Barbour County index., 1909-10-27

members of the committee on claims report
recommending that Major Lawson M. Fuller
of the army be paid for some articles-many
articles in fact-which the government lost for
him nine years ago.
An army officers pay is small at the best,
and ten years ago, when Major Fullers be-
longings were lost, his pay was somewhat
smaller than 1t is to-day. Nevertheless, he had
to expend $1,325.35, as he could save it from
time to time, to replace the absolutely neces-
sary articles which were lost without fault
neglect on his part and with equitable re-
sponsibity by the United States" as the find
ing OF one of the investigating officials had it.
Major Fullers belongings comprised pretty
nearly everything that he had in the world,
from "one pair of Romeo slippers" to a civilian
dress suit, evening, satin-lined," lone sack
suit from New York" and "one sack suit from
Baltimore" The major made affidavit that
cry article enumerated in the list of his losses
was necessary and would have been used had
the consignment ever reached it's destination"
The consignment went to the bottom of the
sea with the wreckage OF the transport Nor
gan. The major added to his afidavit the
statement that every article would be replaced
s soon as he was financially able to replace it,
The goods were lost 10 years ago. glance
at the army pay table makes it appear that by
the practice of rigid economy Major Fuller by
this time may have succeeded in duplicating
his wardrobe of the late nineties.
The end is not yet. The committee on
claims. after many years, reported Major Full
er's case favorably to the house. The house
was busy with other things. 1t is not hard for
the representatives to overlook claims. They
are used to it and hardened to it. Then the
senate must act and finally the president. Ma
ljor Fuller may get his money at time coinci-
dent with his retirement at the age limit and
he is yet young man.
There is no means at this present moment
OF finding out whether Casper H. Conrad, OF
the Third United States cavalry, has succeeded
in finally wrestling from Uncle Sans grasp
$32.S5, which the usually amiabe uncle took
from the officers pay practically by force Of
arms some 10 years ago. At last accounts the
rcayalryman still pegging away trying to
get his money back, for 1t belonged to him and
no one has ever intimated that it did not be-
long to him, but claims proceedings are greater
laggards in their pace than were the Jarndyce
proceedings in chancery.
If Capt Conrad has not recovered his $S2.S5
he is still hopeful, for the most hopeful people
on earth are those who have claims, and the
deferring of hope seemingly never makes their
hearts sick. This is one of the compensations
which nature grants to Offset the iniquities of
claims proceedings in congress.
Capt Conrad. as an acting quartermaster,
paid $32.S5 extra duty money to certain en-
listed men. government regulation which
has existed Tor years autnorlzed, IN TACT or
dered, the captain to pay the money. After
he had paid it he found that the government
had revoked the extra-pay regulation, but no
one had seen fit to notify the quartermasters OF
the change.
Uncle Sam Immediately stopped $32S5 out
OF Capt. Conrad's pay and practically told him
that he should have known in some mysterious
way that the government had an order slowed
away in a vault somewhere to the effect that
extra-duty pay had been cut out.
Conrad comes of an army family and he
stuck to his task of getting his money back
from the government like good fighter, and
he is sticking at 1t to-day, unless within very
short time the almost impossible has hap
pened and his money has been returned to him.
II took Eim five years to get permission
from the secretary of war. the lieutenantgen-