Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-07-31
Volunteers In Spanish War Filing
Many Claims.
THEY NAY DEVELOP into SCANDAL


Washington, July 2S.-Voluntee1
soldiers in the Spanish war are max.
ing Q pension record which promises
to develop into o scandal. In COM
pairing the records Of five regular
and five volunteer regiments which
fought at Santiago, 1t was discovered
that nearly twice as many volunteers
as regulars had applied for pensions,
while the number Of regulars killed
as compared to volunteers were as
20 to one. OF the wounded there
were 800 regulars and 10 volunteers.
The two regiments which stand at
the head of the list of pension ap-
plicants are the Ninth Massachu-
setts and the Eighth Ohio, which
had no wounded and no killed.
The pension Office records make the
startling disclosure that while the
Eighth Ohio landed in Cuba with 1900
members, a total Of 7o5 pension
claims have been filed either by the
soldiers or their relatives. This
regiment has filed pension claims for
SO per cent. Of the members which
landed in Cuba. While the figures
for all regiments have not been made
public, 1t is said that many other
regiments have fled fully as large
percentage Of pension claims Us
the Eighth Ohio.
The following sets forth the np-
plications for pensions filed by mem
bers Of ten regiments which were
before Santiago:
Volunteers First District of Co.
lumbia infantry, 4s0 claims; Ninth
Massachusetts infantry, 705 claims;
Thirty-third Michigan infantry, $50
claims; Thirty-fourth infantry, 63l
claims; Eighth Ohio infantry, 7O5
claims. Total, 3,il9 claims.
Regulars-Sixth United States in
fantry, 43s claims; Seventh United
States infantry, 5a2 claims; Thir-
teenth infantry, 306 claims; Sixteenth
United States infantry, 4s0 claims;
Twcnty-fourth infantry, 3s4 claims.
Total, 2,24O claims
Four of the volunteer regiments
have more applicants for pensions
than the Seventh United States in
fantry, regiment which lost "a men
in battle and 90 wounded The First
District of Columbia, which had no
men killed br wounded, has filed more
claims than any Of the five regular
regiments, with the exception of the
Seventh infantry The five regiments
named from the north and east far
outnnmbcr any regiments from the
south and west in making applica-
tons for pensions. Eugene F. Ware,
the pension commissioner, admitted
his surprise when the summaries
compiled from the records were
shown him.
81 am at loss to explain the great
number OF applications and shall
have some Of my clerks examine into
the records Of other regiments" Mr..
Ware said. II can think Of but one
explanation for this astounding num-
ber of pension applications. When
the regiments returned from Cuba
the men probably were suffering
from the effects Of the tropical eli
mate and felt that their health was
permanently impaired. On this sup
position claims were doubtless filed
by many men who have since recov-
cred their health completely. When
! left tha service at the end OF the
civil war my health was poor and
felt as though would never recover.
A few months In northern climate
restored me completely and this was
probably the experience Of many OF
the boys who campaigned in Cuba" 4