DEPOSITION
Case of Emma D Longley, No. 558,604
On this 19 day of May, 1904 at St. Cloud, county of Stearns, state of Minn., before me, H.J. Decker, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Thomas J. Longley, who, being, by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:
My age is 59. James Longley was my brother. He was nearly ten years older than I. I was in same company and regiment as he but we were separated when he was taken sick and sent to the hospital about May or Jun 62 I think and I did not see him again till after the service. I did not know what the nature of his sickness was. We lived near after discharge and saw each other often till I reenlisted. Then saw him in 66 and til 68 when he came up here and I saw him again in 70 when I came here. Went back and saw him again in 78 since which time we lived not more than ten miles apart and saw him often till he died. In his final illness I took care of him the last four weeks.
At discharge he complained of his breathing had pain and soreness. he had aches and pains in shoulders and knees and hips and said he had piles. He complained considerable of heart burn he used to eat chalk for it. This was very frequent. I don't recall that he complained of liver or bowel trouble.
He worked in cooper shop with me and we always had the chalk handy and he ate the chalk about every day and often three or four times a day. Dont recall his complaining of darrhoea think he said he was constipatied. He also said his heart fluttered. In 68 his condition was about the same. He was able to work but had the same distress and used chalk. Every little while he would speak of pain in his shoulders and leg and stop and rub himself. I dont think he ever got so he did not speak of this every once in a while and was often lame in knees or hip for a short time. He had to lay off. He was workin by the piece and would stop when he felt like it. We all worked that way. I cant tell how much of the time he lost or how often he layed off. Well it was on account of the fluttering and the pains in the shoulders and legs. He said his heartburn was getting up into his neck. He never had relief from this heart trouble or the heart burn. He boarded with me and often would chew a crust to quiet the burning. This was the same when I saw him in 70 & 78. The rheumatism was not very bad, was not tied down with it but he had it frequently till he died.
After 1878 he gradually failed, was gettin older and had more trouble with his heartburn and the fluttering. It grew on him. When he left Ohio it was on account of his breast but dont know whether his heart or lungs. I don't know about his eating as we did not board together then. I believe his heart caused his death because he had this trouble so often and it seemed to weaken him most.
Thomas J Longley
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of May, 1904 and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.
H.J. Decker
Spl. Examiner
Jun 3 1904 Deponent recalled to finish interrupted statement, and being first duly sworn says. In his last sickness I was sent for about four weeks before his death because his feet were swelling and so I supposed he was about done. I found his feed and legs swelled part way to his knees. His right leg was cold and had turned purple. His left was swelled but was still warm. He had lost his appetite. Could not eat anything. We fed him on light stuff. He could not lie down. He sat up on the bed. he would drop off to sleep and then he would seem to stop breathing, then catch his breath and wake up. He was not arund to amount to anything after that. Would get him up in a chair to dress his feet. When he was awake his breathing was like a pant as if he was tired. He complained right along of severe pain in his heart. At times his right foot and instep would pain him bad. he could not stand it with his feet up in bed. He would holler every time an put them down again. Later he could not keep even the teas and broths that he would take in spoonful doses. He would vomit it up. He was very thin. Well I think his kidnes were al right but his bowels did not do much. Dont recall that he had much to say about his heart burn then. His sinking spells and papitation and his feet and legs were the worst and what he complained of mostly. he would get wore out with his weakness and pain and drop off into a doze and then seemed as if everything had stopped. I thought he would be gone. He would catch his breath and often holler out and nearly every time put his han over his heart. The hide of his right leg blistered and turned dark nearly to his knee. The pain in the right foot was continuous He would think
Thomas J Longley
deponent.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3 day of June, 1904 and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.
H.J. Decker
Spl. Examiner
DEPOSITION
Case of Emma D Longley, No. 558,604
On this 3 day of June, 1904 at St. Cloud, county of Stearns, state of Minn., before me, H.J. Decker, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Thomas J. Longley continued, who, being, by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:
we were going to hit it and he would holler. In dressing it used hot water and could hardly touch it it was so sore. His right toe nails three of them came off and the flesh came off some parts of the foot. No I did not know of his abdomen swelling. He was very gaunt though is bowels. Well I think he died on account of that foot. So Dr Pinault said. Well I though his heart trouble caused the condidtion of foot. My wife had heart trouble and except his foot trouble she was much the same as he. She had palpitation and bloating. I have no financial interest in this pension case or in its prosecution. BJll is mine and is true.
Ques. Did your brother James have while in the service Eczema, Measles diarrhoea rheumatism livertrouble, fever or jaundice?
Ans. He had fever and jaundice but dont recall the others except he used to have pains in shoulders and legs after marching. I cant tell whether he had indigestionin service or not. B J 15 has my signature. I have head it read I have no remembrance of hearing him say he had diarrhoea in theservice I am sure he was very constipated in the service. His feces were hard and dry. The boys used to tell him if he would take them to the colonel he would get his discharge. He may have had bad little spells of it but he was constipated always. Otherwise that statement is true I think. BJ6&7 New Law are mine. Above read, understood, and is correct.
Thomas J Longley
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3 day of June, 1904 and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.
H.J. Decker
Special Examiner
(note from transcriber - I tried to type this as written. The original is typed on what was most surely one of the earliest typewriters. The result is full of errors, hand corrections, and sometimes just doesn't make sense.)
Updated on Saturday, 08-Sep-2018 16:11:05 MDT