The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-16
PENSION DECISIONS.
Rulings and Decisions BY the Assistant Secretary OF
the Interior and the Commissioner OF Pensions.


the Interior and the Commissioner OF Pensions.
Assistant Secretary Bussey recently rendered
decision IN the pension case of George Hol-
brook (insane). Corporal of Go. q, 4th Mass.
II. A. Holbrook enlisted in 1864 and was dis
charged June II, 1865 Application for pension
onrhs behalf alleged that he became insane in
consequence OF severe shock 10 his nervous
system, sustained on or shout Feb 90 1865. at
Fort Reynolds, Va. The claim was rejected in
August last on the ground that the evidence
failed 10 connect the origin of the soldiers in-
sanity with his military service.
Hoibrook was Corporal in charge Of detail
OF men who were on picket duty about 1900
yards in front OF Fort Reynolds One very
dark and stormy night tho man on guard
thought he saw someone approaching his post,
and called out the detail. There was some fir
ing. aud one man was wounded Holbrook
was asleep ut the time the alarm was given, and
the sudden awakening, the cries the confusion
aud firing in the darkness, had the effect of
completely unnerving him. Rushing TO the
fort, be aroused the officers and told them that
his whole detail bad been killed or captured.
Upon investigation IL was found that there
was no cause for the alarm, none of the enemy
had been about, and the only man hurt had
been wounded by shot fired by one of his
comrades Holbrook was then deprived of his
Corporals stripes aud reduced to tho ranks.
4hiS hhH lu ItDIudIY OF May lSDD 1ld
sanity first became sufficiently marked 10 rem
der il advisable TO send him & an asylum in
May, 1873.
The two facts. says the Assistant Secretary.
which make most strongly against the claim,
are the failure Of the evidence to show any
clear or decisive indication of mental aberra-
ton prior to 1876 aud that the record at the
date OF his admission 10 the asylum shows that
his family and friends then attributed his af
fiction Ia other than the Il
legged. While IL is true, he says, that no specific
acts OF words can be pointed 10 as evidence
OF disordeTsd mind, there IL Il general con-
curTence of opinion among his friends that
some subtle change in his mental nature or
disposition occurred during his army service
He WAS not cheerful and socabie as he had
been before. VI Witnesses testified that after his
return from the army " he hai a vacant look, a
more than absent mindedness about him
seemed 10 be in u deep Northumberland
restless. He acted queer, was low spirited"
etc.
Under these circumstances Gen. Bussey says
he believes that the doubt which Is inseparable
from case OF this kind may be properly re-
solved III favor Of the applicant. The former
adverse action is. therefore, overruled.
Viola Downing, widow of James NJ. Downing,
TO. A, 10th Ind, will get q pension for herself
aud three minor children. Her husband
while drawing pension of $13 Il month for
total deafness, was run over and killed by "A
railroad train. The widows claim was frat
rejected, but Assistant Secretary Busaey SAYS
that the man would not have been deaf if he
had not been in the army and If he had not
been deaf he would not have been killed, az he
would have heard the train coming, and the
engineers warning whistle. The pension is
therefore allowed.
Asst Secretary Bussey has rendered decis.
ion in the pension case of Edward r. Murdoch.
Third Sergeant, Co. III. 66th N. Y, in which
the claim of tho soldier is allowed. In June.
1868, the claimant was stabbed in the right
breast, from which permanent disability re-
suited. He claimed that he was performing
provost duty in Washington at the time, and
that he was injured while trying to suppress
some trouble between citizens and soldiers.
These statements were denied by DIR. Jameson.
the Assistant Surgeon of the regiment, who
gave the cause of disability as pleuro pneu.
m0nia, caused by knife stab, and said that
Murdoch was not in the line of duty at the
time" Capt. Tenbrook, commanding the COM
pany, stated that the wound was received in a
house of ill-repute. Upon this testimony the
claim was rejected by the Pension Bureau.
Subsequently, however a large number of afi
davlts were filed clearly showing the good
character aud habits of Murdoch. and setting
forth the fact beyond all doubt that he was in
tho line of duty at the time tho wound was
inflicted, as he was endeayoring to recover
military property.