Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-07-13
Especial Telegram to the Globe. I


WASHINGTON, July 12.-Commisssoner
Dudley is determined to probe the pension
bureau frauds to the bottom. Enough ev-
dence was obtained to cause the perempt-
DRY dismissal of two more clerks, S.P. Pen
nington, of Virginia, and R. II. Pardee. Any
Others found in the ring will be promptly
discharged. The evidence against the two
decapitated clerks was not sufficient to
warrant their indictment. Before dismis-
sal they were brought before the commits
sioner and closely questioned. They told
conflicting stories. Pennington said he
had heard the frauds discussed, but sup
posed it was only joke. Half an hour
later he was furnished with a yellow en-
velope containing his dishonorable dis
charge. The chief of the division where
the clerks work, said: "This will be rather
a serious blow to Malone. All of the
clerks so far discovered in the ring, with
one exception. are his appointees. They
have been nearly worthless as clerks, and
I am not sorry to see them go.'
''Has the government been defrauded
by them?" was asked.
''No, and if they had remained IN dis
covered the government would not have
lost cent. Their plan was to fleece the
unsuspecring pensioners. Take a case
for example: You have filed an applica-
ton for pension. The application goes
through the hands of some of these clerks.
Instead of forwarding it to its proper
destination he puts it away in his desk,
and writes you a note to the effect that
your case was about to be rejected, but
if you would send him $25 or $50 he
would use his influence to get it through.
It was simply blackmail. These gentle
men have, however, laid themselves open
to Indictment for charging exorbitant
pension fees. The law allows only SO,
In Pennington's desk We found nearly a
hundred cases which he delayed. 1t would
be impossible for any set of men to get
pension claim through fraudulently There
are too many checks. After case has
been worked up by the bureau, it is then
forwarded to board of review, where it
undergoes rigid investigation. If the
members of the board were disposed to work
in collision they would not accomplish any
thing. They are powerless to dictate what
cases shall come to them. The bureau
would have to be rotten from the ground
up to get case rushed through fraudu-
lently Frequently, congressman and
others bring to our notice cases that de-
serve immediate action where the money
is greatly needed. Then the commissioner
could have a case briefed and the certi1
cate issued inside of twenty four hours.
But these cases are rare. A congressman
cannot hurry up claim unless it is very
urgent one. Mr.. Dudley says that he will
not make any case special, unless he is
satisfied that the circumstances are such
that, were the other claimants present,
they would willingly give consent to it.
We have many poor clerks in our Office,
but we hope to have them weeded out be-
fore long"
'Do you think that the competitive ex-
aminations will improve the status of
clerks?''
''Yes, 10 some extent; I have no faith in
the rowing civil service commission, but
fair practical tests.have proved beneficial.
We have tried it before
''Do you think there are other clerks in
the ring"
81 don't know. but if there are we will
find them OUT
AN UNF ORTUNATE OFFICER.
AS has been stated in these dispatches,
Capt. j ohm P. Walker, Third cavalry, U. S.
A., has been again sent to the insane
asylum near this city. This unfortunate
officer for the past few years has enjoyed
more than an ordinary amount Of nc
toriety and generally under most peculiar
circumstances. He was committed to the
insane asylum originally for unaccountable
violations of army regulations, was re-
leased and subsequently reinstated in the
army. Prior and since that event he was
court martialed several times, and was last
court martialed for borrowing money in
discriminatory from private soldiers of his
command and neglecting to pay them.
In speaking of Walkers case to-day
the judge advocate general said that
at the last court martial the captain
conducted his own defense so ably as to
cause all present to doubt the prevailing
impression that he was insane. Indeed,
his defense was more thorough and strong
ly presented than was the prosecution
conducted. Some army officers do not
believe Capt. Walker insane, but consider
him eccentric and of lofty ideas, and not a
stickler for rigid discipline n unimpor-
tant matters. Walker, is is said, was coma
mitted to the asylum in the last instance
without having been subjected to medical
examination. He claims that he his per-
secuted by personal enemies in the war
department and in. his regiment. 1t is
said that he proposes to seek his release
under writ of habeas corpus. He is a
graduate Of West Point from Ohio, and
entered the army as second lieutenant,
June IS, 1866.
INDIANAPOLIS WANTS THE REPUBLICAN CON-
YENTIoN.
Assistant Secretary of the Ire asury,
Mr. John G. New, who is a member of the
Republican national committee from
Indiana, has been interviewed in regard to
the place where the next Republican