The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-07-24
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA. THURSDAY. JULY a. 1873

lister oaths, shall be held and regarded b,
the Pension-O Office, in the examining an,
determining of claims Of Indians now on file
as Of tho same validity as if taken before a,
officer recognized by the law at the time a
competent to administer oaths; that all proc
wanting in said claims hereafter, as we'll q
in those filed after the passage of this act
shall be taken before the agent of the trib,
to Which the claimants respectively belong
that in regard to dates, all applications o.
Indians now on file be treated as though the,
were made before competent officer at theil
respective dates, and if found to be in al
other respects conclusive, they shall be al
| lowed; and that indians shall be exempted
from the obligation to take the oath to sup.
port the Constitution of the United States
required by the act of February fourteenth
eighteen hundred and seventy-one, providing
for pensions to certain soldiers and sailors Of
the war Of eighteen hundred and twelve, and
to widows of deceased soldiers.
Sec. 20. That the President shall appoint
in the Department Of the Interior, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, a
competent person, who shall be called the
Deputy Commissioner of Pensions, with au
annual salary of twenty five hundred dollars.
who shall be charged with such duties in the
Pension bureau as may be prescribed by the
Secretary Of the Interior or may be required
by law; and in case of the DEATH resigna-
ton, absence, or sickness of the Commission
er, his duties shall devolve upon the Deputy
Commissioner until successor shall be ap-
pointed, or such absence or sickness shall
cease.
Sec. 30. That the Commissioner of Pen.
sion, is hereby authorized and empowered to
detail, from time to time, clerks in his Office
to investigate suspected attempts at fraud on
the government Oft the United States, through
and by virtue of the provisions efthis or any
other act of Congress providing for pensions,
and to aid in prosecuting any person so often
ding, with such additional compensation as is
customary in cases Of special service and
that any person so detailed shall have the
power to administer oaths and take afidavits
in the course of any such investigation.
Sec. 81. That. no agent or attorney or 9TH
er person Instrumental in prosecuting any
claim for pension or bounty land shall demand
or receive any other compensation for his
services in prosecuting claim for pension or
bounty-land than such as the Commissioner
OF Pensions shall direct to be paid to him,
not exceeding twenty-five dollars and any
agent or attorney or any other person instru.
mental in prosecuting any claim for pension
or bounty-land, who shall directly or indi-
rectly contract for, demand, or receive or re-
tain any greater compensation for his services
or fundamentally in prosecuting claim for
pension or hounty-land than is hereinbefore
provided, or who shall wrongfully withhold
from pensioner or claimant the whole or
any part Of the pension or claim allowed and
due such pensioner or claimant, or the land
warrant issued to any such claimants, shall be
deemed guilty of high misdemeauor. and
upon conviction thereof, shall, for every such
otfense, be fined no: exceeding five hundred
dollars, OF imprisoned at hard labor not lex
ceeding two years, or both, at the discretion
of the court. And if any guardian having
the charge and custody Of the pension of his
ward shall embezzle the same in violation of
his trnst, OF traudulently convert the same to
his own use, he shall be punished by foe not
exceeding two thousand dollars or impriison
ment at hard labor for term not exceeding
five years, or both, at the discretion OF The
court.
Sec. 90. That any pledge, mortgage, sale,
assignment, or transfer Of Of any right, claim,
or interest in any pension which has been or
may hereafter be granted, shall be void and
OF no effect; and any person acting as attor-
ney to receive and receipt for money for and
In behalf Of any person entitled to a pension
shall, before receiving said money, take and
subscribe an oath, to be fled with the pen
sion-agent, and BY him to be transmitted
with the vouchers now required by law, to
the proper accounting oAicer Of the treasury,
that he has no interest in said money by any
pledge, mortgage, sale, assignment, or trane-
ter,and that he does not know or believe that
the same has been SO disposed Of to any per-
son; and any person who shall falsely take
the said oath shall be guilty Of perjury, and,
on conviction, shall be liable to the pains and
penalties of perjury.
SEQ. 33. That any person who shall know
ingy or wilfully in any wise procure the
making or presentation Of any false or frau
dalent affidavit concerning any claim for pen !
sion or payment thereof, or pertaining to any
other matter within the jurisdiction of the I
Commissioner of Pensions, or shall knowingly |
or willfuIly present or cause to be presented |
at any pension-agency any power Of attorney, |
or other paper required as vouher in draw
ing pension, which paper shall bear date !
subsequent to that on which it was actually |
signed or executed, such person 80 offending
shall be deemed guilty ofa high nlisdemeanor,
and SHALL on conviction thereof, be punished I
by fine not exceeding Eve hundred dollars. |
OF BY imprisonment for term not exceeding
three years, or by both, at the discretion OF |
the court before whom such conviction shall !
be had and no sum of money due, or to be.
come due, to any pensIoner under the laws
shall be liable to attachment, levy,
or seizure, by or under any legal or equitable
process whatever, whether the same remains
with the Pension Office or any officer or agent
thereof, or is in course Of transmission to the |
pensioner entitled thereto, but shall inure I
wholly to the benefit ofsuch pensioner.
SEC. "a. That in all cases Of application
for the payment Of pensions to invalid PEN
sioners to the fourth day Of September Of an
odd year, the certificate Of an examining sur
geon duly appointed by the Commissioner of
Pensions; or of a surgeon of the army or ma
W, stating the continuance Of the disability |
for which the pension was originally granted,
describing it,) and the degree Of such disa-
bility at the time Of making the certificate,
L n l. Al .l~,-o