While on a march from one post to another on the frontier, in September,
1874, the beneficiary was severely wounded by the bursting of a gun,
necessitating the amputation of three of his fingers.
The reports of this occurrence develop the fact that the gun which burst
in his hands was a shotgun, and that the accident happened while the
beneficiary was hunting "for his own pleasure or benefit."
His wound was a severe one, and the injured man was probably a good
and faithful soldier, but it seems quite clear to me that it would be
extending the pension theory to an unwarrantable limit to hold the
Government responsible for such an accident.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _October 16, 1888_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I herewith return without approval House bill No. 10563, entitled "An
act granting a pension to William S. Latham."
The beneficiary named in this bill enlisted in August, 1862. The rolls
for March and April, 1863, report him a deserter, but it having been
ascertained that sickness was the cause of his failure to return to his
regiment at the end of a furlough granted to him, upon which failure the
charge of desertion was based, he was restored to his company and the
charge of desertion removed.
All this is stated in the report of the committee to which this bill was
referred.
But it is not mentioned in said report that he was again furloughed on
the 17th day of August, 1863, and, failing to return at the end of his
furlough, one month thereafter, again became a deserter, but was not so
reported until October 8, 1863.
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