The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-14
NOT LEGAL OBLIGATION.
The Comptroller Of the Treasury De-
cides q LiEhtEousc Gaze.


The Comptroller OF the Treasury this
morning rendered "A decision disaIowiug "a
claim of Commander +. NJ. Symoads. T..
:. y. inspector of the Ninth Lighthouse
District. amounting to S5Ie75 for medical
attendance. surgical services, and eX-
penses at "a hospital of "a keeper and as
sistant keeper of Squaw Island Light Sta
ton Commander Symonds applied for
revision OF the decision OF the Auditor for
the Treasury Department and The Comp
trolIer affirmed the Auditors decision.
The case is "a very interesting one. and
it appears that am injustice might have
been done 90 the claimant The cirCum-
stances under which the expenses ver,
Incurred are described I'm ID commuuica-
uon hy Commando SymonGs 10 tho Light
House Board under date of December %
1903, as follows.
"On tho 18th of December. 1901. Squaw
Island was closed for the winter. and Oh
that date. just after noon. Mr.. William
r. Shields, Keeper Nr. owen q. NcCau-
10y, first assistant Keeper, and Mr.. Lu-
ci,n F. Mordsn, second assistant keeper.
as also the Keepers wife and niece. left
the island iU the station sail boat for ST.
James. Mich. shortly after leaving th.
island the boat was caDsizsI by heavy
squau
An succeeded in reaching the over
turned boat aEd were lashed TO it with
the exception Of Mr.. Lucien r.. Nordon.
the second assistant VINO refused 20 Dee
/ dashed About eight hours after the two
women died from cold and exposure. and
about midnight the second assistant be-
numbod from cold. lost his hold on the
boat and was drowned
At about II a. IN the next day, the
TF D. f.a.-
the boat. WI lam IT, Shields. keeper. and
owen c. McCauIey, first assistant keeper.
were picked Up blythe steamer Mauhal-
tan. Captain Dubsou; and they. together
with the bodies Of the two women. y.er,
taken 10 Mauitow0c, Wis. where in,
keepers were sent TO the hospital OF the
Holy Family
Il visited the hospital on the 18th %
December and found Mr. Shields seriously
DIT from the terrible experience and cx-
Dosurc. His lower limbs were badly fru--
'n and u is probable that hc viii lose a
portion or his right foot and some Of the
-oiuts OF The toes of the left one lie
probably viii not be- able to- leave the
hospital for 1T least q month. Nr Nc
CauIry was in a much better physical
condition and may Doe able to- depart for
his home in a few days"
In deciding the ease. Mr.. Trac.yyeU. ar
ter quoting from the Light House Appr8-
uriatlou act. says
The articles specifically provided FOR
are also only such as are required in u-
Eliminating. cleaning. and preserving such
lights and signals. OF are incidental there
to-
Where the compensation or an officer
or 'miioye is not fixed by law. bat is pro-
vided for by contract. provision may ur
doubt be made therein for medical attend
auce iu case ~ injury or sickness occur
rHE I'm the lire Of duty as part of com
uonslion- But IN the absence Of such
provision in the contract OF Of provision
therefor Iy law. the Golcrum,ut i- aud.r
10 legal obligation TO provide for tH- care
OF sick or disabled officers OF employees
The action of the Auditor is affirmed