EXECUTIVE MANSION, _July 6, 1886_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return herewith without approval House bill No. 5603, entitled "An act
granting a pension to Mrs. Catherine McCarty."
The beneficiary is the widow of John McCarty, of the First Missouri
Regiment of State Militia Volunteers, who died at Clinton, Mo., April 8,
1864.
The widow filed her claim in 1866, alleging that her husband died while
in the service from an overdose of colchicum.
The evidence shows without dispute that on the day previous to the death
of the soldier a comrade procured some medicine from the regimental
surgeon and asked McCarty to smell and taste it; that he did so, and
shortly afterwards became very sick and died the next morning.
It is quite evident that the deceased soldier did more than taste this
medicine.
Although it would be pleasant to aid the widow in this case, it is
hardly fair to ask the Government to grant a pension for the freak or
gross heedlessness and recklessness of this soldier.