No mention is made that I can discover of any fracture of the ribs except in the claimant’s application for pension made in 1881, seventeen years after his discharge, and in a report of an examining surgeon made in 1882.

With no denial of the soldier’s condition, as stated by the surgeon, on the part of the only parties who claim to have been present at the time of the injury, I can not satisfy myself, in view of the other circumstances surrounding this case, that the allegations contained in the claimant’s discharge are discredited.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 30, 1888.

To the Senate: 

I return without approval Senate bill No. 838, entitled “An act granting a pension to Mary Sullivan.”

On the 1st day of July, 1886, an act was approved which is an exact copy of the one herewith returned.  In pursuance of that act the beneficiary’s name was placed upon the pension rolls.

A second law for the same purpose is of course unnecessary.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 1, 1888.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return without approval House bill No. 19, entitled “An act for the relief of H.B.  Wilson, administrator of the estate of William Tinder, deceased.”

The purpose of this bill is to refund to the estate of William Tinder the sum of $5,000, which was paid to the Government by his administrator in June, 1880, upon the following facts: 

In 1876 two indictments were found against one Evans, charging him with passing counterfeit money.  In May, 1878, he was tried upon one of said indictments and the jury failed to agree.  Thereupon the prisoner entered into two recognizances in the sum of $5,000 each, with W.R.  Evans and William Tinder as sureties, conditioned for the appearance of the prisoner Evans at the next term of the court, in November, 1878, for trial upon said indictment.  Before that date, however, the prisoner fled the country and failed to appear according to the condition of his bond.  In the meantime William Tinder died and H.B.  Wilson was appointed his administrator.

Suits were brought upon the two bail bonds, and, the liability of the sureties not being admitted, the suits were tried in March, 1880, resulting in two judgments in favor of the United States and against the surety Evans and the estate of Tinder for $5,000 each and the costs.

Soon thereafter an application was made by the administrator of the estate of William Tinder for relief, and an offer was made by him to pay $5,000 and the costs in compromise and settlement of the liability of said estate upon said two judgments.

These judgments were a preferred claim against the estate, which was represented to be worth sixteen or eighteen thousand dollars.  The other surety, Evans, was alleged to be worthless, and it was claimed that neither the administrator of the Tinder estate nor his attorneys had known the whereabouts of the indicted party since his flight, and that some time would elapse before certain litigation in which the estate was involved could be settled and the claims against it paid.