The Portland daily press., 1883-10-26
sWINDLING PENSIONERS.
War Instituted Upon the Dishonest gents
Five More Recommended for Disbar-
Ments
Special to Boston Advertiser

| Especial to Boston Advertser]
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-Five more fraudu-
| lent pension agents have been recommended
| by Commissioner Dudley for disbarment, max
so far total of 20. Ofthese last, one is the no.
torious N. W. Fitzgerald, whose cowardly as
sault on Gen. Boynton, for exposing his meth
DDS, has not been forgotten. The evidence in
all the cases is very conclusive. For instance,
deceased soldiers mother writes to Col. Dud-
ley, saying that year ago she received notice
from Fitzgerald that many were entitled to
pensions who were not receiving them. She
answered him, saying that her husband had
some means when their son died, and that the
former had deceased, leaving her some means,
Fitzgerald wrote her that she had good case,
although he knew to the contrary, and kept
calling on her for money. She sent him $40,
but was finally told that she was being swind-
led, and on applying properly for information,
was of course told that she had DO case. An
other one is that of son whose father present.
ed claim through the so-called firm of e H.
GalSton & Co., Miss Galston being connected
with Fitzgerald's office. II was rejected. Soon
after the same claim was filed in the mothers
name. Miss Galston netted two fees. The
second $40 thus exacted was downright rob
berry, for she knaw the fraud could be detect
ed, as the case was closed when the fathers
claim was rejected, Those samples of the
tactics by which scores of agents in this city
and hundreds over the country have amassed
fortunes, some of the most illiterate making
larger incomes than the best lawyers. The
Fltzgeralds say they alone have 10000 cases on
their books Commissioner Dudley is thor
oughly aroused. He and District Attorney
Corkhill will go to the root of this iniquity,
and indictments will be forthcoming before
long. Col. Dudley, in order to collect evidence
has had a circular printed inquiring OF appli-
the attorney in their case, the terms upon
which it is being collected, and any other cir
cumstances worthy of mention. A copy will
be mailed to every applicant on the Office list,
and the replies will show the methods of all
practicing attorneys This task may be imsg-
ined when it is known that more than 16 600
pension attorneys are now pract1cing before
the bureau. These are in all parts of the
country, the number in Washington alone run
ming into the hundreds. The wedding out of
the dishonest ones is warmly applauded by
regular. Several persons called on the Com
mission today to urge him to continuance OF
the good work.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 N. W. Fitzgerald &
Co., of this city, were today suspended from
practice before the Pension Bureau. 1t is al
legged that they extorted illegal fees and also
filed pension claims for Confederate soldiers.
Frank Smith of Baltimore has been disbar-
red from practice before the Pension Bureau,
for interfering with special examiner in the
discharge of his duty and assaulting him.
j. W. Flenner of this city has been suspend
ed FROM practicing before the Pension Bureau,
for addressing comm unications to pensioners,
intended to cause the commission of fraud.