The National tribune., 1899-05-11
TO be continued
pERS0HAh.
my hands. ;

Daniel Oberly, who is now in the hos
pital at Philadelphia, tells a strange
story. He says that he enlisted in the
Saith Pa. in 1862, and at Spotsylvania
received a bullet in the neck, which cut
the vocal chords and produced cancer
Gus growth and paralysis. He cannot
take anything but liquid food, his voice is
almost gone, and right side is para;yzed.
He was pensioned in 1874, and in 1884 his
pension was increased to the highest
emount-S72 a month. He received sew
eral thousand dollars in arrears, which
he placed in bank, and the money was
afterward paid his wife, from whom he
had previously been divorced. Later, the
Pension Bureau informed him that he
had been dropped, because of information
received that his condition was due, not
to his wound but to his habits. In 1886 he
was restored to the rolls at $50 month,
on account of his wound, but got nothing
for the paralysis. He was also informed
that as his former pension had been given
him wrongfully, his pension would be
held up until he reimbursed the Govern
ment about $1,000 which had been mis-
takenly paid him. Since then, he says,
he has been examined by IL boards, all
but ono of which has decided that his
paralysis is due to his wound. He has
been utterly destitute. He cannot be ad-
mitted to Soldiers Home, because he is
on the pension rolls at $50 a month, and
he cannot get any pension until the $1,000
is made up. He has been living in Gin
cinnati, but was sent to Philadelphia on a
pass, In hopes to meet Secretary Hitch
cock at the unvailing of the Grant statue.
He failed in this, but was met and recOg
nized by Capt. Thos. E. Merchant, OF the
s4th Pa, who had him placed In the
Pennsylvania Hospital.
Col. Alexander Biddle, one of the oldest
representatives Of the famous Biddls
family, and for IS years a director of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, died
Nav 2, at his home in Chestnut Hill, in
his s9th year. Col. Biddle was the grand
son of Q.-M.-Gen. Biddle under Gen. WASH
ington. He was graduate of the Uni
yersity of Pennsylvania, and early be-
came identified with the banking house OF
his father, Thomas Biddle. During the
war he served with the 121st Pa, and dis
tinguished himself in many engagements.
At Gettysburg he commanded the regi-
ment, and was rewarded by promotion
To Colonel He was connected with many
financial institutions.
Capt. j. G. Lewis, Knightville, Me-, is
ono of the oldest Sea Captains in the
United States. He is about "a years OF
age, and in spite of the hardships attend
ant upon seafaring. is straight as an
arrow. His hair and mustache are white,
but his eye is keen as that of an eagle.
He comes of a family OF born sailors.
For nearly two years he commanded the
old steamship Mexico, built by Charles
Morgan in 1851. Before the war she piled
between New Orleans and Texas ports.
The Secessionists changed her name to
Gen. Bragg. She was captured by the
Union forces and at the close Of the war
she resumed her former name.
Quito a warm struggle is going on in
PENNSYLVANIA over the Republican nomi-
nation for State Treasurer, with strong
probabilities that the candidate will be
Gen D. Mem. Gregg, the noted cavalry
leader. The place pays 81, 400 year.
Brevet Ma. j.-Gen. John P. Hawkins, re-
tired, late Commissary-General of Sub
sistence, has decided to take up his resi-
dencs in indianapolis, and will remove
his family thither in June. He was born
in Indiana, and appointed TO the Military
Academy from that State. He graduated
in 1852, along with Gems. Casey, Slocum,
Eascall Hartsuff, Chas. II. Woods, a.
Med McCcok, Geo. A. Williams, a. V.
Kautz, and George Crook. He went into
the Commissary Department in 1851, be-
came Chief CommissaFy of the Thirteenth
Corps, then commanded Il brigade OF col
ored troops in the Mobile campaign, and
was brevetted up TO Ma iOr-General for
gallant ard meritoriouS conduct; was
Commissary-G General for two years, and
retired as Brigadier-Generali in 1884