Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-15
CLAIM FOR REDRESS
JOHN o. NELSON HERE TO SEE
PRESIDENT.

Declaring that he has a wife and two
j children on the verge OF starvation and
suffering himself from a severe aIhc-
ton caused by heavy work at Gatun on
the Panama railroad: sore and indignant
at what he believes to be the gross in
justice that has been done him. John o.
Nelson. former employe OF the 18TH
milan canal commission. Is here in Wash
ington in the hope that he may be able
to reach the President and have his
grievances redressed. He wants either
to be reinstated to the position to which
he claims to have been originally ap-
pointed. or a pension for the injuries re-
ceived by him while in the service Of the
government on the Panama canal.
Nelson claims, and papers exhibited by
| him support his claim. that he entered
| the naval service Of the United States
| June 10. 1897. as a seaman on the re-
ceiving ship Wabash. He was afterward
| Dolphin. and served aboard That vessel
| during the summer and until December,
1885. when he was transferred TO the
Wilmington. under Capt. Todd, U. s. N.
the fight in Cardenas bay, during the
Spanish-American war. and to have been
one OF the Hfe-savfng crew that threw
| nets over the Winslow and afterward
drought HeT uedQ anu dying TO li6 w IL
mington at the time when Ensign Bag
| ley was killed. He was honorab bly, dis
charged in 1899. with the rank of cox
| swain.
October 3. 1907. Nelson resigned his po-
| sition as assistant foreman on "a Brook
| lyn Heights railroad. Brooklyn. N. Y,
to accept a similar position with the
| isthmian canal commission at Panama.
| He says he was first sent to work as
| pfle-driver foreman. but November Is,
q hat nd
| to the Panama railroad. December 90,
| following, he was ruptured while at
tempting to lift a heavy pile, and was
| sent to the hospital. where he remained
| until January Is. 1908.
When he returned to report for duty
he states. he was permitted to work thir-
teen days and was then Summarily dis
| charged. He protested against this treat
ment and claims that in consequence he
| was kicked down the stairs and out OF
| the Office.
Letters of Recommendation.
He has a letter of recommendation
signed by the "roadmaster Of the l. lines, =
New York. which states that he has al
| ways been found to be a competent and
reliable employe and recommending him
| to any one requiring a foreman. Tine
letter concludes by stating that he RE-
| signed from this department with clear
| record" There are also similar testi-
monials in his behalf signed by A. NJ
Ganson. superintendent OF the George A.
Fuller Company. Trinity building. New
York. and F. De Graves. superintendent
third rail. New York Central and Hudson
| River railroad. He claims to have had
one other from the Erie railroad and one
| from the Albany and Susquehanna rail-
road. covering two and half years OF
faithful and efficient service. but these
he states. were never returned to him by
the authorities at Panama.
Nelson claims to have walked here from
| Brooklyn. and earnestly declares that he
knows the President will do him justice
II he can but bring the facts in the case
to his attention.
Representative Waldo Of New York
said he knows nothing as to the correct
ness OF Nelson's story but from the pa
pers In his possession he Is of the opinion
| that he has been badly treated