The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-19
THE STORY OF A PENSION.
The SufferingsofaUnion SoldierAllOwed
the Biggest Claim Ever Paid.
lie Becomes Incurably Insane on the Battle
Field and Is Found in Hospital Years
After, When Supposed To BE Dead.

The pension Office in this city has this week
paid the largest pension ever allowed any soldier
of the late war. The amount is $40, pa IA, with
$40 month hereafter, and was paid to John T.
oncrief, or, rather, TO bis guardian, Morgan
Chandler, Of Greenfield. Moncrief is soldier
of the Mexican war and the war of the Union.
In the late war he enlisted in Company @,
Eleventh Illinois Cavalry His pension dates
from July 81. 1864, when, liz action in Sherman's
campaign, he was injured and became violently
insane. He was taken to the guard house, and
Immediately after examination by surgeons
was sent to the government hospital for the In
sane, at Washington, where he has been con-
fined since. His injury was to his spinal cord,
and was occasioned by his horse, which had
been shot, falling upon him. For long time
after this battle his wife, who now lives at
Greenfield, this State never heard anything
about him, and supposed him dead. His where
abouts were then communicated to her by off,
GERS of his regiment Up to the time of receiv-
ing the pension his wife nor family have never
visited him, as they are in very humble circum-
stances. She has. however. managed to raise
their FIVE children without help from anybody.
Fitzgerald & Powell, claim agents, of this city,
have been successful in getting this pension al
lowed after fifteen years work upon it. The
case was resisted in every way possible by the
government, and rejected on three different oc-
casions by the Pension Department. which
claimed that disability existed prior to enlist
ment. The department tried to set up hered-
itary insanity but an investigation showed that
Moncriof had perfect health for FIVE years pre-
cod nc Last 1irfn Tha
pealed to the Secretary of the Interior, who rec
commended it be given to special examiners.
His discharge from the army is dated July, 1880,
to take effect July 81. 1864 The government
will doubtless, now that his pensinn has been
paid, have him transferred to Illinois and placed
in some State hospital there, he having enlisted
at Jacksonville.
This case shows in brief the progress in the
pension laws and allowances for total disability:
From July 81, 1864, SIS per month"; from June 6.
1866 $25 per month; from June 4. 1872, $31 25
per month; from June 4, 1874, $50 per month;
from June A. 1878, $72 per month. This shows
how we'll the government cares for its disabled
defenders; yet who would take the place of poor
Moncrief, with his twenty-five years of insanity,
for the amount of pension that goes to his fam
ily2 Though it is the largest amount ever paid
to pensioner at one time. 1t is no compensation
for a shattered wrecked and ruined life like his.
Indiana furnishes number of pensioners who
have drawn nearly as much money as Moncrief,
but not all in one draft John Donnelly, Of Can
Melton. Perry county is one of these He was
captain of Company G, Fifty-third Indiana and
has for many years been hopelessly insane. Dur
ing Sherman's march to the sea he detailed
to take charge of great stores of surplus baggage
OF the army. This was captured by the rebels,
and he with other prisoners taken at the same
time, was sent to Libby prison. Exposure the
na-aShips of prison life, and broodng over the
loss of these stores, made him insane. He was
long an inmate OF the Indiana Hospital for the
Insane but now a harmless feeble man, he lives
with only daughter at Cannelton The gov
eminent, in settling his accoEcts and arrears,
paid him $1,000, and he has since drawn over
$l2, 600 in pension money.
Pension money is not always put to the best
use. pensioner at Plymouth, Marshall ccun
ty, who recently drew So 900, his disability
being total blindness, has since drunk himself to
death