The New York herald., 1869-09-05
THE WAR WIDOWS.
Raid Of the Deputy Marshals Upon Poor
Women-Widows With Husbands Living
Drawing Pensions from Uncle Sam-H Ow
sho Eo L. aI

Raid Of the Deputy Marshals Upon Poor
Women-Widows With Husbands Living
Drawing Pensions from Uncle Sam-H ow
the Game Is Played.
At an early hour yesterday morning q special
ofncer, W. J. Newcombe, together with number OF
deputy marshas, was directed to make q raid upon
a number OF female pensioners who had assembled
at the Pension ONCE. Exchange place, to receive
their monthly payments.
II Is charged that number of these war widows
have been married. and that they are not therefore,
entitled to the amounts which they receive More
over 1t was alleged that some OF the worthy danes
generally came down IN carriages and presented no
evidence OF being In poverty. In fact, the majority
OF them, 1t is SAID looked extremely WELL and far
from being dependent on the government for sup
port. Rumor has that the frauds in this depart
ment are immense. The officers made this raid by
special instructions from the Pension Bureau in
Washington.
The orders were sustained by an affidavlt filed in
the office OF United States Commissioner Shields,
and made by CLERK in the Pension ONCE, charging
a number OF women who have been receiving pen
sons as ''widows OF soldiers deceased during or
since the late for the suppression of the rebel
llOnh with having been married respectively as de-
ponent Is inlormed since the issuance to them OF
said PENSIONS" aud with having made oath to the
TACT OF their present wdowhOOd
The Widows and mothers pension agent is ex-
Brgadier General William Hudson Lawrence, a new
incumbent, and the pension agent Of the soldiers s
Colonel George NJ. Van Buren,. General Lawrence
paid about $4,000 yesterday before closing his ofce
and VIII pay $l,Oo0,o0o before all his pensioners
receive their dues. Colonel Van Buren, VIII have
paid near $4,000. His payments, IN ALL Will
amount To $5V000O or more.
AT seven O'Clock last night, when the COmmis-
soner's Office closed the deputy marshals had not
made any report. and 1t was not determined
whether they mad made the arrests or not. The
names OF the parties mentioned In the at1ldavlt are
Tor obvious reasons suppressed.
The pension agents yesterday began paying the
han yearly pensions to wounded soldiers and sail
Ors and widows VI the dead warriors IN ''lawlu
money " otherwise known as currency, and the con-
sequence was that crowds oeseged the doors OF the
agents offices during the whole day, from half
past six in the morning till long alter sundown.
on the cellar floor OF the sub-Treasury and
the women In small room under the
large arcnway from Exchange place. The scene
under the ubIreasVry yesterday was not at all OF
the most agreeable kind. Not that the one legged
and one armed fellows. who tried to push their way
through the mass OF their comrades. wedgeg in the
narrow passage ways as closely a. herrings IN bar
rel, had not enough OF the glory OF the past
about them to make them objects OF interest
TO the patr0tic but the appearance OF poverty that
auaas AMIDST ~ every one gave evidence oL either IN
Many hobbled along hatiess and with coats that
could scarce keep their crazy stlches together while
Others were barefooted and had no coats at all.
Several OF them were under the influence OF liquor,
and there bdlng their turn for hat little hap'Orh"
doZed away the du minutes in a dark corner of
the room, where the perspiring clerks were figuring
and recording fact, and III many cases fiction, con-
cerning the widow Of this man who was killed out
right IN battle ana that one who came home
wounded and was left to die the death OF q
''sav1Or OF his country, unattended by the govern
ment he had fought for. Under the Custom House
the scene was, II anything, more dsagreeable. The
majority Of the women were but lily clad, although
but few Of them were IN mourning, having, no
doubt, gotten bravely over that eccentrcity OF the
sOrrOwlng so frequently observed shortly alter the
close OF the war. IT may be that many OF them had
been at one time of that class called the ''respect
able poor but the general appearance Of the whole
gathering carried with 1t such an epitome OF
want and misery that the behOder could scarce look
upon them without shuddcrlng. There was In many
instances the severest type OF dissipation. unmls
taxable In Its characteristics, was the peculiar
state OF two red-nOeed old women who, with
.oer ssan Knees drawn up under Them tried
noon, but failed mserably In the attempt.
The crowd was not without Its pleasant feature,
however. In the midst Of the mass that surged
paiefaced woman with little child in her arms,
who dlsregarded the growls OF the impatient women
behind her, as well as the curses OF the more
profane and reckless She turned neither to the
10 her bosom and kept one hand extended with her
papers, as If imploring the CLERK to take compassion
on her and bear her witness nat 1t not her fault
that she had got into such boisterOus company.
Perseverance and probably interesting face
gained the day for her. Her little pittance was doed
out to her and she went away rejoicing, followed by
the scOwls OF all the other women who had yet TO
wait their turn IL may be said, In cOncluslon that
the in which the payinglon OF the pensioners
is conducted Is disgrace. The agents know very
well hat amount OF work they do in DAY and
should be mindful to notify q certain number OF per-
to call for their money ut certain time, and
not have crowd OF poor women, many OF whom,
their eagerness TO be at tue office. to pass whole
day, crowdng and crushing one another TO death,
only to go away at night without having gained
their end. Te,bum sap.