 According to the former historical collections director at Washington and Jefferson College, Charles M. Ewing, Federal authorities were most likely not too anxious to catch Bradford, as they did not want a difficult situation on their hands.Bradford apparently didn't even want to leave but was persuaded to do so by some of the other leaders of the insurrection, who for their own reasons, wanted him out of the way.David Bradford was discovered by some of the troops while he was on a coal barge not far from Pittsburgh, en route to Spanish lands.