Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-29
SWINOLING SOLDIERS.
How The Fraudulent Pension
Racket Is Worked.
FITzGIRAlO's ILL GOTTEN GAINS.
The Immense Fortunes Made by U s.rupu-
IOus KnaVes Who Swarm in Wash
ingtOn in the Guise of
Pension Agents.

WASHINGTON August 2S.-The public
should not ConfOund Mr.. J. A. FITZGERALD,
who has been diSbarred at the Interior and
Treasury Departments, with Mr.. N. w.
Fitzgerald, who has not been disbarred,
but for the very best OF reasons should be.
Both are pension and claim agents in gen.
| eral, but it is the last named OF the two
who, as member of the Indiana ring in
Washington, has such an extraordinary
held on officials and politicians as to the
present time have maintained himself in
his peculiar practices against reasons and
influences which would have been success.
full against anyone not connected as he is.
MI n. w. Fitzgerald, before coming to
Washington,
Was Locally Conspicuous
in Republican politics in Indiana with
General Brady, Colonel dudley, the pres
ent Commissioner OF Pensions; Judge
Gresham, John c. New and others who
tiUuriShed al the time when Indiana poll
tics sCquired strong OdOr throughout the
country. Mr.. Dorsey, in his revelations,
bears witness TO the advanced stage of the
game in that State when he made his ad
vent there, and teStites to the good work
which Colonel Dudley had done in prepar-
irg the canvass which he. Dorsey, WAS sent
TO complete. In the labors, to the Charac.
ter and importance OF which Dorsey Certi-
Ges, Dudley had been faithfully seconded
BY FilZgera d, who freely gave his time and
Il uOaCy 10 secure Indiana fUr Garfield. With
p,rOns who make little fuss about what
It eS themselves did, it is greatly doubled
whether
DOrsey's LabOrs
would have been followed by victory but
for what Dudley, Fitzgerald X Co. had pre-
y!uusiy done.
When ,he fight was over and Garfield in
the White House, Dudley and Fitzgerald,
ike Dorsey, came for their reward. New
waS along, Out it was not till Arthur,
Il rough iaietul chance became PreSd Mt
hat he received anything. Fitzgerald gave
evidence Of long medicines BY not asalng
dir, city for anything for himself. He saw
ti:p future through Dudley, whose appoint.
meut as Commissioner OF Pensions he early
druani led of General Garfield, who knew
how valuable had been the services OF both
Dudley and Fitzgerald. Garfield, without
much hesitation, promised BentIey's re.
nIUval a. d Dudley appointment. Bert
ley hearing OF this waited upon Garfield
had the report confirmed to him By Garfield
him eli, vi o offered him foreign post, but
which Benty rejected and
Resigned Forthwith.
There were few appointments by Garfield
" 'ne P'Ou'.'e " NI"NT mutCT ue VAS 'lio'c
I|SVjute.9 ., l s"CCTSS'"IIy nsIu up 10 tAah
bTuiey - was Il|Sera,u az. VINO u'H II;
Pt ore DIuley came III rI."5eIa'H uad eS-
t'EI.>heu HIiise.l III On ca i' t.t.Ce
Though it was already very prohtIble, he
did not get on well with Commissioner
5o,.;,,ss 5 AZ ',,,inHobIo a5l;,iS
,Ge 80 ir;cal ronsiJer,ti,ne wLich innn,
enCei fitzgerald for Dudley, he had a
strong eye 10 business. With Dudley as
Commissioner business almost without
limit, ana to continue as long as pensioners
n.,,,ror ybo tbrav obstacles in The way of
',,,a,i.,,. ~ tb;n,,s ncrnIisr :, his mathn.I.
go, ia rnI'II - tba inSni,tinn f1r
,raI, fnr,'.ne v,lai n,i.,bi he moi do # in
t,on.r,.,,, Of ,l,Hse Who trals in olirns
I,e ,.,r,',,,,i r'a' 10 CG-yr,; ..foDarS
rI,'sio,. -, 80 ~ tho ornoinfrrent
Il'a,.aSs hrulsS ~ -, ;or hin, - u.os
""' ooo, ,''',,7 ,, ,T,,.
noN' ENc''
Tor fItzscrs!d. lie IS uhdeTHtood 70 nave
accumulated fortune ranging from
quarter 10 haii mlilon since ne SET up as
pension ageEt. lie hau not neeh long So'nS
Win dudley, however, before com Ftaints
began to be heard oil ms ue4ilnE' win ms
Customers, the eT soIHlers. ne com pIalneS
were carried 10 Duuley WI; M%o stm"yS eba
- I'll II 5't.aTaIJ yyept ahead increIsirI
mis- business and rolling up his wealth.
rhe most positive proof OF FitZserald's
irregularities was from time to time pre-
sented to Dndley, who promised to disbar
him, but be never did It. Finally, when,
AZ psrently, there was no wlthstandlns
longer the pressure resulting from the
complaints by applicants for pensions,
who represented how they
uoa Eecn wro,rod
D,,--. ~ =. ,.-,sa,, t,,o o,,o 10
DNH!ey PROMISED 70 pIesGnt tue TnSe D, ~
tctetaLy Ieliel' vi Iue 4"tSaiGi W., S;1 Co nt
mem "no aIone oEu'" az dAe u,H ~ ,,,,
nuoIey was CSrelua 1o' 10 LeoGTrarJMu oTinii LiI
rl|Eeru ulsp, par men, a. ~ b,
report Duu.ey nau an h,. "a Sur
II "aS no' ~ ~ o,e 49, ~ roiior ~ acI oH3
"1t 9l S't 1e y, lad os "os
iaCt SlTt an5 n"ofts and stiii
;.I,'i'.;S i,7 ~, b;s ;rreoniorities would be
,,.;-.,,,i,, - ax,lo;DtG A. anv rate so
! a ,r(,'.,'1I, -, fon1 orc si;II rniE, on
F;S,,,..rsIS,s s,rcrctb is the sirenotb Of