National Republican., 1883-11-06
MAN ON TIE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men and Meosul

Small Talk About Men and Measures.
An attache of the second auditors Office
said yesterday that his chief drew it very
mildly in his exposure of the swindles of
bounty claim agents, and that tho half
has not been told. Said he AT tho present
time very few old soldiers have anything
coming to them in the form Of un-
paid bounty. Nearly of tho valid
claims have been paid, and tho decks are
pretty well cleared. Very few reputable
firms are now engaged in the bounty claim
business, and were it not for tho misrepre-
sentation of swindling agents tho bureau
would have few of such cases TO pass upon.
Congress passed an act in August, 1882, re-
lating to tho removal by the war department
of the charge of dcsertion against soldiers
who served in tho late war, but providing in
the last section that no soldiers nor the heirs
or legal representatives of any soldiers who
served in tho army n period of less than
twelve months, or who Intentionally de-
serted, shall be entitled to tho benefit of the
provisions of this act
This proviso left the law practically un-
changed, but tho wolfsh claim agents paid no
attention to the clause l have quoted and by
led many thousands who have not u shadow
of claim against the government to believe
they have money coming to them, and to pay
these same agents for prosecuting the
claims before the departments. All the
agents do is to fill out blanks and
send them to tho second auditor. They
never pay any further attention to the claim,
knowing there is nothing whatever in them
in n great majority of instances. l do not
know that these agents can be prosecuted or
disbarred from practice for obtaining money
under false pretenses, because they do go
through tho form of rendering service for
the $3.50 or $500 fee they receive from the
Victims but their business is none the less
swindling, and the only way can see to put
ting q stop to the fraud is for congress to
enact limitation law, shutting out all claims
that arc not filed in q specified time, as the
auditor recommends"
"Whero arc these swindlings claim agents
located?"
"a great many of them have their head
quarters in Washington, but they are scat
tered all over the country. They are beating
the bushes with great industry, aud making
all they can from n mine they fear will soon
be exhausted
The bulk of this swindling appears to be in
the hands of three or four Washington par
ties, all of whom are in bad repute with the
interior department. Nearly every firm has
one or two sharp, shrewd women connected
with it, and these women are, to all outward
appearances, the leading spirits.
W.
II sincerely trust that tho Virginia demo-
Gratis will overwhelm Mahone," was the
fervent prayer of veteran bourbon from
Michigan last evening. "a Malone victory
this fall would work US incalculable
injury in the old whig states
of the south next year. There
are evidences of insubordination, and rest,
lessness in these states that l do not like tc
see, and l am afraid Malone triumph
would seriously disturb the proper
tions of the democratic presidential
column of states. Tho old wings o.
the south joined the democrats when theii
own party broke up, not because they liked
the democrats, but because they had no choice
They have not been loyal to the demo
cratic party at any stage of its history, ant
although they have worked with it, they
have been restive aud anxious for an excus,
to break away, There are not many of tn,
old wings left, to be sure, but thu
second generation has Inherited the preu
dices and the independent sentiments of TIN
fathers. If Malone should maintain hi
ground have grave fears for Florida. Ten
nessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and ever
Maryland next year"