Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1883-12-06
PENSION FRAUDS.
A SENSIBLE LETTER FROM THE SEC
RRTARY OF THE INTERIOR.

RRTARY OF THE INTERIOR.
The following letter, published in
the National Tribune. is calculated to
remove many of the false impressions
that exist in regard to pension frauds,
and shows the Secretary of the Interi-
or to be IA man of sound sense rs well
ar public spirit:
Department of the Interior,
Washington. Nov. ., 'S3.
Hon. B. ii. Brewster,
Attorney Gen. of the United States.
SIR: am in receipt of your com
munication of the 9TH inst. concerning
the appointment by the Commissioner
of Pensions of person to aid the
United States District Attorney for the
District in the investigation of all
claims for pensions and bounties. in
connection with charges made against
attorneys. and 10 examine such cases
rs the District Attorney may desire TO
present to the grand jury. You say
II agree with you that such an ar
pointment cannot be made To examine
cases where the ofrenses charged are
not olTenses against the United States
but the District Attorney. in his letter
TO you of the 23d ultimo. includes
eases wherI these pension agents make
formal applications 10 the Pension Of
tice, well Knowing that the claims they
present Gra fraudulent.
have FOR the secouJ time carefully
examined the letter OF the District At
torn.v Of the 23d ul,imo, of which on
speak, and fail to iind that he in that
letter Suggested even disposition to
prosecute parties guilty OF attempting
t. defraud the gov"rnInen; OF the Tai.
ted States.
The s1bjtct matter OF the intervic y,
mentioned by him with the. Comriis-
sionsr of Pensions. | learn from hi.
letter AZ well ms from the Commission
OF the attorneys and claiW agents whc
were dsfiauding the applicants FOL
pensions. The district attorney say,
the interview was concerning the
methods employed by certain attorney'
or claim agents in this city in the pre-
sentation and prosecution of claims
| for pensions filed in the pension Office,
and he then specifies the evils com
planned Of as follows: THE charac
ter of the enormous frauds which ar,
icing perpetrated upon applicants fo
pensions by certain claim agents o
Washington will if the allegations b'
sustained by evidence, surprise th'
public " Again he says: "Thes'
agents merely file formal application
| to enable them to collect money from
their clients" Again: 1.-THE persons
defrauded are poor and comparativel,
helpless, and form class to whom TIN
country owes special protection. i
the representations made 70 me col
cerning the devices used TO defranC
them of their little earnings are true
they rival in cunning the articles o
the most experienced swindlers who
practice three-card monte and similn
gaiHes. Again: If nothing els,
were accomplished by the investigation
it would at lent warn soldiers anC
their widows and orphans of their dan
ger, and prevent in future their being
swindled of their money, and it vii
vindicate honest agents from unjus
suspicion"
| fail in this to find even au intima
ton that the district attorney d,sirec
to proceed against those who were ar
tempting TO defraud the government
for their crime of SO attempting to lie
fraud. The avowsJ purpose is to pun
ish the parties for swindling the sol
dier. fully sympathize with the dis
trct attorney in this effort, and recog
nize the duty of the government t.
punish all such offenders; but yor
agree with me that such appointment
cannot he made by the commissions
10 examine cases where the ofsns
consists in swindling or attemptin: &
So indie the applicant.
Had the district attorney applied f.
"a detail under the section authorizin
suni detail. | should have assumed
that he aan ed such detail FOR the pur
pose authorized by law; but he set Oh
in detail the evils complained Of, am
nsk'd for the examiner to invest
q t. all tlis claims in connection wit
which charges are made against attol
n.ys. ami TO specially examins sue
eAsct ~ | shall desire to present to th
. - ',sr,. 4, ti,.ir CON siic rot ION an