Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-05
FORD'S THEATER VICTIMS
Senator Faulkner Defends the Awards
Made by the Commission
Says the Departments Memorandum
Was Completely Overthrown-
House Action Agreed To.

The only debate on the motion to agree
to the final report Of the conference on the
general deficiency bill in the Senate yes
terday afternoon was on the item relating
to the payment Of the Ford Theater dis
aster claims. concerning which the House
the other day took action, which was fully
reported in The Star at the time. Before
the report was adopted Mr.. Faulkner, a
member of the commission, asked If the
agreement repealed the law creating that
body. Mr.. Hale. in charge Of the bill. re-
piled that it did not, and that the COM
mission remained intact. Mr.. Faulkner
then made statement, saying:
The amendment Of the House Is one
to which can Eever agree, as the con-
ferees have receded from three death
claims in which the parties are very much
in need OF the money, and it was done
without any comment or criticism whatever
as to those three claims. not even from the
War Department official who addressed
the letter to Mr.. Sayers, member of the
House of Representatives from Texas, in
reference to the subject.
Il desire to have incorporated, without
reading, IN the Record, in juStifiCat ton OF
the commission, the evidence IN reference
to the case of Ethelbert Baier on page
3. which will give the reporter with the
part marked which l desire to have insert
ed. 1t Is very short, but 1t shows the &C
ton OF the commission and the reason for
that action. Also, the case of Edward
7. Carrol, on page g; also, the case of
George K. Garnet. on page o: the case of
Charles X. Miller, on page II; the case of
Thomas Morley. on page IS; the case of
George w. Smoodt, on page %; the case
VI oHitn thompson, on page 70. and the
case OF Nathan F. White. on page D.
AN examination of the testimony by
Senators, If they ever take the trouble
to read 1t in the Record (and ii is a con-
dersed statement of the evidence in each
OF the cases commented on), will convince
any impartial mind that the Judgment
reached by the commission was fair and
JUS.
II desire ~ cav. on behalf of the COM
mission, that the memuI.:dum sent by the
department to the Representative from
Iexas on the appropriation committee o.
the House was laid before the commission.
II was a mere memorandum obtained on
or ABOUT the time of the disaster by the
chiefs OF division. 1t was considered by
the commission as a part of the evidence
Affecting the rights of the claimants, and
was oVerthrown completely by the testi-
mony that was laid before the commission
by dlsinterested witnesses heard before
them.
With this statement do not propose to
make any objection to concurrence in the
conference report, for the reason that
thlnk the others are in such need that il
is the duty of Congress to give them this
relief as promptly as possible
Mr. Cullom asked how many claims were
dropped from the bill, and Mr.. Faulkner
answered:
Eleven claims and three death cases
were dropped out: and in the case of all
but one of the death cases there is nc
comment. no criticism, made by any de-
partment officer or member of Congress- OF
by any one else l know or have been able
to learn of. Why those claims We're strick-
en- from the amendment l do not under
stand"
There was no further debate and the re-
port was adopted without division.