Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1872-07-11
PAYMENT OF A REvOLUTION-
AIRY CLAIM.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

In the closing hours of the last session
of Congress- bill was passed granting the
sum of $4,000 to Miss Sarah Smith Stat
ford. the daughter of James b. Stafford,
q lieutenant in the navy during u hevo-
lutionary war. who served on board the
| Bon Homme, and to whom seven years,
pay was due. The above amount was ap-
propriated for her as an equivalent for a
pension, and as a recognition OF and com
pensation for the services Of her father.
It may be recollccted by many OF the
readers ofthe Chronicle that on tho an
nouncement Of the passage Of the bill an
.old lady rose in the gallery. waved her
handkerchief, and in etherways gave ex-
preston to her feelings of joy on the oceas-
ion, and became so overcome by emotion
that she tainted away, and had to be assis-
ted out of the gallery.
The lady was Miss Stafford. who after
long years OF waiting, had at last succeed
ed in having her claim allowed. It had
peer many years pending before Congress
one branch of which had several times ap-
proved it. but at the close of a session it
would fail to pass the other. She finally
concluded to let it drop. and remained at
her home, in Trenton, n. j.
On the 21st of January last the Bank
of Trenton, N. j., was broken into and rob-
bed of a large amount of bonds and cash,
among which was some $4,000 in differ
ent kinds of coupon bonds, the property
of Miss Stafford, which were in box she
had placed in the bank for safe keeping.
This was all she owned on earth, and was
the proceeds of property left her by her
mother. Being negotiable securities,
there was poor hope oftheir recovery, and
she found herself in her list year almost
destitute.
In this dilemma she was advised by the
Senators of her State, Messrs. Stockton
and Frelinghusen, to have her claim re-
yiyed, and she did so. 1t was considered
by the Senate and House Committees on
Revolutionary Claims. and, on her consent
to accept $4,000 as compensation in full,
a bill was finally passed to that effect. up
which the incident mentioned occur
red.
Miss Stafford then considered her trou-
be at an end but on applaing for payment
found an attachment logged against it on
All lnJuhctloH SIdnteu ny INC Equity GouIG
of this District for alleged legal services
rendered her in the prosecution of the
claim by James NJ. Coleman, of this city,
for which he claimes $500. She disput-
ed this. and asserted that be had not rem
dered her any service. She had seen him
once only, when he was recommended to
her as being able to facilitate the passage
of the bill in her favor. She promised if
he got it through to pay him $500, but
never saw him afterward. She then ap-
pealed to the members of the committees
of both houses of Congress, who passed
upon her claim, and they stated that Cole
man had not done anything to secure the
passage of the bill Afidavits to this
effect were procured from Senators Hill,
of Georgia. and Cameron. of Pennsylvania,
and Representatives Forker and Hazelton,
of New Jersey. These were presented
yesterday to Judge HUMPHREY in the
Court by Judge Fisher, counsel
for Miss Stafford, uhenthe~ injunction was
Dissolved with costs. In the course of the
afternoon Miss Stafford received her ST.
0rO, appeared one of the happiess little old
ladies in this city.-Woshington Chroni-