Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-08
PLEAS FOR PENSIONS
Queer Letters to Government
From All Sections.
SOME REMARKABLE CASES
Mans System Broken Up" by Fall
From a Bridge.
A HOG CAUSE OF INJURIES
Explosion of Shell Held In Mans Lap
Shattered Nerves, But Did
Not Kill Him.

Every ailment known to medical science
and some that are entirely original. If not
imaginary, are included in the category of
Affections which seek amelioration through
the pension commissioner.
No matter how unreasonable may appear
the stories contained in these applications
fer pensions, each receives thorough in
vestigat!on 10y the secret service of the bu-
rcau, organization which shrinks from
advertising its exploits, although It's MEM
bers could tell hundreds of tales of inter-
cstiuE variety. Not infrequently the appli-
cations show clearly the earmarks of fraud
and sometimes Il shrewd detective is sent
thousands of miles to gather facts as to the
claim. Often both men and women stretch
Their imagination well as conscience in
their persistent efforts to be placed on I'm
Gle Sans pension rolls Some of the cases
are odd they are interesting Here's
fellow who wants a pension for total
wreck"
Il fust got to be total wreck frum liver
and kidney trubbles and then 1 was totally
wrecked by cOnsumton which come on me
suddenly like, and now l am more totally
wrecked by army troubles sprains and hard
marching"
An ex-soldier In Ohio wrote: Il don't
exactly know what disease l am suffering
with, but do know that deserve a PEN
sion as l am suffering the pains of death
all over my body and legs and feet Make
1t good one for 1 fought hard for the
flag"
A veteran in West Virginia thinks he
should receive pension because he fell off
thirty-toot bridge during the war which
resulted in general breaking up of my
entlre system, and veteran of the 4tb
Wisconsin Infantry was salivated by reason
OF excessive use of salt pork during his
army career, and applies for a pension on
the grounds that he got salvation in the
army
The following extract Is an excellent ex-
smple or an injury which made itself
known after an interval of more than forty
years: The way l got my war injery was
ketchin hog. which was a SOW hog our
captain wanted her for forege, an he was
chasln the SOW an she crawled through
a hoale in rale fence. 1t was a big hoaIe
an l thot l was about the size of the hog
an tried to crawl thro. but l stuk an
u!4h 10 Wlggle out l throde the rales off,
an one hit me on the he'd an knocked me
senseless. l don't think the ketchin' of the
SOW hog had anything to do with my line
OF duty, an 1 wants pension. The sow
hog was never ketched."
"A veteran in Howard county Md cent
the testimony of a neighbor, who no doubt
meant well enough. but did not know how
TO express himself. The latter swore IN tho
statement that he had known the claimant
Tor twelve years, and that he would not
work unless compelled to-" The witness
meant 10 say that the claimant, while really |
unable TO work by reason of his physical |
ihnrmitles, was frequently compelled to at |
tempt labor IN order to sustain himself AS |
companion piece this will do: Il am a |
native OF Missouri. / want a lob In your
office, then l won't ask for no more raise
IN pension. can clerk o. K, but can't
labor. l could boss the other clerks and
make them stand around and raise dulv
entitled pensions; keep them from loafnR
and whispering in office hours, and see that
things worked right. i could show them
how"
A rather remarkable declaration was
made by Michigan veteran. He stated
under oath that he picked up a shell on
the battlefield Of the Wilderness and took
" into his tent. While holding the missile
between his knees examining it the shell
exploded, badly shattering my nervous
system, but miraculously causing no other
injury An ex-cannonier Of one of the reg
ular batteries claims that he stopped a
cannon ball with his abdomen, and has
since been badly troubled with stomachic
disorders The ball. he says, was a spent
one ana came bounding along, striking him
squarely on the exterior Of the inner man
and nearly knocking him into the middle of
the next year
A member of the well-known Garibaldi
Guard recited in his application for pension
that he was "probed" by a rebel bayonet
at the Bull Run fight; and Jersey cavalry
man says he was severed by a rebel
saber at SpOttsylvania Court House.
But there are stories of broken hearts
deseruons, double lives and family troubles
OF all kinds. The sad side of life is given
as we'll a. the hulnorous-an interesting
mixture OF the ludicrous blended with pa
tAetiC fact,