The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-11-07
How soldiers Are swindIed.

WASHINGTON, NoY. 4.-Judge Ferris, the
second Auditor of the Treasury, in his an
nual report exposes the methods by which
soldiers of the late War and Government are
being swindled by unprincipled attorneys
and agents. He says not one in ten applica-
tions for arrears Of pay and bounty possess
any merit, and not one in twenty of ali these
claims is filed upon the suggestion or by vol
untary action of the claimant The attor-
ney seeks the client and represents to the
uniformed, more generally colored soldiers,
or their heirs, that they have not been
paid all justly due them: that some new
law or new construction of an existing law
entities them to more bounty or further paw
A small fee in advance is required, generally
- or So sometimes more, in fact, all that
can be got with the promise that no more
will be demanded unless the claim be
allowed. The fee is allowed and tie appli-
cation filed and in the end rejected The
attorney rarely looks after the claims. 1t
does not pay. He has received his little ad
vance fee and it pays better TO hunt I'D more
victims. Soldiers are swindled, and after
their claims are rejected frequently denounce
the Government and its officers who simply
administer the law as they find it Another
class of worthless claims is constantly in
creaslng, namely, claims for bounties already
paid. In many OF these cases denials of
former payments are made under oath when
the records OF this office, authenticated in
the nlgneSt manner known 70 the law and
Courts, show conclusively that payments
were made years ago. To perjury is some
times added forgery, and as time since the
War increases the chances of success TO the
perJurers and forgers, should these records be
DESTROYED, and such calamity is not beyond
the pale of possibility, the Government GER
tainly will be defrauded out of millions of
dollars.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-The annual report
of the Director of the Mint shows, gold re-
ceived and operated upon for the year, Si9,-
100000; silver, nearly $50, 900, OO0 The coin
age for the year is valued at S66, 900 740.
Total gold coinage, S35, $3.50, 927; silver, S2s,-
S35, 470 of which S2S, Ill 119 is standard dol
lars. The profits on the coinage of silver was
So, 701 331; net silver profits for the last five
years sic, $50, 310 The silver circulation the
Director says is in excess of the require
ments and he expresses the belief that
equal coinage of both gold and silver
by all nations is desirable and suggests
Congress consider the question whether the
law directing a monthly coinage of 2, 2,00O,-
coo silver dollars should not be modified or
repealed. The Director recommends the
coinage of the gold dollar and the three cent
nickel piece be discontinued, the repeal of
the act authorizing the coinage of trade
dollars, and that the latter coins be sent to
the mints and exchanged for other silver
dollars. The production of gold for the
current calendar year will be S32 600, 600, and
silver, $4,000, 900. Estimate of circulation
of coin to October /, 1888, S544 ,512, ,699 gold.
$685. 291, 1913 silver.