The evening times., 1895-08-10
Mr.. and Mrs. SIasIe Walked
from Indiana to This City.
THREE MONTHS ON THE WAY
Came on to Push the Old veterans'
Claim fora Pension Treated Kindly
ON the Road by Every body Except
Colony OF Italians, Who Stoned
Them and Drove Them OFF.


tance for man sevsnty-two years uf age
and his wife. aged stxty-four years, to
tramp, but that is Just what Frederick
slagel and his venerable spouse, Jane
S.gel, did. They walked from Evansville.
Ind. to this city, arriving here footsore
and weary Thursday evening.
The aged couple, the husband being
veteran of the late rebellion and the Mex
lean war, were shown to the First pre-
cinet police station IN Twelfth street,
where everything was done to make them
comfortable for the night. Having fin
ished their business with the Pension
Office yesterday, Sanitary Officer Frank
gave Mr.. and Mrs. Slagei transportation
rrisburg, Pa, where they expect to
rends. al
the couple reached the police sta
Thursday evening they met Lieut..
...xs and Mrs. Pennifill, the matron.
.'he old mans feet were terribly swollen
from his long walk from Hoosierdom to the
Capital, while his wife said hers were
filled with blistes. They carried their
effects in an old-fashioned carpet-sack.
Mrs. Pennifill provided them with q nice,
hot dinner. as they had not eaten any
thing for twenty-four hours.
PRAYED FOR THE POLICE.
After dinner Mr.. and Mrs. slagel were
given one of the upper witness rooms in
which they passed the night; also a tub
full of hot salt water with which to bathe
their swollen feet and hands. Before re-
firing Mrs Pennifili said the aged veteran
went down upon his knees In earnest
loo. cbna n Ivp ,,svy,
the police station as he prayed for all
mankind In general. but for Matron Peuni-
fill and the kind policemen in particular
After prayer man and wife, who have
lived over two score years together, united
their weak and trembling voices in that
touching Christian song which commences:
II Will sing you a song of that beautiful
laud,
The far-away home of the soul"
In the morning slagel told his inter-
estins story to MatrOn Pennifiil and
Policeman Hodges With his wife he was
engaged in trucking in small way on a
few acres of ground they had rented
near Evansville. Ind. He was an apph-
cant for a pension. and one day he received
communication from the Pension Office
advising him to come TO Washington TO
push his claim.
Being without means, slagel sold out
his effects, which brought barely money
enough to pay his honest debts, much less
purchase railroad tickets for the 300
miles journey for himself ard wife
They therefore determined to tramp to
the Capital, and started out. On their
way herethey decided 10 stop at village
near Harrisburg, Pa, Veteran Slagers
x.la xr-kAr l,so
and relatives resided when he last heard
from them.
NONE REC oGNIZED HIM.
After weeks OF weary trampiug the village
was reached, but like Rip Van Wrinkle he
found all of his kipsfolks dead while no one
in the place recognized him. He had not
been there, nor had he seen his parents
since the breaking out of the war when he
marched away with a Pennsylvania regi-
ment to serve five years and battle for his
country. Turning their faces sorrowfully
to the South they continued on their
Journey to Washington.
On their way they were treated with every
consideration by the farmers, who fur
uished them with food and shelter. Only
once were they maltreated and that was
in a settlement of Italian laborers on the
border between Pennsylvania and Mary
land. These foreigners stoned the aged
couple aud drove them from the town with
imprecations and curses.
Veteran slagel has splendid war record.
He was foremost In the bloody angle at
Gettysburg, and with three companions
charged beyond the union lines and cap
tured Confederate battle flag at the
Wilderness. He also received a severe
sabre cut at Sailors Creek while assisting
in repeliing q cavalry charge.
Mr.. and Mrs. Slagel covered the 900
miles between Evansville and Washington
In q little less than three months. They
started from Indiana on May IL last. The
old mans shoes were entirely worn out
when he reached No. station, and Mrs.
Pennifill, the matron, secured pair for
him from one of the policemen. The pass
to Harrisburg was given Slagel yesterday
upon the RECOMMENDATION of the Commits
sioner of Pc Siuns.