
IL YOU can find that article in America"
But can il bc had 1t allE' persisted hr.
Butter. ayes. il il herb that grows on
Mount .Ftna. but not ore doctor in hun
dred knows anything about il. | can send
for if. though, II you say so.' "WelI. Dr.
Braddec want. l." said Mr. Rutter, and
tie druggist ordered it.
The growth OF this marvellous career was
equalled only by the suddenness OF Ms col
lapse. Or. BradGee bad made large adj
diiion to his property, and adjoining this
was the sta9e-yard and contradictory OF
the mail contractor, Luclus W. Stockton.
The period was at the ilo0d-tide o! the
Cumberland pixies prosperity, and The
yard was nightly crowded with the hacks
that carried the mails over this great nl-
tional highway. About January, lS40, mo-
eyand other yaluables began TO disappear
from the mails. George Pitt and DR.. How
ard Kennedy, special agents OF the PostOi-
fee Departments. traced the losses TO one
William German, driver OF one OF the
mail-ooaches, who was arrested january q,
1871. German at once confessed that hls
sonfederatcs were DR.. Braddee, Peter h.
strayer, a saddlsr OF UniontOwn, and DR..
-
Va, and sort OF boGy-ssrvant 10 Braddee.
The plan WAS for German to pass OCCASION
ally one OF the most promising-lookin.
pouches from the yard into Braddee's room.
or, when changing hacks in Stoekton's yard,
TO leave pouch behind, TO be taken and
ri1ed by Braddee and then destroyed. IL
appears from the record that Braddee wa'
unable 10 write, 50 in his affidavit he swears
beknsw nothing about the alleged stealing
Of mails" and made his mark. Braddee wa'
held in $4,000 bail, Strayer in $4,000, and
Purnel IN $4,000, and, being unable to
get surety, they were remanded To the
Pittsburgh jail. The trial came up at the
Msy sessions OF the United States Circuit
Court in Pittsburgh. before Judge Thomls
Erwin. German aud Strayer confessed,
became witnesses against Braddee, and ne
was convicted and sentenced 10 ten year,
IN the pcnitentiary. German and Purnell
were pardoned by the President, but DR..
Braddee, after serving out nearly all his
term, died. and was buried within the pen-
tentiary grounds.
After his conviction Braddee made 4 con-
fession TO Hon. John l.. Dawson. United
States district attorney, which implicated
good many persons, both those concerned
in the robberies and those who aiterward
shared the proceeds thereof So many per-
sons were implicated by thi. confession
and there being no evidence TO sustain II,
beside himself, be having died day or
two aiterwards) il never was made public
DR.. Braddee had accumulated n large
amount Of money, most Of which was con-
fiscated after his conviction. Agent Ken
nedy drew $4,000 OF 1t out OF the Brown---
willie bank. II was not proved TO bc MAJ
money, but II was nevertheless made way
with.
During all his troubles DIR. Braddee'
most devoted friend was his wife. She
was put in jail IN Pittsburgh to be held as
witness against her husband. She was
after ward bailed out by Ii steamboat cap
tain, and when the trial came on she walked
from Uniontown to Pittsburgh aud carfied
her child. On refusing to testify against
her husband Judge Irwin impatiently IN
formed her that he would compel her to 90
70. "Ilow viii you compel me 7" she de,
Gantly asked. "Pll put you In j1I