EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 22, 1886_.
_To the Senate_:
I hereby return without approval Senate bill No. 1400, entitled "An act
granting a pension to William H. Beck."
This claimant enlisted in 1861. He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer
January i, 1864, and was finally mustered out April 20, 1866. In all
this time of service his record shows no medical treatment or claim of
disability. Indeed, an abstract of his reenlistment January 1, 1864,
shows a medical examination and perfect soundness.
Notwithstanding all this, he filed his declaration on the 4th day of
April, 1879, nearly thirteen years after his discharge, alleging that in
June, 1863, he incurred epilepsy, to which he has been subject since,
and that his fits have been from one to ten days apart. To connect this
in some way with his military service he stated that the doctor at a
hospital said his epilepsy was caused "by jar to the head from heavy
firing."
Six months after this alleged "jar" and his consequent epilepsy he
reenlisted upon a medical certificate of perfect soundness and served
more than two years thereafter.
Every conceded fact in the case negatives the allegations of his
declaration, and the rejection of his claim necessarily followed.
If this disease can be caused in the manner here detailed, its
manifestations are such as to leave no doubt of its existence, and it
seems to me simply impossible under the circumstances detailed that
there should be any lack of evidence to support the claim upon which
this bill is predicated.