n the Ninth
Regiment of Ohio Volunteers.

This soldier drew a pension from January, 1882, to January 16, 1886,
when he died. He claimed disability for disease of the ears and a
resulting deafness of his left ear. There appears to be no evidence in
his record of any disability or medical treatment while in the service,
and the medical examination upon his application for pension shows no
rating for any disability other than that alleged by him and for which
he was pensioned--disease of the ears and resulting deafness.

It is conceded that the soldier died January 16, 1886, of pneumonia.

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.

This, upon all the facts, does not appear to be a proper case for
allowing a pension for an injury suffered in the line of military duty.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 2, 1889_.

_To the Senate_:

I herewith return without approval Senate bill No. 139, entitled "An act
to credit and pay to the several States and Territories and the District
of Columbia all moneys collected under the direct tax levied by the act
of Congress approved