GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 18, 1889.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return without approval House bill No. 7877, entitled “An act to place
Mary Karstetter on the pension roll.”

The beneficiary named in this bill is the widow of Jacob Karstetter, who enlisted in June, 1864, and was discharged in June, 1865, on account of a wound in his left hand received in action.  He died in August, 1874, of gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach, and congestion of the liver.  He was granted a pension for his gunshot wound and was in receipt of such pension at the time of his death.

I was constrained to return without approval a bill identical with the one herewith returned, and which was passed by the last Congress, and stated my objections to the same in a communication addressed to the House of Representatives, dated July 6, 1886.[31]

It seemed to me at that time that the soldier’s death could not be held to be the result of his wound or any other cause chargeable to his military service.

Upon reexamination I am still of the same opinion, which leads me to again return the bill under consideration without approval.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

[Footnote 31:  See pp. 469-470.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 18, 1889.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return without approval House bill No. 9296, entitled “An act granting a pension to Bridget Carroll.”

This bill proposes to pension the beneficiary therein named as the dependent mother of Patrick Carroll, who was enrolled as a sergeant in the Regular Army in 1881, this being, as it is stated, his second term of enlistment.

In September, 1886, being absent from his command at Fort Warren, Mass., he was drowned while sailing in a small boat with two companions.

The beneficiary is aged and in need of assistance, but there is no pretense that the soldier’s death was in the least degree related to his military service.

I am sure no one could fail to be gratified by an opportunity to join in according aid to this dependent old mother of a faithful soldier, but I can not believe that such a departure as is proposed should be made from the just principles upon which pension legislation ought to be predicated.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 18, 1899.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return without approval House bill No. 9175, entitled “An act granting a pension to George Wallen.”

The beneficiary named in this bill filed an application for pension in
June, 1873, alleging as his disability a fracture of his right arm.

In a subsequent affidavit filed in 1883 he alleged deafness, which appears to be the disability upon which the special act proposed for his relief is based.

The records establish that he enlisted July 27, 1861, that he deserted April 25, 1862, and returned February 20, 1863, after an absence of about ten months, and that he deserted again April 30, 1864, and returned prior to August 31, 1864.  I am informed that his record shows two enlistments and desertion during each.  He was discharged December 31, 1864.