The National tribune., 1885-06-04
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
The Weeks Doings at The Ma
tiOnal Capital
DECORATION DAY.


creditabic manner, and the floral offerings were
both numerous and beautiful. At an early hour
in the day the ladies to whom had been ln-
trusted the arrangement and reception OF the
flowers were at Masonic Temple, and soon
enough blossoms to fill five large wagons were
collected One of the most beautiful tributes
came from Miss Cleveland, but perhaps the
largest proportion of the flowers were from the
children of the public schools.
AT 10 o'clock the various Posts of the Depart
ment of the Potomac formed and, headed by the
Marine Band marched up Pennsylvania avenue
to the Aqueduet Bridge, where vehicles were IN
waiting TO convey the veterans TO Arlington.
After the graves had been decorated the pro-
cession was reformed. and the march taken up
to the speakers stand, which was beautifully
decorated with flags and other patriotic devices.
Commander \. NJ Brooks was the first
speaker and his remarks though brief were
touching and eloquent. An appropriate prayer
was then offered by Rev. John Chester.
poem composed by Hon. Geo. NJ Drake was
rendered in a spirited manner by Prof. Il. I.
Townsend, and the orator Of the day, Gen. ) ).
Burdett, was introduced. His effort was an elo-
quent one, and the speaker was loudly ap-
plauded as he concluded. A benedictiou 10y
Rev Benz. Swallow, Department Chaplain,
closed the exercises.
At the Soldiers Home Cemetery the old vet
Grams assembled at the appointed time in front
of the stand. The prayer was offered by Rev.
clusion of the prayer, read an original poem,
which was listened TO with great attention by
the audience. The orator of the day, I'D.
Payne Gearhart, of Danvile, Pa made an ad-
dress which was at once thoughtful and elo-
quent after which the veterans strewed the
flowers the graves of their fallen comrades
and returned 10 their quarters.
At Congressional Cemetery several hundred
people were assembled. Comrade ]. NJ. Pipes
made the opening address and Rev. Samuel
Kramer Offered prayer. Mrs. f. NJ Truell read
Will Cartoons poem, Cover Them over.
Col. VIVA. +. Mclean, Deputy Commissioners of
Pensions, was the orator of the occasion and
paid feryent tribute to the volunteer soldier.
The soldiers graves at Battle Cemetery, Oak
Hill Cemetery and other burial places were also
decorated. The Garfield tablet in the Baltimore
& Potomac depot was covered with flowers.
WANTED TO SURRENDER HIS PENSION.
The Pension Department last week was cleo
trifed by The appearance of a good-looking
well dressed man who demanded to see the
Commissioner for the purpose OF having his
pension stopped. Col. Mclean cross-examiued
him and found that he was receiving S72 a
month, and asked him if he seriously meant to
give up all that income.
Yes" he replied; 81 have considered it.
The Government has done enough for me. 1
want TO give it up
Have You great abundance of means?"
NO, but have enough for comfort" he an
swered
Commissioner Black saw the man and learned
from him tina; his name was Snider and he be-
longed to a New York regiment. During the
course OF the examination Dir. Hood. the able
Chief of the Board of Medical Examiners, was
called ill., and he immediately saw that there
was something wrong with the mans mind.
Examination showed that he was suffering
from an acute form of insanity, and, while it
was seen that he was getting more pension than
he really deserved under the rulings he GER
tainly was entitled to a comfortable allowance.
which will probably be given him. 1t seems
that Comradc Snider has had rather varied
experience in regard TO the estimate put upon
mis- mental health, for he has issued circular,
which reads as follows:
Truth. though crushed. ariil rise again.
An undying desire to glorify God. in blessing suf
fering humanity. has eight times, taken me to the
congregations of the dead
As the present of the past now does, will the
future OF tie present prove that man without God,
is still fool. To crush truth, and prove in
sane; for those yet unborn the following record is
furnished, il being the result of eight connements,
without trial: list. At Utica y. Y, where, after
three months ia the Belly of He'll, from window
in the third story. found rest and peace: I'd, At
Washington. -. C., from which, upon writ of MS
beas corpus, WAS soon discharged by Judge Wyiie;
3rd. AT Buffalo y. v, being robbed of my apparel,
and clothed ia rags the same evening, 1 took the
ears for Chicago; 4th, Again, at the same place,
and the twenty-sixth day, discharged by DIR.
Hoyt, OF Albany. " ". 9Th. At Washington. ID. c.,
and soon eharged not insane; 9th Al FlatbH-h
n. V, and by Dr. Hoyt, again discharged; 7th, At
Washington ID. e., and discharged As above; Sth,
Again, AT the same place, where the above is writ
ten. As the Medical Faculty. Is now challenged to
Justify any of the above confinements. so also is
priestcrafl and modern repubcani,n, 10 show that
il Is not the same fraud, as in all ages practiced
upon the illEstrious dead, who, for their love for
God and ma, ctIeerfully gave their lives. Because
would mot submit to exile, my present confine-
ment has continued (wlthout trial. since November.
'79. and ali men are now challenged To show, that
according TO law. am not entitled to full damages
tor false imprisonment IL. :. SNIDER,
WAsHISGToS, ID. G.. May TO- 1882.
Whether on the battlefield.
Or IL the battle van;
The noblest place for man TO die,
IL when he dies for man.
Mr. Snider's insanity takes the form of re-
ligion. He called at THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
Office, where he spoke of his frequent incar-
ceratiOn in prisons and asylums He said his
arrests were in reality on account of his preach
ing the Gospel Oh the streets, although the
ostensible cause of his apprehension on the
part of the authorities was that he created OBJ
structions on the public thoroughfares, and
was therefore nuisance.
CIvILIZING THE INDIANS.
The Superintendent of the Roman Catholic
missions among the Indians of the United
States is Father Stephan tall, strongly buiit
German, with manly, sensible, kindly face
and frank, hearty way of expressing himself
lie comes naturally by tnlS, Tor he was soldier
before he a priest, and there has been
rather unusual amount of the church mill
tant in his ecclesiastical career. He was edu-
Gated for a military engineer, and served quite
creditably in the war in Italy. Twenty -seven
years ago lac came TO this country, was natural
lied soon as time would permit aud has been
ever since an enthusiastically loyal American
He sided earnestly with the Union during the
rebellion. and did good service in the Army Of
the Cumberland for more than three years as
Chaplain. He did not confine himself to the
duties of his Office however. but made himself
useful whenever opportunity offered. On one
occasion lac rendered signal service and won
the commentator of his superior officers by
bringing his engineering talents into requisi-
ton to improvise a bridge, which rescued a
large portion of the army from very critical
position.
Gen. Grant, who had conceived high opin-
ion Of Father Stephans character and abilities
appointed him TO the Standing Rock Agency.
and there he did one of the greatest works of
his life. His tribe was the brave and warlike
Sioux, and his task to convert them to peace
ful, civilized ways. His eight years Of work
among them We're very successful. He made a
study of the Indian nature, and the factors of
the Indian problem, and the results he achieved
show how we'll he comprehended the conditions.
During his term of service he built 2S3 houses
at Standing Rock, which We're occupied by as
many Sioux families, who had definitely adopt
ed civilized ways and become self-supporting
"The whole Indian problem" he says, can
he solved ia fi.py aInnt ,ari,