The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-11-27
SOMERSET, OHIO, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1879

viving soldiers of the war of 1872, and Il ,l94
widows of deceased soldiers of that war Dur
ing the year 81 ,346 new names were added TO
the list, and 90S names which had previously
been dropped from the rolls, mainly from
failure for three years to claim their pensions,
were restored, and 13,497 were for various
reasons dropped. The aggregate amount OF
one years pension to all pensioners on the rolls
is So, ,493, ,742.l5, but the actual annual pay
ment exceeds that sum by several million dol
lars. This arises from the fact that nearly all
the newly admitted army and navy cadets
have several years accrued pensions due at the
time of admission, which is paid at the first
payment.
During the year the first payments to new
pensioners amounted to $5,763,758 of which
"a ,375 ,147 were paid to army and navy invalids,
widows, etc., and 81 1888, ,611 to survivors and
widows of the war of 1919. The first payment
to pensioners of the war of 1872 will rapidly
fall off, while material increase may be ex-
pected in the army and navy cases for several
years, owing to the removal of limitation upon
the commencement of pensions by the acts OF
January 25 and March 3, 1879.
The above named acts were passed after the
estimates for the pensions for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1880 were submitted, and were
not, therefore, taken into account when the ap-
preparation was made, and there will be def
cheney in the pension appropriation for the cur
follows: Five million dollars army pensions,
and $50, 600 navy pensions, which should be
provided for in order that the pensions for the
June quarter may be promptly paid
There were on the 30th of June, 1856, ,645 un-
settled claims, exclusive of claims for arrears,
an increase over last year, of 16, ,25o. 70 them
are to be added about 40 900 old claims which
were revived by the arrears act of January 20,
1879, or called up from the rejected files since
that date for further consideration, and those,
with the new claims filed since the close of the
year, in excess of the number settled, added to
the number shown by the record, will aggregate
fully 200 900.
Since the passage of the arrears act, new in
valid, widows, minor children's and dependent
relatives claims have been filed ut an unpre-
cedented rate, the invalid claims being more
than double the rate of receipts at any pre-
vious period, except in 1866 and the wild
ows' exceeds any year since 1867, and twice as
numerous as any since 1871. 1t is estimated
that at the close of the year there will not be
less than 250, 900 unsettled cases before the
Office. Hs d. z-.aa- 81
An examination into the papers in the
cases of 500 pensioners, whose names have
been dropped from the rolls within the last
three years and four months because the pen
sions have been obtained by fraud, shows the
following: 229 invalids established their cases
by producing 1851 afidavits and certificates,
of which, 1898 were false. Of the latter 29l
were made by officers, l9l by comrades, and
1853 by other persons. Two hundred and
seventy -one pensions of widows, minor child
rem, and dependent relatives were established
and allowed, upon ISIS certificates and afi
dayits, of which 1851 were false. Ninety
five Of the latter were made by officers, sixty
nine by comrades, and l 1887 by other persons.
1t is also ascertained that at least ninety
six forgeries were committed in the 500 cases.
There had been paid to these pensioners,
before the discovery of their frauds, SAT ,225.