The National tribune., 1880-04-01
Behold How Bentley Manages His Office.


Bentley rejects thousands of claims just like this
of Catharne Gemmill, published below, which the
Committee Invalid Pensions of the House of
Representatives required by justice and honor
to rectify and allow What think you of a man who
would reject such case with all the testimony be-
fore him !?
The Committee Igad Pensions TO sOho oas referred
Me 6sH (H Il. 2I10) granting pension 10 Cattarine
GemDW odow Of William Genuso1L late prSeate IN the
Fourth Ne0 Hampshire Volunteers, haOe considered the
sdne and report:
That William Gemmi the deceased soldier enlisted
in the United States military service Company E. Fourth
New Hampshire Volunteers and received gunsho wound
In the right hip, just below the joint
The wound very severe and never healed up. 1t
ncapacated him for duty or labor and he discharged
in consequence In February, 1874, his physician esti
lies that the wound discharged freely He died in March,
1876 of acute pneumonia superinuced by congestion of
the lungs the result of his blood being poisoned by the
absorption of matter from his wound.
These facts and the of his DEATH fully proved
by medical testimony.
When the soldier died he left widow, Catharne Gem
MILL the claimant and five children: Mary Ann II years
OF age John Andrew, 10 Jennie, s. William Thomas 5
and Catharine, 3.
The family very poor, having income except the
wages Of the oldest daughter, who works in factory.
The Pension Bureau rejected the widows claim on the
ground that the soldiers death caused by disease
contracted in the service.
The soldier during his lifetime drew pension. After
his wound he down. became nfeebed and the latter
years Of his life could not stand up and suffered great
pain.
There be no doubt from the medical violence that
his death caused by his wound; and the committee
therefore, recommend the passage of the accompanying
substitute bill.
Again, see that of Salome Smith below:
The Committee Ioad Pensions ,ohoa acas referred
tie 6l (R. r. 4620) granting pension to Salome Smith,
hage had tie same under consideration, and submit tie
to'locing report:
Said Salome Smith on the 22d day of May 1862 had
mons ted fo bnra r,oton Smith
careful examination of the evidence shows concusvey
that The soldier allotted most of his and sent most of
his bounty to his mother for her support.
In 1871 there neghborhood quarrel and one Dem
nett and others made representations to the Commissioner
of Pensions that Jesse s. Smith had property and
able to fo his said wife, Saome Smith, We do not
think they claimed that said Jesse s. Smith able
bodied man, as the fact too well known that he
invalid
special agent to investigate and of course
he felt in duty bound to save the Government from great
fraud He found and reported that Jesse s. Smith had
146 of land He did not state the fact that
land in plantation many miles from stores mills post
Offices and that all it cost get such land under the
tng of the State of Maine to-day is pay thirty
acre labor the road did he state the further
fact that all the buildings this old couple had who had
given their to their country log house and
log howell but he gets one Evans to swear this property
worth 800 and thus without any notice to hearing
from the pensioner she is stricken from the rolls not
wthstandng the assessors of the plantation in which said
Jesse S. Smith lives show that the property only worth
very small sum, and give the valuation put upon
since the plantation organized.
from fraud, yet submit that these are in duty
bound to find about many cases like Othello their
occupation would be gone; and that this is but of
many where neighborhood jealousy and detective
zeal have been the of taking from most needy
and most deserving what should be far vested right
to be lost through such without notice and
hearing We therefore report back the bill with recon-
mendation that it do pass.
This case exhibits the monstrous character of
Bentey's spy and agency system, which you find in
corporated thoroughly in the new Sixty Surgeon
Bill. Do Senators and members of Congress wish
such system introduced into every Congressional
District?
What Bentley Claims.