The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-08-17
VETERAN MUST
PROVE IDENTITY
HAS Rc:n Reported As Dead aud
Widow Drawing Pension
HER PENSION STOPPED
4E is IN BOSTON AT GRAND
ARMY REUNION SEEKING
SOME ONE WHO PERHAPS
KNOWS HIM.

4 Revere, Mass, Aug. Samuel J.,
Z Williams, or Jesse s. Williams, as he
has a!wsys been known iii Revere, is
looking forward with more interest
tnan the average survivor ~ the Civil
war 20 tho great gathering 81 his
comrades in Boston this week, he
cause he hopes to fin,l some one
4 among them who can positively ident
| ify him as the Samuel J. Williams
VINO served through the war ana thus
prove that the papers Of woman IN
/ indianapolis. who has bean drawing
la pen. ion on the claim taat he died
IA years ago, are fraudulent.
Mr. Williams learned the earpen-
ter trade after the war and has work
ed for many years in the Charleston
navy yard
He first made the application for
pension several years ago, but heard
NOTHING from it, October 27, 1893, he
made another application, and about
two months ago ne was called into the
Office of the special examiner at Bos-
ton and told that according to the de-
nartment records he had been dead
10 years.
He was given an opportunity to
nrove that he was alive. and so far
succeeded that steps were taken TO
stop payment Of the pension granted
to his supposed widow The facts
were kept quiet to give the depart
ment officials opportunity to act.
The Mrs. Williams OF indianapolis
based her claim Tor the pension on a
certificate Of the death Of Samuel }.
Williams in 1885, obtained. as ii APP
reared from the registrar in Boston.
ana based also by letters from MI
Williams aunt. telling Of his Illness
and death In the registrars office IN
Boston. however, there is no record
OF the death of any Samuel j. VIII
liams between 1882 and 1891
Mr.. williams told reporter today
story of the events OF his life when
have led up to the present remark
able complications:
Il enlisted in 1861 at Cavendish
VI was then only Is years old, and
so | enlisted under the name of Sam
mel ]. Williams instead of my own
name Of Jesse Samuel Williams. J
was mustered in at Washington, ID
G.. September 10, 1861, in the First
regiment. United Stareus sharpshoot-
ers,
in Culpepper county while safe
guarding the house Of William Wool
me. ANA fell in love with young
woman who had been placed there as
boardar
"We we're married and | took her
10 the home of my guardian in Pros
torsyillc. Vt.
Il was granted divorce in JanE
ary 1896. my wife having left the
home Of my guardian and gone to
Washington, d. G.
1T is now a case of proving my
identity. have got to find some one
who knew me in the volunteer ser
vice. alo1t Of the officers OF my oll
regiment are dead now, but / think !
can get good evidence that ! am the
samuel J. Williams ! claim 10 tie.
Il DO not think this woman In lndl-
anapolis can be my first wife although
she Civ. the name Of Ella P VIII
fams. she says. 50 the pension oil
Gcers inform M. that she had a let
Ter from my aunt, Elizabeth Richard
son. In New York. in 1854. This is IN
correct on the face of ii, since my
aunt dlcd In 1874 Ella did not know
my relatives at all and how she got
any suca letter Is a mystery TO me.
Il ne7er knew that my wife had a
child. This woman. VINO claims to be
my frs wife. asserts that she had a
child by me in 1888. ] never saw my
FIRST wife after 1864
In 1891. just after the @. A. K. en-
csmpm, here. had letter from
my FIRST wife Il was written from In
iianapuis and she said she had &C
cumula,ad some moneT which SIZE
would in all probability leave TO me.
answered the letter courieor sly but
In have not heard from her since"