Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-03-14

MRS. FRANCES KING.
CA Victim of the Parsimoniousness of Con-
gresc)
paid. They have been favorably re-
ported from the court of claims. But
it seems most likely that they will
never be paid. If the government were
an ordinary debtor, honest indebted
ness could be collected in the courts.
But no one claimant is big enough to
prosecute the government.
AS an example of favorable report
on an individual bill of this character
the committee clerk handed the writer
a report on bill No. 2944, which says:
''The committee on war claims to
whom was referred this bill for the
relief of Frances King beg leave to
submit the following report and rec
ommend that the said bill do pass"
The report then goes on to show that
the committee on war claims, of
former congress, not being fully and
clearly advised of the facts in said
claim, referred the same to the court
of claims for a finding of facts. The
claim has been returned to this COM
mittee with the following finding OF
fact:
"(Court OF Claims. Congressional No 1888.
Henry King, V. U. 81
"This case. being a claim for supplies OF
stores alleged to have been taken by or
furnished to the military forces of the
United States for their use during the late
war for the suppression of the rebellion
the court. on a preliminary inquiry, finds
that the said Henry King, the person al
legged to have furnished such supplies and
stores. or from whom the same are alleged
to have been taken, was loyal to the gov
ernment of the United States throughout
said war"
"(Court of Claims. Congressional No 1893.
Frances King, Widow of Henry King, de-
ceased. V. the United States)
Statement OF Case.
1.-THE claim in the above entitled case, for
supplies or for stores alleged to have been
taken by or furnished to the military
forces of the United States for their use
during the war for the suppression of the
rebellion, was transmitted to the court by
the committee on war claims of the house
of representatives on the 2ith day of jan
uary. 1890.
1.-The court, on March q 1898, found that
the person from whom supplies were taken
was loyal throughout the war. The cas-
was brought to a hearing on Its merits. on
the 9Th day of May 1897. George A. King
appeared for the claimant Felix Branni-
gan. assistant attorney general. for the
defense and protection of the interests of
the United States"
Note first, that three years elapsed
after the claim was referred to the
court of claims, before it was found
that the claimant had been loyal
throughout the war. Loyalty must al
ways be established first in such
claims. Three years elapsed, the
claimant being aged and growing old
er and feebler. Loyalty having been at
last established, four years more
elapsed before 'the case was brought
to hearing on its merits" In the
meantime the claimant died. The
laws delays were too much for him, SO
he sleeps with his fathers, and his aged
widow is still prosecuting the claim.
Three years after the court gave the
case hearing on its merits the report
was transmitted to congress, on Janu-
airy 13, 1900, that the claim is just one.
Meantime ten years had elapsed since
the bill was first introduced. And now,
two more years have gone, since the
court of claims reported that the claim
was an honest one; but the widow has
small chance of living long enough to
secure the money due her.
And how many millions of dollars,
or how many hundreds of thousands
do you suppose that this claimant is
struggling for; the great government
resisting her at every step? You will
undoubtedly be surprised to learn
that it is only S395 that the govern.
ment is unjustly Withholding. Here
is the official findings of fact, by the
court Of claims:
"There were taken from the claim
ants decedent in McNairy and Hardin
counties, state of Tennessee, during
the war of the rebellion by the mill.
tary forces of the United States fol-
| the use of the army, stores and sup.
pies as described, which, at the time
and place of taking, were reasonably
worth the sum of three hundred and
ninety-fve dollars ($396). 1t does not
appear that any payment has hcen
made for any part thereof"
Your Uncle Sam has owed that
money for 40 years, has not paid, and
will not pay it. How would you like
to have such debtor?
| SMITH D. FRx.