The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-04
INDIAN WAR SURVIVORS.
EIorida'S Legislature Refuses TO
Help Them Get Their Pensions,


Tallahassee, Fla, June 2.-The legsla-
ure has indefinitely postponed House bill
No. 2l9, ITO be entitled an act to appropri-
ate money TO carry out the provisions of
an act passed by the legislature in 1895
that proof may be obtained by the sur
vivors or descendants of the soldiers of
the Indian wars in Florida, who may be
entitled to pensions from the government
of the United States
The act Of 1855 made it the duty Of the
adjutant general to examine the Indian
war muster rolls. and make a record of
the names thereon, in order that survivors
and their descendants, entitled to PEN
sions from the United States government,
might be enabled to make proof OF their
claims and secure what is justly due
them. The legislature of 1895, not realizing
that any cost would accrue in this matter,
made no appropriation to carry out the
provisions OF this law.
This act further provided that the gov
ernor should procure from the office of the
Secretary of War at Washington a true
copy of all the muster rolls Of Florida sol
diers engaged in the Indian wars in this
state. Upon application 10 the Secretary
of War, the governor was informed that
a copy of said muster rolls would cost
$l,100, and that said sum must be deposit
ed in advance, said rolls to be copied only
by the clerical force in the war Office.
On July q, 1892 congress passed an act
granting pensions to survivors of the
Florida Indian wars and their descendants,
upon certain proof being furnished, name
ly: Name of soldier, company TO which he
belonged, name Of captain, humber of
regiment, place and date of enlistment,
and also when and where discharged, all
under oath
No applicant for a pension can have ac-
cess to these muster rolls; the war depart
ment officials will not even consult them
unless this information is furnished in ac-
cordance with their prescribed rules, and
the muster roll, in most cases, is the start
ing point for an applicant to make proof
of his claim. These muster rolls can only
be secured upon a requstion from the
governor, accompanied by $,700 which the
House refused to appropriate.
These wars occurred about sixty years
ago, during the past twenty years numer-
GUS applications for these pensions have
been received at the Office of the adjutant
general of Florida, but most Of the survi-
vors are dead, and facilities for proving
claims for pensions, outside of these mus
ter rolls have practically disappeared and
yet a legislature Of the state Of Florida
will not place within the reach of these
worthy and deserving claimants the only
These persons are entitled to 1876 a year
from July q, 1892. Suppose that 100 per-
sons could establish their claim to this
pension, from these muster rolls and this
is considered a very small estimate, five
years pension would now be due them,
aggregating $4,000 as a first payment, be-
sides an annual payment of 5000 there
after.
This money, amounting, perhaps, to sew
eral hundred thousand dollars, has already |
been appropriated by congress for these |
and the only power that can |
make il accessible to them is the Florida |
legislature, by appropriating the small |
sum of S1,7O0.
These Indian war soldiers sacrificed |
nearly all they had when they enlisted to |
fight the savages; many even yielded up |
their lives to protect the state and people |
against the devastatlons of the blood
thirsty Indians, and yet the House of Rep !
resentatives, pleading economy failed |
to appropriate SLIGO to enable worthy sur |
Vvors of these wars, or their descendants,
to secure what is justly due them from the !
United States government.
VIII the people of Florida approve this |
action of their legislators in this important |
matter, is a question propounded by many |
anxious and deserving claimants for this |
pension.