The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-07-14
FROM BUREAU OF
WAR RISK INSURANCE

Among the 341,347 active compen.
sation and insurance claims on file
in the Bureau of War Risk insurance
there are three cases on which a COM
pensation award for double premanent
total disability is being paid, the only
three coming under that provision of
the War Risk Act. Each case gives
evidence Of the degree of ingenuity
and courage which survive in these
former service men both blinded and
manned.
Henry A. Bitter (C-165-3s9) Cor
poral, Company c. 352nd Infantry SO
Division. Bitter was injured in Toul
Sector, France, on the 10th of Nevem-
ber, 1918, by accidental explosion of
hand grenade. His company was as
signed to gas training at a French
training camp. On the last day at the
gas school, maneuvers were ordered.
While advancing through a smoke
screen under orders, with hand
grenade to be thrown at an imaginary
enemy, the pin in the hand grenade
became loosened and the hand grenade
exploded, causing injury that resulted
in the amputation Of both hands and
loss Of sight Of both eyes. He was
awarded $500 month, and on his
$4,000 insurance the monthly pay
ments of $3.50 An attendant was
furnished him and he was fitted with
artificial hands. Before entering the
service he had been registered phar-
macist. He was given vocational train
ing and recently has notified the Fed
eral Board that he had, with his broth
er acting as associate and personal at
tendant, completed the formula for a
proprietary medicine.
Pearl Perry (C-285 11O) Private
Field Artillery. The premature explo-
sion of a hand grenade at Verdun,
October 8, 1918, entirely destroyed
both hands, right eye destroyed, and
hearing impaired, and he was under
hospital treatment from date of in
jury until August 2, 1919, when he
was discharged. Besides his double
award of 5000, COM
pensation from the date of discharge,
there was also made to him the in
surance award of $3.50 month re-
troactive to the date Of his injury. He
was a truck driver before joining the
Army and recent report from hos
pital where he had received treatment
for minor accident contains the in
"he wears artificial arms
and drives his auto" |
Charles Joseph Bronner (C-358 1867
Seaman 1st class, U. S. N. Bronner
received his injuries in Italy, August |
19, 1919, while on a recreation party
with some sixty other sailors from
his ship, the U. S. S. J. Fred Talbot.
While going through the trenches
near the battlefield Monfalcone, Is
tria, looking for souvenirs hand
grenade or some similar explosive was
and blew off both hands
and blew out both eyes. These injur-
les were judged as received mot in
line of duty, but not the result Of his
own misconduct" and he was awarded
$3.50 compensation and attendant al
lowance, and on the $4,000 insurance
which he had applied for and had been
granted he is receiving monthly |
of $11.50. Immediately upon
from the Navy, Bronner ap-
piled for vocational training and was
given course at the Red Cross In
stitute for the Blind, at Baltimore,
the Federal Board paying
him $4,000, month and the Bureau
of War Risk Insurance continuing to
pay $14O during the course. Bronner
has successfully adjusted himself to
his apparent unsurmountable handi-
cap by the use of artificial arms term
mating in complicated attachments
with which he can carry heavy arti-
cles, serve himself, and hold a cane
for his guidance about the shcool.