862, and died in the service of smallpox, May 20,
1865.

His father having died some time prior to the soldier's enlistment, his
mother in 1858 married Lorenzo D. Richardson. It is stated in the report
upon this case from the Pension Bureau that the deceased did not live
with his mother after her marriage to Richardson, and that there is no
competent evidence that he contributed to her support after that event.

At the time of the soldier's death his stepfather was a blacksmith,
earning at about that time, as it is represented, not less than $70 a
month, and owning considerable property, a part of which still remains
to him.

While in ordinary cases of this kind I am by no means inclined to
distinguish very closely between dependence at the date of the soldier's
death and the date of proposed aid to a needy mother, I think the
circumstances here presented, especially the fact of nonresidence by the
son with his mother since her second marriage, do not call for a
departure from the law governing claims based upon dependence.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

POCKET VETOES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, August 17, 1886_.

Hon. Thos. F. Bayard,
_Secretary of State_.

DEAR SIR: The President directs me to transmit to you the accompanying
bills and joint resolutions, which failed to become laws at the close of
the late session of Congress, being unsigned and not having been
presented to him ten days prior to adjournment.

I may add that the printed copy of memorandum (without signature) is by
the President, and is attached to each bill and resolution by his
direction.

Very respectfully,

O.L. PRUDEN,
_Assistant Secretary_.

["An act for the relief of Francis W. Haldeman."--Received July 28,
1886.]

This bill appropriates $200 to the party named therein "as compensation
for services performed and money expended for the benefit of the United
States Army." It appears from a report of the House Committee on War
Claims that in the fall of 1863 Haldeman, a lad 12 years of age,
purchased a uniform and armed himself and attached himself to various
Ohio regiments, and, as is said, performed various duties connected with
the army service until the end of the year 1864, and for this it is
proposed to give him $200.

Of course he never enlisted and never was regularly attached to any
regiment. What kind of arms this boy 12 years of age armed himself with
is not stated, and it is quite evident that his military