Charles Darwin's Darwin Awards 
HOME
Darwin Awards
At-Risk Survivors
Slush Pile
2011 November Rejects
Gun ≠Gun
Grilling Up Some Heat
Russian guy
Vermont Man Kills Himself After Fat
Meth Lab Induced Sterility
Pool Dive
Future Contender: Black Mamba
View from the bridge
Diving From A Balcony Into Pool
TV Seppuku
BMX champ exits during celebrations
Gas theft attempt ends in explosion
one jump too many
BMX Start Dies in Dive
Ex BMX Champ
BMX champ dies after balcony "fall"
BMX Champ falls after balcony fall
Teen dies after being hit by train
Captain Hindsight
Decision to flee police nearly cost
Police: Man accidently shoots himse
Libris
Deer 1, Hunter 0
Oh shit! a bus!
Gas lit fireplace Bomb
2 intoxicated men fighting on road
Farmer dies after setting SOS fire
Fake doctor injected cement into...
Daughter hits mother with mini-van
World Sauna Championship cheat
MooseHead Beer?
Pet hippo mauled owner to death
What is the safety for again?
Man Shoots self
Drunk Redneck dies in ATV crash
Pet hippo kills its owner
Exchange Students 'Ride' Waterfall
Hungry Hungry Hippo
Teen Chimney Burglar
No forced death in a forced landing
Hippo mauls owner
Shoots self, too late for Darwin
Man throws himself off the plane
Afraid men died from his nighmare
Man dies: Same place as last attack
Man kills self in grocery store
Russia?
Seatbelt or gun trigger
Man accidentally shoots, kills self
Epic Fail; Better Luck Next Time
Pet Hippo Kills Man
Man killed by pet hippo
Man Killed by "gentle" pet hippo
Traffic Cop killed by speeding Bike
Oh Snap!
Oh Snap!
Motorist Crushed while Parking
Strangled himself, using cardoor
Deadly gun handling!
A Darwin Award in a Veto Message
Abuser goes over the edge
Please don't shoot... yourself!
A really impressive gun gesture
Tucker Max seX-ray
2 die while trying to 'skip' snowma
Railroad Track Theives.
Rugby Jock Turned Gay From Stroke
Smoking plastic
Sitting on a Skylight
Accitendal head explosion
Quentin Armas
Woman bicyclist collides with Train
Bathing a hair dryer
Man jumps out of car
Police: Man Shoots Self In Groin
Landscaper Dies Using Lawnmower for
Additional info re origin
Russian student dies in train roof
Hunter Kills Self
Landscaper Dies Using Lawnmower for
Good intentions BAD Idea
Auto-heart surgery goes wrong
Man dies after trying to cut pacema
Leap of Faith
Raging Weightlifter Tasered
Man Cuts Tree Limb from Underneath
Netflix
Older Rejects 
 
~ Random Story ~
Email Alert!
NEW! Gift Shop
Rules  Search
Contact Darwin
Submit a Story
Philosophy Forum
Home

  

Darwin Awards
2011 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

A Darwin Award in a Veto Message

2011 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Although he is best known for being the only president to serve two inconsecutive terms (1885-1889 and 1893-1897), Grover Cleveland also has the distinction of having issued more vetoes than all of his predecessors combined. Hundreds of these were directed toward bills that attempted to provide individual veterans pension for men and women whose claims were so spurious that even a man of Cleveland's notoriously phlegmatic mien couldn't resist the urge to poke fun at them. While many of these veto messages make for good reading (I would know, since my Master's Thesis focuses on Cleveland's presidency), there is one which tells a story so perfect for the Darwin Awards that I felt compelled to submit it.

Because presidential statements are part of the public record, I have attached the entire veto message below. It was submitted to Congress on 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.

Submitted on 11/11/2011

Submitted by: Matthew Rozsa
Reference: Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents: Grover Cleveland

Copyright © 2011 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: No Self-Selection
Thanks, Matthew, but I don't see why this was submitted. The fact that a man took some medicine procured from a doctor and then died the next day in no way demonstrates the blatant stupidity & humor required for a DA.


Candi said:
Definitely Toss: No Self-Selection
What Bruce said. The lack of education in those days can also be counted against this being a Darwin. A Darwin Award nominee should know better then to do what they did.


The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom

Keep yourself out of the gene pool!
A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item!
Friends don't let friends reproduce!
$13 for Pack of 4

 

 

Slush Pile
Slush Pile Rejects

HomeRulesFAQsAwardsSlushSite Map
DarwinAward | HonorableMention | PersonalAccount | UrbanLegend