Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-11
Bcgucst for Endowment.
His Right for Pension Denied by As
aistnnt Secretary Davis.

Webster Davis assistant secretary of the
interior, rendered decision today of con-
siderable interest, because it shows the
fraudulent methods used by certain claim
ants in their efforts to secure pensions.
The case is that of Christopher Columbus,
colored, first-class boy. L. S. navy. The
appellant alleges that he enlisted and
served in the navy under the name of
Christopher Columbus, on board the gun
boat Naumkeag. He claims that he was
injured in the heel of the left foot few
months after his enlistment, when that
vessel was at New Orleans, La, loading
with supplies, and that a barrel of mess
pork was rolled or slipped down suddenly
upon him while he, with others, was en-
gagged in slowing away the packages in the
hold of the vessel, and before he could get
out of the way the edge OF the barrel
caught his left heel, inhicting severe and
painful wound. Assistant Secretary Davis,
in his decision, says:
THE official record in the Navy Depart
ment furnishes no evidence whatever OF
the origin and incurrence of the alleged in
Jury or of medical or hospital treatment
therefor in service or at date of discharge.
This case has been most thoroughly and
carefully investigated by special eXami-
ration, and in his statement before a spe-
oial examiner the appellant gave the names
of several officers and Shipmates, with
whom he claims to have served on board
the Naumkeag, as witnesses upon whom he
relied to prove the service origin of said al
legged injury, and who, he asserted, were
present and could testify to the circum-
stances of it's tncurrence. All of these per-
sons. now living, were seen and interview
ed, and but one witness was found who
corroborated appellants allegations in any
particular, and his evidence is unreliable,
he having evidently been coached by the
| appellant himself. The witnesses state that
| they never knew of his being injured in
hot hn 1oy ftr,,n
or from any cause, and that at the time
of the alleged injury the vessel was not
at New Orleans, as stated by the appellant.
furthermore the proof in this case gives
| rise to very grave doubt as to appellant 5
| identity with the Christopher Columbus of
record in the case. The descriptive list of
Christopher Columbus shows that he was
at date of enlistment, December II, 1864.
nineteen years old. five feet and five and
three-fourths inrhes tall, rather proposes
| ing in appearance, of slight build, of anna
Bile disposition and manners, and had no
Distinguishing marks On scars about him at
| that time.
This is the description of the Christie
pier Columbus in the Navy Department,
but the appellant is shown to be a man Of
Herculean proportions, giant in strength,
nearly six feet three inches in height and
of rather sinister and forbdding caste of
features, which is increased by a prominent
scar, That he swears resulted from an in
jury incurred long before his alleged en-
Z,
shown to be a man Of revengeful DISPOSE
ton and very pugnacious, who has fire.
quently been in prison for assaults and
| nghts. and has the reputation of being an
'all-around tough character in the COM
n'unity where he lives, SO much so, in fact
| that it was found difficult to procure evil
dence in his case at that place except such
| as was entirely in his favor. because of the
lear that he would learn of anything said
TO his discredit and revenge himself upon
the Witnesses by assaulting them on the
| frst favorable opportunity. The appellant
himself swears that he never was a soldier
and never had any service except in the
navy.
The descriptive list before referred to-,
shows that Christopher Columbus was by
occupation soldier. Leaving out of view
the 1rreconcilable discrepancies between the
record of Christopher Columbus naval ser
vice and the appellants sworn statement
as to his alleged naval service, it is most
| unreasonable if net absolutely Incredible
that this appellant should have grown after
ne was nineteen years of age nearly seven
inches In height and have developed from
! slight and lather delicately formed youth
| Into the physical giant he is now said to
be, and that his character and disposition
should have undergone so radical metamor-
phosis from the amiable, good-tempered,
popular and obliging, young man to the
sinister, revengeful, pugnacious and even
dangerous character that 1t appears from
the evidence he is at the present time.
Furthermore. if the appellant was cor
IecI III estimating his age at forty years in
lS36, ne could not have been the Christie
pher Columbus who enlisted in the navy at
the age of nineteen years in December of
1854. 1t is useless, however, to further cor
1 slider the question ofsidentity, since it is
clear that the evidence in the case, taken
IN connection with all the adverse and sus-
piclous circumstances above mentioned is
entirely insufficient to establish the service
origin of the alleged injury to heel of left
foot, even If it be conceded that the Chris
topher Columbus shown by the record TO
have served on the Naumkeag and this ap-
pellant are one and the same person. The
claim of Christopher Columbus is there
| f re rejected"