The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-08
THE WAR WIDOWS.

HE WAX WIDOWS.
The September PeusiOn Paymeuts-Organiza.
ton Of the Pension Agencies and Amount Of
Disbursements-Arrest Of War Widows
Frauds on the Pension Departments.
The semi-annual payment Of army PENSIONS which
commenced on Saturday at all the pension agencies
throughout the United States Is still going on every
day at the New York city agencies, where large
crowds Of pensioners assemble each morning before
the city is fairly astr and wait throughout the long
exhausting hours OF noon for the little an
nuities handed out by the busy agents.
The first week Of these payments Ia always charac.
terzed by an overwhelming rush OF pensioners, and
the clerical force OF the offices Is taxed to the utmost
until the most needy cases are PAID OF, when the
business settles down to steady pace. with COM
paratively few payments per day. There are two
0fces In this city for the payment OF army pensions
one under the Custom House. IN Exchange place. for
widows, orphans ana other relatives OF deceased
soldiers and the other under the Sub-Treasury, In
Wall street, for the payment Of "rmy invalid PEN
siOns.
THE WIDOWS
Pension Agency above mentioned Is under the
direction of General W. H. Lawrence who. after
serving with Rallantry in the Army OF the Potomac
Ky and was the t only colonel mentioned in General
Grants final report OF the war. This ONCE employs
five clerks and disburscs TO widows, orphans and
other relatives OF deceased officers and soldiers
about 100000 per year, One-half the amount
paid to this class OF pensioners IN the
about $50 pensioners. involving an additional
disbursement OF $4,000 over that OF last year.
About fifty names are struck from the list per an
mum in consequence OF death, marriage and other
causes. Payments were made on Saturday to 40
pensioners and amounted to s25, 900; on Monday to
500 cases. who also received about sa4Ooo in ccnse
quence OF there being more relatives Of deceased
ocers than on the days The
have been paid the rush will cease and the number
OF cases per day will be small.
Suspicious having been aroused chat some OF the
parties receiving pensions were not entitled to
them by direction Of the Commissioner OF Pensions
Officers were placed on duty at the agency with
authority arrest such might attempt TO fraudu
~''' ARREST OF WAR WIDOWS
warrants were issued some days ago for the
arrest OF a number OF war widows for fraud, and
yesterday three were captured. Their names are
Eliza Hill, Mary Ennis and Ann Leonard They are
held as prisoners OF the United States government,
and are charged with having been married since the
issuing TO them Of their pensions; that they drew
the pensions due them as widows Of soldiers de-
ceased during or since the war; that they made
oath that they were still in widowhood. and that
they thereby made false dispositions. The follow
ing is the anidavit upon which the arrests were
made
The Of
n ss the s of and
United States been respectively,
Ina! The ;:d Ann
them .Soa: 18th q March sss within :sd
Of since sss Tor The sapprsssion i:
them then and there 10 the Southern district
a they Ss % vs %Ss1oss
charges tine said Mary Ennis Ann Leonard and Eli,a Hin
on Sy tasxinsy y,1ipy %sSns os.s sioIs:sa
saa PROVIDED ''' " WIN intent '''''0' 0"''
Ann Leonard admitted that she married seven
months ago. The women were released on bail OF
$500 each to appear for examination.
Among the amusing Incidents OF the day was the
Oh S az he @
nature of an oath, preparatory to his being sworn
replied Eyes, when you swear TO lie stick to it,"
There are several rooms connected with the office
for the accommodation OF persons awaiting their
turn be paid off, and business Is despatched with
as much regard to the convenience and comfort Of
pensloners as circumstances will permit Nearly ali
the cases VINO have presented themselves are the
relatives OF deceased soldiers, the officers widows
and orphans waiting for the rush to subslde.
INVALID PENSIONS.
The office for the payment OF invalid pensioners,
located the basement Of the Sub Treasury Is under
tie charge Of Colonel G. M. Van Buren,, OF the Sixth
New York cavalry Colonel Van Buren, also served
with distinction IN the Army OF the Potomac which
he Joined as q captain, and was twenty months q
prisoner in Richmond. Six clerks and seven ex
aiming surgeons are employed in this once, and
the disbursements amount to about $4,000 per
year. paid to 5000 pensioners. There Is an increase
of 400 pensioners over those Of last year; thirty
have been struck from the rolls on account
OF death or termination or disability, 100 have
been recommended 10 the Pension ONCE at
washington for increase OF PENSIONS and 100 names
have been forwarded to this agency by the COmmls
sioner of Pensions for reduction, In consequence OF
decrease Of disability. On Saturday 1872 pensioners
received $19,ss0, on Monday 240 received $16, 0OO
and the payments yesterday were the same as on the
preceding day. The crowd at the agency Is always
large in the morning; but Colonel Van Buren, having
adopted the plan OF issuing tickets early in the
morning to the extent Of his payments for the day,
those failing to get tickets retire, leaving the
lucky to procure their money with
some degree Of comfort. Payments commence
at seven A. M. and close at six r. NJ In cases where
the invalid Is unable to go to the office Colonel Van
Buren, visits him ana pays him at his place OF resi-
dence. As In the case OF General Lawrences office
most OF the pensioners now presenting themselves
belong to the rank and file, and after this week,
when the crowd becomes less the officers among
whom are Generals Max Weber, Eagan and Slough
ton will be paid
There have been some frauds IN this department
where men pensioned for gunshOt wounds have
since their discharge from the service contracted
| rheumatism or pulmonary complaints and obtained
from examining surgeons ccrtifcates that their dis
were contracted IN the army Reference to the
original papers In the application OF each man for
pensiOn exposes these discrepancies, and prevents
| In most cases the contamination Of the attempted
| fraud Another class OF fraudulent pensioners con.
| slsts OF men who have obtained the documents OF
| deceased pensioners and draw pensions upon them.
Colonel Van Buren, IL now engaged IN investigating
| cases OF this kind, and expects TO break up the
| fraudulent operations In his department.