The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-08-09

Burleigh's service in ongress, a very
worthy widow residing in this town
had claim for pension which had
been pending at the Bureau of Pensions
for nine years. A blind daughter by
former husband also resided with her,
very intelligent young lady who had
been educated In western school for
the blind Both were in poor health
and in very Strengthened financial cir.
cumstances. AT this stage of the situa-
ton the daughter went 70 Augusta and
had an interview with Governor Bur
leigh, prior to his first departure for
ashington. The result was that he
took hold of the case with his charac.
teristic energy and push The difficulty
was that proof could not be obtained of
the death Of her first husband, which
occurred in Baltimore in 1871 or 1872,
and thus establish the legality of the
marriage with her second husband-the
soldier-who was also deceased. 1t was
impossible for them to secure proofs of
the husbands and fathers death with
out the expenditure of money at Balti-
more-and that they did not have.
This was the condition of the case
when it was called to Mr.. Burleighs at
tention. His sympathies were thorough
ly enlisted, but call or two at the
Department showed him that nothing
could be done to advance the claim until
the required evidence of the first hus.
bands death was furnished. At this
point ninety nine out a hundred men,
beers of Congress would have dropped
the case with an expression of regret
that owing to this lack of evidence they
could do nothing further to advance it.
But not so Mr.. Burleigh. His sympathies
were too thoroughly enlisted, and
watching an opportunity when long
debate afforded him a chance to slip
away, he went to Baltimore where he
put in two days, in the scorching heat
of July, securing the evidence necessary
to place this poor blind girl and her
mother in condition of independence
He employed, at his own expense, an at
torney and justice, and by an exercise
of rare tact was able to secure all the
evidence required. This included the
statement of the physician who had at
tended the soldier in his last illness, and
the landlady at whose house he died,
both of whom had declared to the
Grand Army men of Baltimore, who
had attempted to help out the matter,
that under no circumstances would they
furnish the testimony sought of them
Governor Burleigh found that the
doctor had taken needless umbrage at a
letter that had been written him by the
claimant, while the landlady felt aggriev.
ed at an unpaid board bill which the
soldier had owed her at his death. 1t
speaks we'll for Governor Burleigh's
diplomacy that where others had sig
nally failed, he was able to smooth
them out and secure the testimony that
meant so much 10 an unfortunate
woman and her blind daughter in a
little country town here in Maine Be-
sides this testimony, Governor Bureigh
hunted up the priest who had per-
formed the burial service, and secured
an affidavit from him.
Commissioner Evans was not little
surprised when this testimony was
placed before him, and said to Congress
man Burleigh, "There must be merit in
this case, Governor, when member of
Congress has it so deeply at heart that
he will go in this weather and at his
own expense to look up evidence for il.
| will see that it is given an early and
careful examination.
And it was, with the result that the
claimant was given a pension of IS a
month with over 800 in back paw.
hen this money was received, the
fortunate girl fastened to Augusta to
see Governor Burleigh, who was then at
his home in that city, to thank him for
what he had done. she urged that he
should at least let her reimburse him
for the money he had expended in her
behalf on his trip to Baltimore, but he
refused to take penny, telling her that
he had already received ample pay for
all he had been able to do, in the salts
faction he felt in her success.
Here was poor girl, without money
or political influence, and yet Congress
man Bureigh made her cause his own,
as he has hundreds of others and stopped
at no outlay of time, or strength, or
money to advance her cause.
1t is such generous, big hearted quail
ties that have brought Congressman
Burleigh near to the hearts of the old
soldiers in this District. We know that
In him we have at all times friend
constant and true, who is always in
close sympathy with us, and who will
answer promptly all our communica
tons and will be ready at all times to do
everything in his power TO advance our
interests.
On November l, 1897, the Sergeant
Wyman Post, 81, e. A K. of this village
passed the following resolutions:
"Whereds, the Hon Edwin c. Burleigh,
our representative in Congress, having
by great perseverance and close atten-
ton, and at the sacrifice of personal
comfort and at his own expense secured
long sought evidence which others had
failed to secure, and
Whereas, such evidence, together with
the urgent letters from him to the
Honorable Commissioner of Pensions
has resulted in the allowance of pen
sion at eight dollars per month in favor
of Mrs. Annie Jones and daughter,
Giving in our midst" the needy and de-
serving dependents of Union soldier
who died in the service, therefore,
ResOlred, that Mr.. Bureigh has the
special thanks of Sergeant Nyman Post,
and that he has shown himself to be the
true and staunch friend of the soldier
and the soldiers widow.
Res0lred, that a copy of the resolu-
tons be transmitted to Mr.. Burleigh and
that they be spread upon the records of
the POST
An earnest request was made to
Governor Burleigh that he allow the
circumstances of the case to be written
up for the public press, but with charac-
teristic modesty he replied that he had
been fully repaid for all his efforts in
the matter in the deep satisfaction be
felt that he had been the means of as
sisting such worthy people to secure a
favorable adjudication of claim to
which they were justly entitled.