The widow filed a claim for pension in May, 1887.
The testimony of physicians upon her claim covered seven years prior
to his death, thus dating back to the year 1879, and they speak of
the disease of the ear and of the kidneys, which, in their opinion,
undermined his health, so that "he succumbed to an attack of pneumonia,
which to a person of ordinary good health would not have been considered
serious."
It can hardly be supposed that the trouble with his ears caused the
soldier to fall a victim to pneumonia; and so far as the kidney disease
tended in that direction, it is to be observed that it apparently did
not make its appearance until fourteen years after the soldier's
discharge.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 26, 1880_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return without approval House bill No. 11586, entitled "An act for the
relief of Stephen Williams."
It appears from the records that the beneficiary for whom a pension is
provided in this bill served as a volunteer in an Illinois regiment from
October, 1862, to October; 1864, at which date he is reported as a
deserter.
He filed a claim for pension in 1881, in which he alleged that he was
struck with a gunstock upon his head and injured in October, 1864.
The evidence shows that a drunken comrade struck the claimant with the
stock of his gun because he would not buy whisky for him.
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