The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-16

Indignation OF loyal men VIII surely De
aroused over some OF the recent vetoes
Of the President. Among them are two
bills from Ohio, introduced by Hon.
Joseph D. Taylor, which are striking
illustrations OF the gross injustice which
is meeted out to soldiers at the hand Of
brutal power-one for the relief Of
George W. Pitner, of Bridgeport, Ohio,
and the other for the relief Of Elizabeth
Burr, of Cambridge, which were repor-
ted to the House favorably by the In
valid Pension Committee, passed the
House by unanimous vote, went to the
Senate, were reported favorably by the
Pension Committee OF the Senate and
passed by unanimous vote. They
were vetoed by the President. The fol.
lowing is copy OF the report which was
made by Colonel Thompson, from the
Invalid Pension Committee OF the House,
TO accompany the bill for the relief Of
George W. Pitner:
George w. Pitner was a member OF
the Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer In;
fantry, and served about three years, and
in his atlidavits he states that while in
the service and on march from Mobile
to Mana Hubba Bluff, on the Tombigbee
river on or about the 2Sth OF Mny, 1865,
he had a sunstroke, from which he has
never recovered; that he was mustered
out OF the service on the Sth day OF
march, 1856; that on the I'd day Of June,
1881, while under the influence OF ver-
tigo, caused by sunstrOke, he fell into
well and was so injured that his right
leg had to be amputated below the knee
and the left leg was so injured that it is
substantially useless, the ankle joint be-
ing destroyed, and that he isnow utterly
helpless.
"The testimony of George W. Williams,
who was with him on this march at the
time OF the sunStroke, is that Pitner
went away at the time OF this sunstroke
in an ambulance; that he was too weak
to march; that he was so light-headed
that he was apt to stagger around and
fall; that he did no more duty there, but
was under the care OF n surgeon, and did
only light duty from this injury until
he quit the service; was subject to faint
ing spells and complained OF his head.
"Dr. Cook, prominent physician in
Bridgeport, o., the present postmaster OF
that place, states that he has known Pit
ner and treated him more or less ever
since he came out OF the service; treated
him at times for sunstroke or vertigo;
that when he was treating him in July,
1867, for sunstroke, he told him OF the
attack OF sunstroke he had in the army
and gave him the full particulars OF the
same. DR.. Cook says he believed then
and still believes that the attack he had
in July, 1867, was superinduced by the
former attack in the army, and that
these attacks OF vertigo got SO severe rs
to iucapacitate the claimant for any kind
Of daily labor. DR.. Cook also testilies
that it was during one OF these attacks
that he fell in the well and was dread
fally injured. The testimony shows
conclusively that Pitner is man OF good
character, worthy OF credit and belief,
and free from all bad habits, but very
poor, entirely without any means of sup
port.
"Your committee, therefore, recon-
mends the passage OF the bill.
This bill had the support OF Hon Ross !
J. Alexander, DR.. Cook, and other prom
inent Belmont county Democrats; aud n
petition signed by the business men in
Bridgeport, OF all parties, urging the
passage OF the bill is now among the
papers in the case. DR.. Cook, who is
one OF Cleveland's appointees, and Pres
ident OF the Belmont County Medical
Association, supported the claim by a
strong affidavit. The bill had the sup
port OF the whole community, and no
one doubted its superior merit Mr..
Pitner was good soldier, followed the
flag through all the hardships and perils
OF the war, has d wife and children
worthy Of generous support, has no
means whatever except that which the
liberality OF his neighbors supplies, is
permanently disabled and utterly help
less a man Of intelligence and integrity,
and is now forced by Presidential veto
to see his children in want and his wife
in rags and tears, with no hope for the
future. In n letter to Colonel Taylor in
regard to the veto he says:
"My only hope in this life is gone; n
pauper's death and burial is all that is
left for me now. am tired OF this life,
for It is so full OF trials and tribulations.
1t has been so from my youth up. No
one to lead or guide me in my youth,
and now no one to cheer or help me in
my old age. 1t is hard TO be in want
when the country which defended has
SO much surplus. God knows | have
always tried to do right toward man and
beast, but what is in the future for Inc
and my family He alone can tell. My
head is all upside down."
One OF the oldest members of the
House in speaking OF this veto, Just
after it had been read to the House,
made this remark:
"lf the Almighty deals as numerically
with President Cleveland as he does
with the Union soldiers he will be sunk
n thousand fathoms deepin the tormcnts
Of hell"
The President did not feel quite sure
that Pitner was sufficiently disabled in
the service, and thinks il he had been
he would have applied earlier.
whose bill was vetoed, is the widow OF
soldier who was discharged from the
army on account OF dropsy, and the
| president vetoed the Dill on tne krounu
that her husband had the dropsy before
he enlisted, when the only evidence OF
such disability existing prior to his en-
iistment was that he had swefied feet at
one time three or four years before he
entered the service. Fourteen of his
neighbos and comrades, whose charac-
ter is shown to be beyond question,
made oath that he was q strong and
healthy ablebodied man and n good
worker prior TO his enlistment, that he
became sick in the service and that he
was never able to do heavy work after
his discharge.
While active in preventing veterans
who are thoroughly disabled, or their
widows who are starving, from secur-
ing a pittance from the overtlowing
Treasury, the President does not even
hesitate about signing bill for a Sbo, 900
bridge on the road to his country resi-
denCe, when there was bridge nearly
new and amply sufficient for all travel,
or about signing another bill containing
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