his claim in 1870, stating that he was first taken with a
pain in his left arm about March 1, 1864, and that it became partially
paralyzed.

It will be observed that thus far in his application he gives no
explanation of the incurrence of his disability which leads to the
belief that it was related to his service.

In a letter dated May 31, 1864, his captain states that he can but think
that the disability of the claimant was the result of his folly and
indiscretion, and that he feels it his duty to decline giving him a
certificate.

In 1880 the claimant stated the cause of his disability was an injury to
his arm while expelling a soldier from a railroad train at Augusta, Me.,
he acting as provost guard at the time. Upon this allegation the case
was reopened at the Pension Bureau.

In reply to a letter from the Bureau the captain of claimant's company
stated that he had no knowledge of such an injury. The same officer,
in a letter dated February 25, 1887, expresses the belief that the
disability of the applicant, if any existed, was caused by the
injudicious use of mercurial medicine self-administered for venereal
disease contracted at Augusta, Me., in January, 1864, and that such was
the rumor among his comrades when he was sent to the hospital.

I can not believe that an injury was sustained such as was specified
by the applicant in 1880 and that nothing was said of it either in the
claim made in 1864 or in 1870. In the absence of this or some other
definite cause consistent with an honest claim we are left in the face
of some contrary evidence to guess that his arm was injured in the
service.

The application of this beneficiary is still pending in the Pension
Bureau awaiting further information.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _July 16, 1888_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 9520, entitled "An act for the
relief of Mary Fitzmorris."

It is proposed by this bill to pension the beneficiary named therein, as
the widow of Edmund Fitzmorris, under the provisions and limitations of
the general pension laws. The name of the beneficiary is already upon
the pension roll, and she is now entitled to receive precisely the sum
as a pensioner which is allowed her under this bill.

As her application to the Pension Bureau was quite lately favorably
acted upon, it is supposed this special bill for her relief was passed
by the Congress in ignorance of that fac