The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-10
THE HALLUclNATloN OF cAEApLE
He Defeats the Bill to Pension the Widow
of Col. Scott.

OF Col. Scott.
washington Special TO Commercial-Gazette.l
A short time since Mr.. Cheadle of Indiana,
with the aid of Mr. Kilgore Of Texas, succeeded
in defeating the bill pensioning Mrs. Sheridan
Last nighth defeated the bill giving the widow
OF Col. Robert n. Scott, late in charge of the
war records office, $50 pension. This bill was
presented to the house by Gen. Wheeler the
distinguished Confederate cavalry commander.
1t had received the unanimous approval of both
sides in the senate, and of both republicans
and democrats in h house committee. The
report was so strong and the case shown by it
so deserving that even Mr. Kilgore could not
object. The record shows exactly what took
place.
Mr.. Wheeler-'T now ask unanimous consent
to take up the bill to increase the pension of
Mrs. Elizabeth b. Scott"
Mr.. Cheadle-"It will save time to announce
now that will antagonize that BILL"
Mr.. Wheeler-'Mrs. Scott is lady"
Mr. Cheadle-"I wish to give notice to you and
to members present in this house that another
bill shall not pass in violation OF the rulings of
law if am present, unless there be quorum.
/ have stated that so many times that il does
seem strange gentlemen should compel me to
state II again and again, when have so often
set forth my reasons for Objecting."
Mr.. Wheeler-"rhe gentleman objects some
times and sometimes he does not object"
Mr. Cheadle-"If ever call up bill that vio-
lates the rulings OF the law, / hope gentlemen
will vote it down. l would rather resign my
seat than ask the house 10 pass a bill which was
in violation of the rulings of the law"
The report shows clearly by the evidence of
the surgeon generals office and the attending
physicians that Col. Scott killed himself by
close and unremitting attention to the work of
compiling the war records. The calls of sol
diers everywhere for hurrying the work for
ward were so great that he gave himself no
rest. lie worked day and night and Sundays.
He took but one vacation in nine years. He
completed the examination OF the immense
mass of war material, and made all the selec-
tiOns for the volumes yet to be printed. The
great work undermined his health, and within
a few months OF completing these selections he
died. he left wife and considerable family,
for whom he had taken no time from his I'M
| ceasing work TO make provision. All sides. re-
! publcans and democrats Union and COnfeder-
ate, alike joined in the support of the bill, be-
cause of the invaluable services which through
many years he had rendered all the soldiers
of the land. This was counted for him as adj
ditional to and quite equal to his distinguished
services in the field.
But Mr.. Cheadle, who can be moved by nc
/ argument or sentiment from the cranky posi-
ton he has taken, stood out last night against
| both houses and prevented simple act of JUS
tice to the widow of a soldier whose claims are
| wholly exceptional Mr.. Cheadle is always
talking about the violations of the rulings oil
| law" No one knows what he means and he
| has never been able TO make the house under
stand what he has in his alleged mind Repub
| licans try TO excuse his eccentricities upon the
/ ground that he is not responsible. He is much
worse than Of no use to the house OF representa-
tves and TO his district. lie is a continuing
nuisance to the first and discredit to the sec
! ond.