Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-07-27
WHOLE NO. 2SO8.
THE NEW PENSION LAW.

Among the most important acts
passed by Congress at the late session
was that providing for the payment
| of pensions quarterly to pensioners,
and for the regulation of fees to be
paid to claim agents for the prosecu-
| ton of claims for pension and bounty
land. Said act became a law July s,
1870, and preseribes in substance as
follows:
! SECTION1. Pension agents shall pre-
pare and submit within fifteen DAYS
/ preceding the 4th of March, June,
/ September and December in each
year, vouchers for the quarterly pay
ment to pensioners direct, who, on or
after said 4th day named, may exc
cute and return the said vouchers and
none other to the said pension agents.
SEC. 2. Upon the receipt Of such
vouchers properly executed, and the
establishment of the identity of the
person entitled to the pension, the
pension agent shall Immediately for
ward by mail to the said pensiOner
direct, and to no other person, a check
payable to the order of said PEN
sioner, except where the pensioner is
required to appear personally and
receive the pension.
Sec. 3. No pension shall, under any
circumstances, be paid 10 any but the
pensioner entitled thereto, except in
case Of persons legally disabled, when
payments may be made to guardi-
ans, and in cases of persons resident
abroad, when payment may be made
as provided in the previous acts.
SEC. 4. Pension agents shall receive
for all services rendered to pension
ers, including postage, thirty cents,
payable by the United States, and not
more shall be received by them under
penalty of five hundred dollars.
SEC. 3. The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall provide blank vouchers to
be used as above stated, and regula-
tions therefor.
SEC. 6. Pension agents and their
authorized clerks shall take and GER
tify affidavits of all pensioners who
may appear before them for that pur-
pose, and give the check for the pen
sion to the pensioner personally, and
for taking any such affidavit falsely
and eorruptly the affiant shall be
deemed guilty of perjury, the penalty
of which shall be imprisonment for
| five years or less and fine not exceed
ing one thousand dollars.
SEC. Z. The fee of an agent or
attorney for the prosecution of a
claim or bounty land shall not exceed
twenty five dollars. The agent or
attorney must file without cost to
the claimant) with the Commissioner
of Pensions duplicate articles of agree
ment duly attested setting forth the
fee agreed upon. When no such
agreement is filed or approved by the
Commissioner the fee shall be ten
dollars and no more.
SEC. s. For contract for demand, or
receipt or retention of any eompensa-
ton greater than stated, the penalty
shall be a fine of five hundred dollars
or less, or Imprisonment for five years
or less, or both.
SEC. 9. The Commissioner of PEN
sion shall forward to the pension
agents, with the certificates of PEN
sion, one of the articles of agreement,
if approved by him, and directions as
to the payment of fees.
SEC. 10. The pension agents shall
deduct from the amount Of pension
due the amount of fee, if any, and
forward the same Qess thirty cents) as
directed by the Commissioner.