The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-05
SPANISH WAR CLAIMANTS
BY TUESDAY THEIR DEMANDS WILL
TOTAL FIFTY MILLIONS.
Col. Harrison Calls on the President
Indiana Mail Clerk
Admiral SchIey's Retirement.
,nao;o, 20 tho 1rd;ananoI,s journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-By next Tuesday
there will have been filed with the Span
ish treaty claims commission accounts
amounting to $50, Oo0, 900. These represent
claims on the part of American citizens
who suffered loss of properly or personal
damage in Cuba from the time of the begin
ming of the insurrection up to the signing
of the American treaty. When the treaty
was made the United States assumed the
Spanish responsibility for these losses and
damages. We are now preparing to pay
bills which Spain would ave had 10 pay
had she retained Cuba. The Spanish claims
commission was authorized by Congress,
and It has suddenly become a big division
of the governments authority. 1t has a
large building with private offices for the
commissioners and a large clerical force.
There is no appeal from II. The attorney
general assigns ar attorney TO il. One of
the first things which it will have TO de-
eide is whether damages to American citi-
zens in the Philippines can be adjudicated
by this commission. The treaty provision
seems a little obscure on this point. The
commission contends that it has no juris-
diction. Another set of claims which 1t
will oppose is personal injury bills on the
part Of relatives of American sailors and
marines growing out of the destruction OF
the Maine. The government says these
cases belong to the pension department.
Col. Russell 3. Harrison was one CT the
Presidents guests at luncheon to-day. The
two were Spanish war comrades and the
President invited him to call and gossip
over old times. Colonel Harrison has a
claim pending in the Wal Department, but
this subject was not mentioned, although
the President is aware that II Will De
brought to his attention officially in the
near future. Mr.. Roosevelt has the very
keenest interest in the Harrison family.
He says he likes TO talk TO the living MEM
bers of a family which has had direct rep
resentatives in every war Of the Republic.
and he said to-day: When two of these
soldiers have been Presidents Of the United
States l have a pleasure which the repre-
sentatives of no other family could
give me-
After Colonel Harrison had his visit with
the President he went TO the War Depart
ment to have a settlement with the pay
master. He had been Unexpectedly dis
charged while in the service and had no
opportunity of settling his accounts. This
has been a matter Of slow process. The
paymaSter seemed to be ready for him to-
day, but in the end Colonel Harrison found
lDdl his ACCOUNTS MtIt lON AhANt eau
for final adjustment, and he also found an
other peculiar circumstance. When he was
discharged from the service AdJutant Gen
eral Corbin sent a telegram TO General
Davis. in command in Porto Rico. This
telegram was twenty-four words long, or
short, and Colonel Harrison had nothing
to do with the sending or receipt of the
same. Yet the cable tolls. amounting 10
only a few cents, were taken out of his
pay.
this q ahlpQram any more than for any other
~cablegram," said Colonel Harrison in
speaking Of the incident. But on reflection
it did strike me as a little peculiar that L
should be charged a few cents for this ca
blegTam when the two private cablegrams
passing between Colonel Heistand and Gen.
Otis. amounting to. including reply, forty
nine words at 1924 a word. which totals
over 800, were being paid for by the gov
eminent. Yet such is a fact. 1 paid for the
Heistand had his private business cable
grams charged to the government and no
paymaster had a word to say. Curious
sort or rightly.
Colonel Harrison will leave for Indianap-
oils tomorrow, so that he will arrive in
time to cast his vote at the city election.
A number of Indianapolis voters will leave
tomorrow TO be present at the election.
Xxx
b. j. Atkinson, of Van Buren,, Ind, rail-
way postal clerk on the b. & o. s. w, from
Cincinnati to St. Louis. has been trans
ferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad, be-
tween Bradford, o., and L~ogansport, Ind.
The transfer is in the nature of a promo
ton.
Capt. w. H. Elliott. director of posts of
Porto Rico, has been strongly Endorsed for
secretary of Porto Rico. to succeed w. II.
Hunt, promoted 10 be Governor of the
island. Mr.. ElliOtt's home is at New Cas-
tie. where he edited the Courier for many
years.