The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-01
rBy Telegraph 10 The Dlsratch. I

rBy telegraph TO the Disratch.l
WASHINGTON, ID. G., October 3l.-Secre-
tary Teller to-day modified the rulings Of
former Secretaries so that pension attor-
neys under the charge OF improper con-
duct shall not be suspended from practice
until action Is had upon the charges and
they are either acquitted or disbarred.
Upon the subject OF the investigation OF
the pension-claim business by District
Attorney Corkhill, now IN progress, the
Washington Post Of tomorrow will pub
lish an article in which it says: For years
the number OF pension agents has steadily
increased until It is estimated that there
were in the city OF Washington six months
ago one thousand OF them. Many OF them
have no oflices-merely q lock-box in the
post-oflice--and transact all their business
at their rooms and through the mails.
Others have offices. but no outside signs.
Some who send out Haunting circulars are
not even known at the Pension Office by
the names they use on their station
cry. During the last eighteen months
more than three hundred have been
suspended from practicing before the
Commissioner, and fully one half as many
disbarred. The reliability and honesty
Of three hundred more Is now being eX-
amined into by District Attorney Corkhill
and his special assistants, and Will be re-
ported on in comparatively short time.
II uniavorably, they will be suspended by
the Commissioner. and il sufficient evil
dence OF fraudulent practices is found
againt them they will be disbarred and
indicted.
4 reporter Of the Post called on the Dis
trict Attorney to-day, and asked TO be
shown some Of the circulars that have
been sent in response to his request
for them, published in the Associated
Press dispatches. For a reply, Mr..
Corkhill pointed to table. which SEEM
ed 10 be Uttered with them, and told the
reporter to examine for himself. The
circulars were in many cases from persons
never before heard OF by the reporter,
although pretty well acquainted in the
city. Others were signed by well-known
names. Some were ornamented by alleged
portraits OF attorneys sending them out;
others by pictorial representation OF sol
diers at q p-fire or on picket duty. The
! larger portion OF them were larded with
patriotic sentiments, mainly expressive OF
| the debt 81 gratitude (and money which
| the nation owes soldiers-a debt that never
can be paid. II half that these rhetorical
circular-wrlters have printed is true the
nation has not money TO pay.
care all these IN response TO the request
YOU sent out a week ago." asked the re-
porter.
"All OF them" replied Mr.. Corkhill,
" and many more beside. You could not
get dozen OF them in Washington or by
any other means for love or money. The
pension agents send these circulars 10 hun
dreds Of thousands OF soldiers, soldiers
| widows and children. whose addresses
they have obtained through pOStmasters
i'm small villages and country settlements.
You will see that according to these circu-
lars almost every disorder that flesh is heir
to is a good and sufficient reason for PEN
slon."
"And are these representations fraudu-
| lentl"
"In many cases they are. Some OF the
clauses state law fairly. but in nearly all OF
them there is an invitation to the claimant
TO commit a fraud upon the Government,
and a promise to help him on the part OF
the agent. Take this case, for instance the
District Attorney reading from printed
paper which he took from drawer). The
pension attorney writes: You are entitled
| TO n pension for the slightest disability. Of
whatever nature. You would be astonished
TO know how directly a chronic disease
can be traced to diarThpa or other slight
disorders incurred while IN the army. Even
heart-disease may be traced TO diarrhGa,
measles. mumps, and malaria. a hardship
even. il endured in the army, can easily be
shown TO be direct causes OF many broken
down constitutions. Such cases are as
clearly entitled to pensions as are those
who were actually wounded in battle.
The rulings are far more liberal than for
merlv. We endeayer to successfully ham
die any case OF such disability incurred
while in the army, regardless OF the man
ner. Many soldiers who have drawn PEN
sions have lost them on reenlistment or
from other causes. We can restore all such
to the rolls, together with arrears. We
particularly desire old or rejected claims.
| We solicit all such cases, being sure OF our
ability 10 manage them"
Another circular suggests the value OF a
| little hard swearing. Another agent,
whom the District Attorney describes as
one OF the most reputable in the busi-
ness, words his circulars so as to make it
appear that he is on intimate terms with
the Commissioner OF Pensions and espe-
cially favored by him-a Shrewd piece OF
business which he supposed would never
be known at the Department. After draw
ing their victims into correspondence by
means OF these circulars, dishonest agents
proceed to "mik" them. as the process
! is described among rascally attorneys.
They write to them once or twice and
then ask for a dollar or two dollars TO de-
frav postage and stationery costs. II they
have. as many Of them do, 10000 names on
their lists, milking" Of this nature will
bring IN from $4,000 to 100000.
"Well; what neXt?" asked the re-
porter.
"The treatment varies. The postage
and stationery claim Is always good. Then
comes the cost OF working up testimony.
That varies from s. to $40 a case. Finally
comes the fee they are allowed TO charge
80: and Just as soon as they think it safe
TO do so, they draw or send C.. .. ID.
package by express for that.
1.-The law allows them only Sl0!"
"That is all, but it also allows them to
collect it in advance. That clause was
worked through Congress q short time ago,
and is a regular bonanza; for whether a
ease is good one or not, or any progress
is made in il, the fee is collectable at any
time"
elbow much money do you estimate the
largest agents could draw in by such
means 2"
at is not easy to estimate 1t, but / am
pretty reliably informed that one firm OBJ
tanned nearly $4,000 by one operation.
There are agents in this city, some OF them
with branches here, for all are not located
in Washington, who have amassed large
fortunes in few years"
"What do you propose to do with
them 2" asked the reporter.
.Break them up. The Attorney-Gen-
eral Of the United States, the Commissioner
of Pensions, and the Secretary OF the In
terror are determined upon it, and l have