The National tribune., 1884-09-25

member Of Co D, 33d Iowa. In March, 1864,
while at Little Rock, Ark, he was attacked by
lung fever, induced by exposure incident to
the service, and which left an affection of the
lungs from which he never recovered. These
facts are proved by testimony which the PEN
sion Committee of the House pronounced
ample and conclusive But the Pension
Bureau found some technical flaw in the case
and rejected it, whereupon the man appealed
to Congress. The Pension Committee of the
House made an exhaustive examination of the
matter and the Pension Commissioners reasons
for rejecting the application and says sarcasti-
cally regarding these: "This is certainly
being equal to the occasion. The disability er-
listed before enlistment, tie disability soGs caused by
hng fsrer after enlistment, and the disability never
e1isted at all.D
The report of the committee concludes as
follows:
The simple facts seem to be that some two
months after enlistment the soldier had an attack
Of lung fever from which he has never recovered
and that he is totally incapacitated from per-
forming manual labor. By the passage of this bill
his few remaining years win be made compare
lively comfortable He loses the 20 years of
to which he seems clearly entitled as his more
fortunate comrades who received them. Believing
that simple justice requires that the Government
should care for this soldier your committee recon-
mend the passage of the bill.
But even after this whitening rebuke OF the
Pension Bureaus wrong, it refused to recede
from its position, and do the poor man justice.
Another case is that of William J. Barker,
who, like Mr.. Hanson, appealed to the justice
Of Congress, after the Commissioner of Pen
sions had rejected his application on trivial
and insufficient grounds. The Committee on
Invalid Pensions made the following report:
REPORT.
The Committee on IReatid pensions to tohom soas
referred the BIZ (H. T.. S25) granting pension TO
William j. Barker, hare considered the same, and
report:
That William J. Barker private In Company
A, Eleventh Michigan Volunteers He claims a
pension; disability the effect of sunstroke incurred
while in line of duty. The affidavit of Lieutenant
Marsh states that claimant about July l. 1868 while
on skirmish-line near Elk River, Tenn, was in
jured by sunstroke and carried to the rear by his
order Affidavit of DR.. Spalsburg shows physical
soundness at enlistment. and DIR. eastman shows
treatment since 1866. Evidence of neighbors who
have known said soldier the past sixteen years
testify TO his suffering from the effects of sunstroke
He treated in hospital but there is record Of
the incurrence of sunstroke.
1t would seem that Dir. Barker Is entitled to re-
L. -
fore enlistment of origin OF disability in service
and line of duty OF treatment from 1866 and testi-
nlony of neighbors for longer period. The abb
of the record of his misfortune is his fault
but due TO the negligence of his superior officers,
Your Committee therefore recommend that the bill
do pass
The manifest rightfnlness of this claim was
SO apparent that the House passed the bill to
allow the claim by very decisive vote. After
this had been done the Commissioner of Pen
sions was again appealed to to give the man
what was clearly his right, and he refused. Mr..
Bakers application was first fled in 1876, so
that here is an instance where a man who, in
the unanimous opinion Of the Committee on In
valid Pensions and of the majority of the
Houses is clearly entitled to his reEiet, has been
denied 1t at least eight gears on the nssrest tech
rtcality
One more, and we viii LET the matter rest
for this week:
Azariah Il. Bright, Corporal of Co. F
10th W. Ya.,) vas lying in line-of- battle be-
hind board fence at the fight at Kernstown,
near Winchester, when bullet came through
plank on the fence, broke his gun OFF at the
breech, and entered his right ear
Most people would think that after receiving
such vicious assault in SO vulnerable spot
it would be wonder if the poor fellow had any
hearing or even brains left. That only shows
in the eyes Of the Pension Office, what consum-
mate fools they are. Read this sapient re.
sponse to Corp. Bright's application for pen.
sion, or rather to his earnest appeal for re-
hearing after it had rejected his application:
DEPARTMEsT OF THE INTERIOR.
PENSION OFFICE WASHINGTON, May S, 1884
SIR: You are hereby informed that additional
evidence mas recently been received and nled III
the rejeetsd invalid claim, No. 2l5 705 of Azariat
II. Bright. late Corporal of Co. F, 10th W. Va has
been carefully reviewed and considered in connee-
ton with that previously furnished but it is no,
sufficient to warrant this Office in reopening the
case for the which were fully stated 10 you
in communication dated Jan l9 1884. II is I'D
sifbed that The claimant reeeiued gttyso seo1ad or
Tie right side Of his head the serpfce bat IL is no
and cGnot be admitted that his present deafness
resulted from that round. Both ears are affected
undoubtedly from q cause II THE DEAF
NESS WAS CONFINED TO THE RIGHT EAR THu
OFFICE MIGHT ADMIT. but the aoound on the RICH
side Of The head, aCiici Uery slight could pos
sblg haze caused deafness in The Ltf ear and the fac
that that is affected is prfrna facio eUidenc
Of the fact that the present deq ,sesS is due to some ose
cause than The around alleged
The former adverse action IS, therefore adhered
TO, and the further consideration of the claim i
respectfully declined, Very respectfully,
w. W. DUDLEY,
Commissioner.
The italics are our own. OF course, thi
appears the sheerest nonsense to everybody out
side of the Pension Bureau.
Psychologists tell US that the ear is an orgar
of wonderful delicacy; that compared with it
fine and sensitive mechanism the works of ,