National Republican., 1883-11-12
PURIFYING THE SERVICE.
Secretary Tellers Crusade Against Swindling
Pension Claim Agents
Ills Letter 10 the Attorney GeneraI-somc
Facts, Figures, and Opinions.


eral Brewster in regard to the appointment
of experts from the pension bureau to assist
the district attorney in the preparation of
cases against pension attorneys charged with
illegal operations:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WASHINGTON,
Nov. 9, leS3-Hon BEsJAM1N HARRIS BREWSTER,
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATEs-ST: !:
enth instant concerning the appointment by the
commissioner Of pensions OF person TO aid the
United States district attorney for this district IN
the investigation Of all claims Tor pensions ana
bOuntes in connection with charges made against
attorneys, and to examine such cases as the dis
trict attorney may desire to present to the grand
Jury. You say: Il agl ee with you thai such an
appointment cannot be made To eNainine cases
where the otlensys charged are not oenses against
The United States but the district attorney, IN
CludCs cases where these pension agents make
formal application to the pension Office well
knowing that the claims they present are fraudu-
lent"
| have, for the second time, carefully examined
the letter of the district attorney OF the twenty
third ultimo, of which you speak, aud failed 10
find that he in that letter suggested even dis
position to prosecute parties guilty of attempting
TO deiraud the government OF the United states.
The subject matter of the interview mentioned
by him with the commissioner of pensions learn
from his letter as well as from the commissioner
was with reference to the offences of the attorneys
aud claim agents who were defrauding the appli-
cants for pensions. The district attorney says the
interview was concerning the methods employed
III the presentation and prosecution OF claims for
ensions filed IN the pension otlice;' and he then
spsecihes the evils complained OF, as follows:
"rhe character of the enormous frauds
which are being perpetrated upou applicants for
pensions by certain claim agents of Washington
Will, If the allegations he sustained by evidence
surprise the public" Again, he says: "These
agents merely file a formal application to enable
them then to collect money from their clients" Again:
'The persons delrauded ure poor and compara-
lively helpless, and form q class to whom the
country owes special protection. II the represent
atoms made to me concerning the devices used to
deiraud them OF their little earnings are tue,
they rival In cunning the articles of the most ex
perienced swindier5 who practice three card
monte, NOR and similar games" Again IF nothing
would at least warn soldiers and their widows
and orphans of their danger and prevent in future
their being swindled of their money, and 1t will
vindicate honest agents from unjust suspicion
fail in this'to find even an iniimation that the
district attorney desired to proceed against those
who were attempting to deirand the gov
tempting to defraud. The avowed pur-
pose is to punish the parties for swinding the
soldier. FULLY sympathize with the district at
torney In this effort, and recognize the duty of the
government to punish oil sucn offenders, but you
agree with me that such appointment cannot be
made by the commissioner to examine cases
where the oiiense consists in swindling in at
tempting to swindle the applicant.
Had the district attorney applied for detail
under the section authorizing sucn detail, /
should have assumed that he wanted such detail
for the purpose authorized by law but he set out
examiner ITO investigate all the claims in connec-
ton with which charges are made against attor
neys, and to especially examine such cases as
shall desire TO present to the grand jury for their
consideration and action"
If the object of the district attorney is TO prose-
cute parties committing frauds on the government
attempting to do So the authority is explicit for
the detail which is OF frequent occurrence in the
prosecution of of this character in all parts
OF the country.
During the year 1882 the department submitted
from the pension office for criminal prosecution
IIo cases; OF this number, ~ were against attor.
neys or claim agents. During the year 1889, i22
cases OF like character were submitted, of which
number 81 were against attorneys or agents. In
all these cases, understand the charges against
the attorneys or agents were that they were at
tempting to or had defrauded the government or
the pensioner, by taking fee prohibited by the
practice Of the pension Office to prepare these
cases and submit the same to the district attorney
and to detail competent examiner to aid him in
the preparation OF the case and OH the trial.
=. In all cases where attorneys are found violating
the pension laws or extorting money from appli
cants without rendering an equivalent. the de-
partment has not only refused 10 allow such
agents or attorneys to appear before the pension
office i'll the prosecution of pension claims, but
they are debarred from appearing bcforeany other
bureau OF the department.. In many such cases
the punishment inflicted by the department is
much greater than that inflicted by the courts
for 1t frequently amounts 10 the destruction of
their business and financial ruin.
The filing OF false claim against the govern
ment of the United States Is a crime against the
United States; but no claim can be presumed to
be fraudulent and false from the character of the
attorney presenting 1t, nor from the methods
adopted by hlm 10 secure his clients. The SOL
dier's application must be heard on its merits,
without prejudice on account of the disreputabe
character OF his client; and the department must
consider all cases filed for pensions as properly
fled and the applicant worthy and deserving un-
I'll, by proof the contrary is shown. While all the
and files what he believes is an honest and lust
claim, he is required to prove his claim to the sat.
isiaction Of the pension office, He is submitted to
A n
case Is not supported by record evidence satlsiac-
tory to the Office are cross examined and every
effort made to arrive at the truth.
kl have no doubt that many persons have been
stimulated to apply for pensions by shysterng at
orneys but 1t does not necessarily follow that the
applicant does not consider that he is entitled TO
pension. II is quite apparent 10 all thinking men
that the effects of the rigors of war will be more
apparent to the soldier Us he grows older; and in
homc instances he will mistake the decline OF
years for the effects OF service rendered his coun-
try; but ifhe does he will not be a fraudulent up.
plicant, even If u shall be found by the proper
officials that heis not entitled to a pension A
failure to secure evidence may defeat u meri-
torous case.
You call my attention to the report of the second
huullOf concerning the attempted frauds on the
government III matters OF bounty aud back puy.
DO not profess to be qualified to pass Judgment
on the statements maze therein, for that has 10
relation TO any portion Of the public service that
has fallen under my attention. III by reference to
ths report you intend to suggest that the like pro-
portion of applications for pensions are also fraud.
ulent, must be allowed 10 doubt the correctness
of your proposition. 1t is undoubtedly true that
n larger percentage OF applications for pensions
made within tho last last three years have been dis
allowed than OF those mude before that time; but
II must not be assumed that such disnlowance is
because they are fraudulent The lapse of time,
death of Comrades &c, ha, made IL very difficult
TO secure evidence. In hundreds OF suCn cases IL
is not doubted that the applicant believes he is
entitled to pension. He fills to make his proof
to the satisfaction OF the office, and his claim is
rejected. careful examination of the pensions
allowed heretofore has failed to show any consid-
emble number Of fraudulent pensions, aud am
OF the opinion thntnot one-half of per cent al.
lowed were wrongfuy allowed. 1t cannot be
SAID that even That percentage was fraudulent,
for TINS includes all rejected for insufficient or i'm
proper testimony, rs well as where fraud was
practiced on the department.
understand frOn your communication that IL
Is the purpose OF the district attorney not only 10
punish the parties guilty of fraud ON the appli.
canl, hut also those guilty Of attempting TO prac-
tlce fraud on the government; and, therefore |
VIII order the commissioner to detail some person
satisfactory to you the district attorney either
on the designation of yourself or the district ut.
tOrney ana can assure you that all the means
lawfully at the command Of the department Will
be placed at your disposal to punish Offenders
whether guilty OF attempting to defraud the gov
ernment or the applicants for pensions. Very re-
specIfully, II. NJ. TELLER. Secretary.
HUGO ARNOT'S STRANGE FREAK,
The Scotch Historian Visits an EdIn-