Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-11-11
THE CONSUMPTION.
A Sad Tale of Official Cruelty The
Death of the Victim.
From the Bangor Me- Democrat

From the Bangor (Ne) Democrat
Joseph ii. Crommett of Enfield, in
this county, aged 2S years, was draft
cl in this district, last August. He was
IL poor, laboring man with wife and
two little children. lie appeard be-
jore the examining Board in this city,
and there presented Certificate from
lis physician, DR.. c. P. Hubbard, of
burlington, stating that he was an
unsound man and unfit for military
duty He had been sick for five years,
and during all that time had been un-
able to do full hard day 5 work. The
oXamining surgeon tossed the ccrtiti-
cate aside with slurring remark, and
Mr. Crommett was promptly pronoun-
ced an able bodied man. lie obtained
u furlough for fifteen days, and return
cd home. He was unable to RAISE
three hundred dollars or to procure
substitute. The thought of leaving
his destitute little family dependent
on the cold charities ofthe world, and
the conviction that the severity of
military duty must soon terminate
his life quickened the disease which
was already fastened upon him.
AT the end Of his fnrlough he repor-
ted himself to the Provost Marshal
here for duty, sick broken hartcd
man. He was sent to Portland two
weaks ago last Wednesday, and thcrce
to the conscripts' camp on Macliie's
Island. Here he became very sick,
and q kind hearted fellow conscript
seeing that he must die; procured
telegraphic dispatch to be sent to Ban
gor, and thence to Enfield, informing
his friends of his condition.
Immediately Mr.. Freeman Crom-
nett, his brother, took the wife of the
dying man and proceeded to Portland, q,
where he arrived on Monday..cvening
They Immediately called on Major
Whiting commandant of the post, for
apass to the island. Maj. Whiting re-
fused, pass that evening. He told
them to call at his office the morn
ing at 8 o'clock and he would give
them an answer
Long before the hour named the af.
flicted friends were at the office door of
Major Whiting next morning. Eight
o'clock Camo and he was not there.
An hour passed and still he did not
come. What TO him was the grief OF
the wife and brother of the dying con
script ? lie had forgotten his prom
Use. They then began to search the
city for him, and succeeded in finding
him at II o'clock. Tho MAJOR then
heartlessly informed them that he could
not give them pass until the next
day-that he intended to use the boat
plying between the city and the camp
himself.
At s o clock that afternoon, Mr..
Crommettfound an cportunity to send
letter to the island, informing hi.
brother that he and his wife were near
him and striving to reach his sick bed
but when this letter came, the eyes fol
which it had been intended had beer
closed in death for hours,
Such is the brief tale of official cru
city. In the first instance it deprived
innocent little children of their feebI,
but yet protecting shield and in til,
second it denied to an effectionate wifi
and dear brother the poor boon o
receiving the last tender words, an,
closing the glazed eyes Of n husban,
and brother.
SUBLIME SNcERTY.-"Amelia, TO
thee-yes, at thy command, I'd tea
this eternal armament in thonsan
fragments I'd gather the stars one b,
one, as they tumbled from regions G
ETHEREAL space, and put them in IN,
trousers pocket; I'd pluck the sur
that Oriental God of day, that ira
verses the blue arch of heaven in ma
jestc splendor, I'd tear him fror
the sky and quench his bright effu
genee in the fountain of my eterna
a. Al tt