Backend code for calling JSON REST API

REST.cs

protected static bool MakeRequest(string uri, string method, out string message, string body = "", string accept = "application/json")
        {
            bool success = false;
            message = "";

            var body_data = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(body);

            string req = uri;
            var webRequest = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(req);
            webRequest.Method = method;
            webRequest.ContentType = "application/json";
            webRequest.Accept = accept;
            webRequest.ContentLength = body_data.Length;
            webRequest.Headers.Add(HttpRequestHeader.Authorization, "Basic xxx");

            if (body_data.Length > 0)
            {
                using (var stream = webRequest.GetRequestStream())
                {
                    stream.Write(body_data, 0, body_data.Length);
                }
            }

            try
            {
                using (var webResponse = (HttpWebResponse)webRequest.GetResponse())
                {
                    using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(webResponse.GetResponseStream()))
                    {
                        string s = reader.ReadToEnd();
                        reader.Close();
                        message = s;
                        success = webResponse.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.OK /*|| webResponse.StatusCode == HttpStatusCode.Created*/;
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (WebException e)
            {
                using (var webResponse = (HttpWebResponse)e.Response)
                {
                    using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(webResponse.GetResponseStream()))
                    {
                        string s = reader.ReadToEnd();
                        reader.Close();
                        message = s;
                        success = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                message = e.Message;
                success = false;
            }

            return success;
        }