The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1927-12-07
Redwood Falls Hermit
Continued from page one)

ABOUT this time, IN snort lucid IN
terval, lasting hardly a moment, Mr..
Beals made some reference to his
having resided in New York State at
one time. Drifting from the lucid
moment, however, he still insisted to
the hospital authorities that he had
been and still was in the government
service, and that any other statements
were misleading. This led Mr.. Allen
to make a search through all of the
New York records, and finally his
long search was rewarded by finding
his name enlisted as a member of
Company l, Fifth New York Field
Artillery, and a company and regi-
ment that stood some of the heaviest
fighting during the great internecine
strife. He further learned from the
records that Mr.. Beals was born in
New York on March 9Th, 1874, and
that he had two brothers in the strug
gle, one of whom is still residing
somewhere in New York.
'Mr. Beals, as a result of his &C.
centricities, had never applied for a
pension to which he was so justly en-
titled. After Mr.. Allen had checked
up the records and found that he was
entitled to put in a claim for an orig
inal pension under the act of May l,
1920, an attempt was made to have
Mr.. Beals sign the APPLICATION. But
he persistently refused, saying that
he worked for his government and his
country without charge, and while,
In lucid moment, seeming to glory
In the fact that some one had found
out his civil war connections, he
thought it was no persons business
to venture into such a detailed in
quiry. AS a result of his refusal to
sign the application, it became nee
essary for the officers of the st. Peter
hospital to sign his name, and attach
thereto affidavits that Mr.. Beals was
an incompetent and could not affix
his signature. The application was
finally sent to Washington on Sept.
4th, 1928, and was for a pension of
$1,000 per month from the date Of
the application. This pension was
duly allowed on November 10, 1927,
and either by this time, or within a
short time, Mr. McRae, as the guard
ian Of Mr.. Beals, has received, or will
receive back pension check for 3d.
672, and thereafter at the rate of $72
per month during the remainder of
Mr.. Beals' life.
while it is possible that some pay
ment will be made to the state for
his care at the st. Peter hospital a
pension is something which the state,
county, or any subdivision of the gov
eminent can not attach or lay any
claim to.
From st. Peter, Monday, came the
information that Mr.. Beals is still
fairly active for his age but that dur
ing the past few years he has COM
menced to show some feebleness. He
works in the laundry where he does
light work. The work is pleasing to
him and he has much his own way as
to the amount of work he does.
His mental condition has not
shown any change for several years.
DIR. Freeman, the superintendent of
the hospital, states that he continues
his hermetic tendencies and that when
he is not employed he often makes a
small shack for himself. This shack
may be made out of old boxes or of
cloths over some boards. He will
spend most of his time in this shack.
During the winter time he usually
stays in the ward when he is not
working. He does not associate with
anybody and appears to be suspicious
ant in talking to any persons but DR..
Freeman and some of the attendants
are on the good side of him and to
them he talks quite freely.
''He makes some of his clothing and
other articles for himself. He usual
ly has more than the required amount
of clothing and almost invariably has
his pockets full of all kinds of junk.
The last time that this junk was taken
away from him, it weighed about fiji
teen pounds. He is adverse to chang
ing his clothes in conformity to the
rules of the hospital. Dr. Freeman in
a recent letter states that he has sew
eral ideas, among them a belief that
he invented some of the machinery
which is used in the hospital laundry
and when his mind is on the inven-
ton, he contends that he has lot of
money coming to him from the in
vention. Very frequently he enter
tains the hallucination that he is still
in the United States Army. He is not
offensive and causes no trouble.
&c. ID. Beals at Port Leyden, New
York, is given as correspondent No
letters have been returned unclaimed
from him. Lewis II. Beals, Toronto,
Kansas, is dead Clarence 7. Beals,
nephew, 21l East 14th ST.. North
Kansas City, Mo-, wrote us last June.
This is the only correspondence con-
corning the man."
RIRD EANCJERS