Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-01
A HUMOROUS COMMITTHE.
How the House Military Committee
Disposed of q Pension Case

| DASpOSeO OIL q PENSION Case
The House military committee, through Gen
Bragg, have submitted q rather UNIQUE report
| upon bill to remove the charge of desertion
| from the military record OF Edward Kfncade
The report begins with the assertion that the
committee, after careful consideration have
been able to solve the many complicated and
delicate questions involved in this case to their
| own satisfaction, and they hope to the satisfac-
ton of the claimant.
"When mans military record.gets away
says the report "he is liable TO be sensitive and
the nooiest instincts Of his nature stir him TO
demand instant reparation or correction" Ed.
ward kincade, 1t proceeds-whO served in the
Mexican WARTS not an exception tc this rule,
getting to the front" The committee were un.
able to locate the place where Kincade first
saw the light and "breathed the air that fills
ism and corresponding thirst for federal ap-
preparation. But let his birthplace be where
1t may, he was a resident in 1877 OF that state,
great in resources, great in territory, great in
wealth and population, (but it has been said in
envious jealousy greatest of all in the love OF
It's people for federal office, which they always
delight to honors Thirty-nihe years ago, or, to
pc exactly accurate, 1t will be 80 years on the
oath day OF May next (the precise hour Of the
DAY Is not stated In the recOrd) since Edward
klncade heard reverberating through
THE BUCKEYE TREE-rOPs
In Ohio the sound of men marching for Mex
leo. His enthusiasm was aroused, and he
ruShed 10 camp and enrolled his name on the
scroll of fame-a militia muster-roll. He was
In the vigor OF early manhood, and burned for
the opportunity TO strike down the greaser'
and plant the grid-lron banner upon the
nails OF the MOnteZumaS, and, perhaps, as he
yielded to the softening Influence of pale
cynthia on that eventful night he dreamed OF
young loves dalliance with the charms of I'M
yelled 'senOritas.' But 1t is entirely impOssi-
BILE TO do justice to the situation, by reason of
the imperfect record on these points. Suffice
it, however, to say that Whatever of future un-
vision "a hnnpS hno ma
reality of direst misfortune and blight and
here again we are compelled to realize, Lhonanse
propose, MATS Dieu disposey"
HIS BRIEF BUT EvENTFUL SERVICE.
Returning to the record the report states that
Kincade enlisted in the 4th Ohio volunteers on
May oath and served until June 10th, 1S47,
"when he deserted from Camp Ohio and never
returned to his command. The committee do
not regard 1t as surprising that military record
so young and tender should want TO be correc-
ted. Not until the present year did kincade
apply to have the charge OF desertion removed.
he says for himself: That Immediately after
his muster the company went into camp on the
banks of the Ohio river, at a place called sports
man Hall, where, from rain and exposure to
the weather while in the line OF his duty, he
was taken sick and contracted rheumatism ON
or about May %, 1S47.
''Ihis man certainly ought to have pension
continues the report, land the phraseology of
his afildavits shows that he has applied al
ready! Mark the dates; he enlisted Oh May "a,
1S47, and ON the 25th contracted rheumatic y
which seems to have cropped out in 1856. I'm
der the propagating influence of the pension
laws ''rheumatIz and diarrhea" have been
under the pension laws. And IL is suggested in
passing, that, independent of all oIner ques-
lions and considered in sanitary view, pure
and simple, no measure that has ever attracted
pubic attention as preventive and cure Tor cpl
demic diseases would be nearly SO efficient as
to declare rheumatic and diarrhea' non-pen-
siOnable diseases. But we wandering AS
1t were, and hasten back to kincades state
ment:
toyxl
Cincinnati TO whom he could 60 and stay till
he got better, or until the company was ready
10 move, that the captain told nim To go there
and he would call for him when he was ready
10 go. But, alas, the captain never called for
him.l And he was very sick unques tiOnably
SICK oi his enlistment and wnen able to be
moved he came back to Mansfield, where he
remained sick until August, lS4S, and has
ever since suffered from rheumatism. His
company was mustered out July 10, 1918, and
he was sick just long enough to cover his term
OF service. How fortunate! But fate was not
content thus to strike down this soldier, butt
an me ntserum The exclaimsl also contracted
al HThed rom drinking Ohio Rtrer ,Cater.'
THE pension TWINS"
"Only Think" continues the report; zone
night in camp in the latter part OF May, 1S47,
on the banks OF the Ohio, gives birth to the
pension twins, rheumatic and diarrilpa.'
what an ungratelul country, TO permit this
man to remain so many years on the borders Of
the grave without recognizin his disting ned
service OF its own motion. And more migrate
ful still, when his claim agent overcame his
diifidence and induced him 10 apply for pen
sion, TO interpose as a bar a little thing like a
'desertion, when ii it had not been for the
..pesky Ohio river water the government al
lowed MIN to drink, perhaps he might have
married immense wealth in Mexico aud have
been long ere this president OF our sister repub-
lie.
But this is not all; this remarkable state of
facts is vOuched tor by the usual corroborative
evidence in pension cases. taking IA man step
by step to the grave, tottering along under the
baleful effects of the dual disease. But there is
nothing going to the charge of desertOn. Your
committee have taken this pains In this case
that this mans sufferings and sacrifices may
be known and appreciated, and this is all the
relief they think The facts will warrant; there.
lore they report the bill adversely, and recon-
mend it do lie upon the table,