Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-02
A SOLDIER IN DISTRESS
Game Back From Cuba With Health Shat
tered by Exposure.
Gave Up q Good Position to Serve His
Countryside and in
Want.

A most pllidDie case u ucStlluliOh DOI>
dering on starvation, was developed yester-
day by the visit of a pension examiner to
No. 453 street northwest. Directly across
the street from the big pension department
building, in single room in the rear of
the third story, was found Nathaniel P.
Kent. a soldier In the Spanish American
war, sick and wasted from disease, and act
ually suffering from lack Of necessaries Of
life.
Two years ago Kent was employed as a
private Waterman in the northeast part of
the city and received S75 a month. which
kept himself and wife in good circum-
stances. When the President called for
troops to invade Cuba Kent, who was al
ways sober and industrious and had the re-
spect and esteem of his employers, threw
up his position and volunteered his services,
becoming a member of Company E, LIST Dis
trict of Columbia Regiment.
He was in perfect health when he left the
city with his regiment, but he returned in
the fall with a noticeable lack of physical
vigor. the result of Cuban fever. incurred
during the campaign about Santiago. The
fever left It's mark in the form ot rheumatic
pains. which at times SO racked his body
that he was unable to leave his ROOM
When he became apparently better he
started out TO seek employment, but found
that a deafness which followed his illness
made him undesirable for his old work as a
Waterman. Occasionally he found odd jobs
to do about town, but when it was known
that his bearing was impaired, it is said.
he was no longer wanted
Practically Destitute.
But Kent maintained a brave heart and
he had a good helpmeet in his wife They
practiced utmost frugality, smothered pride
and succeeded in getting along But he
caught cold last Saturday as the result
of sleeping in room without fire. An
las augmented his condition. He was no
longer able to walk to the office Of the
physician who had been treating him.
Since then he and his wife have been
practically destitute. Dr. Muncaster, his
physician, who appreciates Kents condi-
ton thoroughly, advised that he apply for
a pension. This he did and that was how a
case of restitution which needs prompt at
tention was discovered.
The pension examiner, when he called
yesterday afternoon, was not slow to real
lie that something must be done at once
that here was a case that could not wait
for governmental red tape. He went back
to the pension bureau and reported to a
number of the clerks what had come under
his observation. The clerks went into their
pockets and small fund was raised
enough to tide the family over for day or
two.
When a reporter for The Star called at
the room on G street this morning he was
welcomed py d pldlnly -uTeSSeu, CoHleiy %o-
man, who said she was Mrs. Kent. On
entering the room he found the husband
| sick in bed with bed clothing that would
not be considered excessive in July. His
head was bandaged, and he was grooming
| with pain. The only warmth in the room
was that produced from gasoline stove.
The gasoline ran out yesterday morning
and Kent lay all day with no fire in the
room. Mrs. Kents eyes filed with tears
as she reluctantly told Of their condi-
| ton.
'My husband was always a Woodworking
man." she said. During the last year he
has worked many q day and walked about
| when he ought to have been in bed He is
| simply g. wreck, and all because Of his life
| in Cuba"
The Story Verified.
| AS she was talking DR.. N1uncaster came
| in, and he vouched for the truth of Mrs.
Kents statement He said that Kent was
| q physical wreck and would never regain
| his hearing. When the doctor spoke to
| him to ask him how he felt he was COM
| PEELED to emphasize his voice to such an
| extent that it could easily be heard a half
/ a block away.
| TT Is a shame" said DR.. Muncaster.
that the government does not provide
| some means of taking care of such cases.
| Kent is not the only man whom j have
been called OF to treat who Is suffering az
| the result of service in Cuba. Sleeping In
| trenches. with wet clothing, and othel
| hardships in a tropical climate, have made
| many young men who participated in the
Cuban and Porto Rican campaigns absolute
! physical wrecks There are not few in.
| stances right here in Washington
| The Kents are in need of assistance, and
| that at once A stove and fuel, warm bee
clothing and provisions will go a long way
to make a deserving family comfortable