Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-29

Friday in New York City is told by va
rious notes and clippings found on his
person as well as a long article left
with newspaper.
IN the coat pocket Of Chase the fol-
lowing note was found:
II have been suffering from heart
disease and bronchitis for 80 years.
The lcctors tell me 1 can't live
'AQUILLA CHASE"
The article left for the paper says
"Pl.asc publish this and be merciful
to me- Probably when you read this
will be no more on this earth. l am
going to write before l go stark mad,
for sickness and death are affecting my
mind, and it is with difficulty that l
can control the thoughts l have suf-
fered thousand deaths. This phantom
has followed me night and day for
weeks. There is no other way to es-
cane it; only in death. What has caused
it? am not permitted to work for the
government that my father and myself
fought for and that my three brothers
died for The government don't want
me now. but they wanted me in war
time. | don't think have had a square
deal.
81 want to give a bit of my peoples
history and will leave it to your judg-
ment TO decide whether you think I
should have the privilege of working
for the government or not.
First, / am lineal descendant of
Perigene White, the first white child
born in America, just before the land
irg of the Mayflower at Plymouth
Rock on my fathers side three broth
ers came over soon after and settled
in Massachusetts. My forefathers
fought the Indians hundreds of years
before there was a Washington. They
suffered many hardships in defending
this country from it's beginning. In my
fathers family there were two colonies
and captains, and one major. On my
mothers side they took to the ministry.
There were four in her family.
"My father was a colonel tof the
State Militia before I was born. At the
time of the Civil War he was So years
old and owned large farm and had a
grea. lumber business. At the call of
the bugle he like a real Putnam, left
everything to go to ruin and started
for the war. He drilled regiments all
over the state, and then went to the
front with his four sons. He came
home to die while I lay on the cold
ground of the battlefield contracting
bronchial troubles and heart disease,
which have troubled me ever since. My
other three brothers lie on three bat
tlefelds--dead.
DO YOU think am entitled to work
for the government? 1t is all over now.
l could not work if / had the chance.
This grief and worrying has under
mined my health and shattered my
nerves so that l am like tctterlne
old man. For the last II years l nave
worked in the Brooklyn navy yard as
a carpenter. I was discharged about
three months ago when work was
scarce
There were foreigners kept that
could hardly speak the English IAN
guage This is what preyed on my
mind ard drove me mad ana hasteneu
my end | see nothing before me ou'
poverty. sickness and death. ! nave
Thought over everything and IN the eiia
that phantom--Death. | wanted 10 30
to the Soldiers Home. l thought Oh
my wife in want l thought l wou'd
70 to the hospital The thoughts tor-
tured me. The thought of my wife IN
want was To me worse than death.
81 have never known want. nave
always been light hearted ana Joi'y an.
never had a thought of the future' anu
many time I have given my ias' w
lar to those in want and sickhc9'' Az, y
heart was too big for my own sooo :.
all looms up before me now Whe!i ~ "
too late. For myself l don't care oue ~
leave nv dear sweetheart Wl1e III VAIN
is braalinp NV heart. e,,,,,
"She is more fit to be among the fou'
Hundred than the wife of poor iie
chanic. She does not know tha' on.
discharged. nor does she kno" am -
the state that / am, for l alan looN -.
but the doctor told me l nave pu'
little while to live. No one can say
ever spent money for drink. MY sich'
ness was not caused by any fauit VI
mine.
"Oh. Cod, To think that I must leave
nv wife in want Will you not lnteres
the rich charitably inclined IN her uen"''
when l am gone? Will! you no' VI
this before Mrs. Sage, MISS HWY"
or the hundreds of others VINO iti's"'
give a mite to the wife of Il man WINS
forefathers made it possible Tor 'he'' ~
live in the land of the free ana lux
home of the brave in wealth an" ''r>
ury. while I have to blow my brains ou
to escape sickness. suffering ana poHe
ty?
May God deal gently with those VIZ,
are kind to us. / beg and implore So'
to help my wife and God Will hflp W.
Il intend TO deliver this at your on..
and then blow my brains out. M,
GOD HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL.
"AQUILLA CHASE
80 Norman ave. Greenpolht' bioo
A letter addressed to Chase ana sis'e''
by Frederick Carpenter. private sec'e
tary to President Taft. and dateo MAJ
"a, 1909. also was on the man pei
1t stated that a letter from him hao oee
received; that the Secretary OF tie 1>a q. :
had seen the mark "eXcelieh'
Chase's name this mark being given ~
irreproachablc conduct while GOING WI
in the navy yard and that Chase wa
No. . on the list for reinstatement ""e
men were needed at the yard. y