New-York tribune., 1878-10-12
Il RAID UPON MIR. BENTLEY.


THE PROFITS OF THE PENSION AGENTS FALLING
oFF-RRTAIIATIoN-OID SOLDIERS NOT OBLIGED
TO RESORT TO The PROFESSIONAL AGENTS.
tRRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'I
WASHINGTON, Oct. GA vigorous warfare
is being waged by the pension claim agents against
Commissioner J. A. Bentley, and secret Is made OF
their desire TO effect his removal from Office.
Tie amount of money disbursed for pensions is about
$29 100000 As matter Of course it requires the ut
most watohiulness the part of the Government
officers through whose hands this is distributed to
prevent large portion Of il from going to those VINO
have claims whatever upon It, when Mr. Bentley was
appointed to the COmmissOnershp OF Pensions, three
years ago. and up the goth day Of last June the law
regarding the Of pension claims provided
that claimant might contract with an attorney to
manage his case but the fee to be charged was in no
case exceed $25 1t also provided that evidence
Of the contract specifying the of the fee to
be filed with the Commissioner OF Pensions, together
with the other papers in The case and II the claim was
found to be mertOi0us the commissioner was to pay the
fee to the attorney and deduct the amount from the sum
due TO the pensOner Tie fee was in every case maze
contingent upon success
This system proved to lie rich field for ihc enterprise
and industry OF the professional c.am Ggcnts, and,
under its stimulating influence several Of them have
become the founders OF large bureaus employing from
a dozen twenty thirty clerks ,ach. Their motto
n
cuars to every village farmhouse where possible
pensoner might be found representing that they had
special facilities enjoyed by the public for procuring
favorable action upon applications for pensions some
of them printed soldiers newspapers Ostensby devoted
TO TIE interests OF those who have served their country
in the field but which i'll fact nothing except ad
yertising sheets Under this system all the c.cum
stancos oonspred aid in deiraudng the Government
No risk OF loss was incurred either by the claimant or
his attorney while the law supplied sufficient incen
tive to claim agents exert themselves IN hunting
up and presenting claims without any regard 10 ue
character OF the evidence upon which they were based
There are now about 125, 600 claims ON file in the
Pension Office awaiting adjustment and throe-onrths
O. this number under the management OF less than
a dozen firms. Last year about 1900 claims were
adjusted of which number more than 10000 (1eary
OnC-AalD rejected voi OF merit. Ia spite OF the
care exercised In their adjudication Is believed that
considerable number OF those which were passed were
fraudulent Now nOn-merJOrOus claim cOnsu eS more
time and causes expense TO tlr Government than
one which valid 1t is easier TO End evidence
in support of a claim where such evidence exists tLan
It. is to make sure that none exist and 10 establish
It's fraudulent character These defective claims also
stand in the way Of those which are really deserving
and the claimants TO which suffering for want OF the
money which is que them
The evil is great and rapidly growing. MI Bentley
having set about deviSng remedy embodied the result
lion of the pension system dra ted by nm and 1t
was fayoraOy acted upon by the Pension Committees OF
both branches OF Congress last Winter. It's pr ncirH
feature'was proposition 10 establish pension d,iol'
each of winch to have surgeon aud an expert IN
pension work. who were to examine all aud for
ward the papers with reports to Washington. II was
estimated that this system could he carried
out for much less than the amount now annually eH-
pend ID clerk hire in the Pension Office, and with
result satisfactory 10 the pensioners the op
portunti for fraud beng also reduced infinitely Til"
plan net the hearty approval of many Con grcssncn.
and was quite generally commended by the press, but
for want OF time it went until another session.
One feature of It, however, providing partial remedy
for the evil was acted upon q separate bil. and T.
now law BY Its provisions the fee which Is reduced
TO $40 s not contingent, but may be collected Oi th"
claimant in advance by the attorney The Coinmis-
soner has nothing TO with IT, The result If, first
that the of doubtful claims presented Is greatly
reduced because people who would present them when
they ran no Of loss hesitate before advancing $40
on the uncertainty and, secondly, tho homes, claimant
Is led 10 inquire into the matter tor himself and srC
whether other method Of securing MS pension does
rot exist This making mischief with the business Of
the claim agents Tncy are, consequently, leaYint no
scnc unturued 10 evade tnc law and sccure l1r-eI
f. to impress upon the minds oi pen-oncI. thar %"
otter method exists OF procuring ihcr nsnt7 man
through the hands OF these professional agents tbs
ast point is ole upon which every Ionr ana Gyr'
cued aud the following extracts from letter recently
written OY Commissioner Bentley aEo puJlNheH iOf
their Information:
WASHINGTON, d. C., Sept. Is, 1873.
DEAR SIR: Your friend Mr.. EXley, Eas sh pWn me the
letter addressed ~ you the In Ol las mouth by
claim agents IN this city. Jt appears from their "tHr
that they retained your pension papers "a order to
compel you pay IN Advance lee oil $40 iOr pTuNrCu
ing claim IL also appc by the letter that ms
course Is in accordance with a rcSu utiun UaaulHOu ~
adopted by association OF WdsnI, gtpu cEum agents.
To which they claim TO belong, not 10 Die any case
until the fee paid in advance" Mr ENoy also In"l'
me that the papers have been IN Their Haud nor" ih n
two mont hs aud that Ia pursuance of a. OIGcf OI tHrn
deliver the papers 70 HIM. he Ou Yesterday caed upon
them and they refused 10 denver theiu up.
As lie about leaving tho clN Gt reqheeled ~, 10
inform you what course you should pursue 10 OBTAIN
relief ana IN comp with his rrquest slate ihat
YOU are unwilling 10 comply with ------S Ht-
Juaud To pay them for tucT services ID al
vance Of their performance, Your Oesl couIto
will be 70 make out papers ana lOrWafu thtW
dirccty 10 this Office II You prefer employ some rtph
table neiehbong attorney 10 sSt You 10 euapie So9
10 urolupy ADOPT Ihs dud save luIthcI u'Iay
iric,ytI lncosc YOU Il blank app caiOn. TINS cOlr.e
shall be adopted clam VIII receive as p"np nv
in this office as prosecuted ~ or any oJheI
WgsnngIon agent IL is confidently believed ihht YOU
ana all persons having Just claims 'or pension VIII uIu
thc nrgbbDrng attorney and maglstIar rs deeply IN
tersted ia yOIr welfare, at least stranger VIII bc,
and tbat claimants Will NJ trouble III securing Az
needed aid III the prosecution OF ther claims among lhc
their nclGhDOrhODi LO WhIin
tbcy are iC Wu and that you Will not be compelled Df
the operation OFT act Gf WhlGh - COmPlaIH 30 DIt
ery aud 50 perssenty misre resent to SEEK the ala Ol
prOfc agents, paying their 'ces ~ ADVANCE
or be deprived OF your pension. Very respecuu!y,
- j. a. BENTLEY, Commissioner