1st Session.

LIBRARY

No. 2082.

Leland Stanford, Jr.

UNIVERSITY

NIMROD HEADINGTON.

MAY 17, 1902.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be

printed.

Mr. HOLLIDAY, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 4829.]

The Committee on Invalid Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4829) granting an increase of pension to Nimrod Headington, have examined the same and adopt the Senate report thereon and recommend that the bill do pass.

[Senate Report No. 1248, Fifty-seventh Congress, first session.]

The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4829) granting an increase of pension to Nimrod Headington, have examined the same and report: This bill proposes to increase from $20 to $30 per month the pension of Nimrod Headington, late major Thirty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

The military records show that Nimrod Headington was mustered into the service of the United States as first lieutenant with Company B, Thirty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, to date September 23, 1861. He was promoted captain January 4, 1863, and major May 1, 1864, and was honorably discharged February 19, 1866.

Major Headington is now about 75 years of age. He lives at Portland, Ind. He filed and established a claim under the general law, and was pensioned in April, 1885, for malarial poisoning and resulting disease of liver and rheumatism of service origin at the rate of $15 per month, one-half total of his rank, he being a captain at the time his disabilities were contracted. March 28, 1888, his pension was increased to his present rate of $20 per month, total of rank. He also claimed pension for deafness, which he declared was due to concussion from the bursting of a shell at Port Gibson, Miss., in May, 1863. This claim was rejected September 6, 1901, on the ground of no record or other satisfactory evidence of service origin.

Major Headington is now broken down in health and unable to do manual labor. He is disabled by reason of malarial poisoning, disease of liver, and rheumatism, for which he is pensioned, and is also much afflicted with deafness. He is totally deaf in left ear and severely deaf in right ear. His neighbors state that his deafness has existed since his discharge, and it is very probably a result of his military service. His last medical examination, at Portland, Ind., May 2, 1900, rates him $20 for malarial poisoning and disease of liver, $10 for rheumatism, and $25 for deafness.

From the papers on file in the Bureau it appears that Major Headington is poor and needy. He is a thorough patriot and signalized his devotion to his country by over four years of gallant service, winning promotions by his zeal and courageous conduct on the field of battle. He is now a poor, deaf, broken-down man whose days of life are rapidly passing by, and in his need he appeals for relief to the country he served so well. It seems meet and proper that a measure of comfort should be provided for him in his old age, and your committee report the bill back favorably with a recommendation that it pass.