The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-14
SOME QUEER STORIES
Told in Hearings Before Augusta
Committees.
GEN. SPRAGUE HAS ABOUT COM
PLETED HIS ITEMIZED AC-
COUNTS.

Only the House in Session Yesterday-The
Sitting a Brief One-Action Looking to
Defeat of Appropriations for Statuary.
Especial to the Press.1
AUGUSTA, March 1.-THE legislative
committee on claims hears some queer
stories. Some are amusing; others are
pathetic. OF this latter class was the
history given to the committee of Fred
erick T. Devins, who followed the flag
to foreign parts just after the war and
disappeared. tits supposed that when
the ill-fated Oneida was lost in the China
sea young Stevens was sailor on board
of her. He was scarcely more than a
boy when he enlisted in the Maine town
of Winterport, in 1865, and went away to
join Farragut's fleet. At that time the
State was paying 300 bounty, and Ste
vens's mother, in order that the boy
might have bis sea chest well filled with
comforts to remind him of home, adj
vanced this sum. She bade the boy
farewell and never saw him again. The
bounty was payable in scrip issued for
the purpose, and was to bear interest at
six per cent. after 1867 until the scrip
was redeemed. When Mrs. Stevens ap-
piled for the States promise to pay her
sons bounty, however, she learned that
she could not receive it until he had
signed duplicate receipt showing that
she had advanced the money. The
blank receipts were sent to her by Adju-
tant General Hodgdon, and are now on
file as part of her claim. When Mrs.
Stevens got the receipts her son was al
ready blue jacket and with Farragut in
the West Indies; SO of course he could not
sign the papers. He apparentlys erved
out the two years of his enlistment,
for letter received from him in 1857
said he wasagoing to re-enlist, and from
that letter it is belived that he did again
enter the service, joining the Oneida, and
being among her crew when she was
wrecked. The records of the Oneida
were lost with her. and the navy depart
ment has no record of Fred Stevens as a
member of her crew. But no tidings
have been received from him since he
wrote that letter in 1867, and SO his
mother, who now lives in Orange, Mass,
has made application to the Maine legis-
lature for the 800 and interest, claiming
that her son is dead and that the lack of
Ills sly lldtuIc buOulu uUL PlCNOAt iOl L o
eeiving the money which the State prom
ised to pay. Joel Stevens, the father of
the dead soldier, is veteran of the 10th
Maine. The committee. referred the
claim to the Governor and Council.
Speaking of this bounty scrip, a gentle
man conversant with the state's military
affairs said the other day that there was
about $4,000 of principal which had never
been paid. If the scrip is still in exis-
tence, the claims to ..the bounty would
probably be good as much of the paper
has undoubtedly been lost, All this
scrip bore interest at six per cent.
James Blue, colored man now living
in New Orleans, enlisted during the war
in the 18th Maine and writes that he
never received payment of his bounty.
He was advised by the adjutant generals
Office that the only course he could take
would be to apply to the legislature but
he has not done SO.
A case recently heard by the commit
tee on claims was that of the town of
Wales. Here the town treasurer either
made some blunders in counting the dead
crows or else failed to observe some
other formality. At any rate, the town
did not get all its crow bounty and the
committee will recommend the payment
vi LILO e1AAlOdAu ottC3 VSsOOs
General Sprague's Accounts.
General Sprague has about completed
the itemized accounts of the expendi-
lures of the adjutant generals Office dur
ing the last ~ years of his incumbency
and it will soon be reported from the
committee on military affairs in response
to the resolution introduced i4 the legis-
lature some time ago by Representative
Parker of Danforth. Gen. Sprague came
to Augusta at the requett of the commit
tee and has deuoted considerable time to
working up the reports. Members of
the committee have carefully gone over
the matter with him, and state that they
find proper vouchers for all the bills.
Gne bill which General Sprague would
not approve is interesting. 1t is bill of
$500 presented by Captain Hall who at
tended an. encampment of the capacity
as an officer of the United State army.
The State authorities did not recognize
that Capt. Hall who was sent there by
the orders of the War Department. had
any claim on the state.
Legislative Proceedings.
AUGUSTA, March 13.-The House met
this afternoon and cleared the table of a
large amount of pending business. Moth
ing of general significance occurred save
the vote on the partIof the House look
ing to providing for busts of Blaine, Han
nibal Hamlin, VIM. Pitt Pessenden and
other prominent men.
Mr.. Powers of Houlton thought the
action already taken in this matter ill adj
vised and premature. If this legislature
is desirous of placing busts of these mon
in the capitol committee should be ap-
pointed to consider and report on the
matter. The whole matter will probably
be indefinitely postponed. I
Under the bill presented by MI. Pen
ley of Auburn, entitled can act addition
al to charter city of Auburn that city
asks the legislature to change its ws'a