The National tribune., 1884-12-11
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions On a Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.

OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions On Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.
ITO Correspondents.-write questions a sep
arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
and mark it Correspondents Column" No atten-
ton will be paid to communications that not
accompanied with full name and address OF writer.
Our readers requested to inclose a stamp for
reply to their inquiries.
WIN H-Suppose a woman files an application
for mothers pension and has a living husband: in
case she dies before her claim is adjudicated, has
she right to will her pension money when 1t is
allowed or will it be allowed after her death?
will her husband become the next her7
Ans'oer. No: If the claim ID not allowed prior
to her death the money reverts to the Govern
ment, except SO much as may be necessary to
pay "a claim for reimbursement for expenses of her
last sickness and burial and such claim is valid
only in she does not leave sufficient assets to
meet the said expenses. The father of the soldier
any other person is entitled to any portion of
her pension money; nor can she dispose of 1t by
will or otherwise. It can be paid only to her The
right of the father to pension commences with her
death.
G. H. r., Hope,ueu, NJ Y-You cannot recall q
power of attorney given in a pension claim, but
the question of recognition Of attorneys is for the
Pension Office to decide. According to your state
ments the first attorney has further rights in
the claim, and the second attorney will be recog-
nized. If for any reason the Pension Office should
refuse to recognize the second attorney you can
then continue your claim with the first one.
c. l.. L., Irds6urg, ", asks: Can a man that de-
serted obtain discharge? Ans,rer II depends
ton. We cannot give definite answers to questions
that are barren of facts.
A. T. p, Porkers Landing, Pd.-s50 is the amount
allowed for commutation every five years for loss
of arm below above the elbow. We replied to
your other question last week.
". IL. H.. Syracuse, ". VI If a soldier dies In
the service leaving a widow, and she remains q
widow Is years, re-marrles, and her second hus-
time she was widow, providing she applied prior
to July l, 1SSOr If she is not entitled, is not the
attorney rascal to give her hopes and receive
money for promising to get it for her? z IL the
law should be passed making all pensioners, will it
take down all that get $50 to S24? 3. My house
burned and lost my discharge; cannot get
new diseharpeP 4nsmer / The widow is entitled
An attorney is cu1pable for receiving pay for serv
ices which he knows can result in no advantage to
Mexican pension bill will not reduce present rates
for invalid pensions. No such question has been
agitated. 8. You can get certificate from the
official records, which will answer the purposes of
a discharge If you will strictly observe the rules
printed at the head of this column you will be
piled to either in this manner or by mail,
may prefer. We have not room in this column to
reply TO one-tenth of the Inquiries sent US.
c. r. L., Franklin, Pa.-Why is it that a pension
same being reeeipted for, only receives draft for
81? AnS,cer. Write to the Pension Agent who paid
sne Us
and that no such error was made. If it is a fact
however, the Pension Agent can correct it.
j. II. W., Long Branch Village, ~ il enlisted
on the 18th day of August 1861, for three years.
re-enlisted on the 2sth day of December 1863 In
the field, at Warrenton, Va Am not entitled to
enlistment? AnSaper 500 WAS all that you were
entitled to on your first enlistment The veteran
bounty paid your second enlistment.
H. z. H., Ant,oerp o.. want to know IL
should give to an attorney the power to collect
money from the Department at Washington, can
i recall that power from him before he receives the
money? 2. was mustered out in March, 1865, to
accept promotion as commissioned officer. Am
entitled to three months extra pay? think / did
pntr 2 Ions aft air
the Second Auditor until the claim Is paid Is
claim rejected after it has passed through the
Adjutant-Generafs Office to the Second Auditor?
Ans,rer. i. You cannot revoke the power of attor-
ney given except for good and sufficient reasons
in claim for back pay or bounty. check for
the amount due, less the attorneys fee, Is sent
direct to the claimant. e If you were mustered in
officer prior to March 3, 1865 and served
tinously officer until April TO- 1865, there
after, you should have received the three months
extra pay. You are not entitled thereto unless you
are recognized q commissioned officer for the
entire period between the dates mentioned. 8. A
claim made to the Adjutant General does not go to
the Second Auditor. The Adjutant- General acts
upon the claim made for correction of records, in
order to establish an earlier date from which the
claimant is entitled to pay an officer If such
claim is favorably acted upon. then separate claim
has to be made to the Second Auditor for the pay
involved. The latter claim hinges on the former.
We cannot approxiIn the time that is ordinarily
consumed in such cases. as the Office of the Second
Auditor is very much behind in its work.
W. c., Ayers, Quebec-Is an affidavit OF a half
claim? AnSter. There is nothing in the pension
laws that prohibits the consideration of such esti-
mony, but 1t is held on general principles that
testimony of relatives is not desired in pension
claim for the reason that such witnesses con-
sdered more or less interested. 1t is evident that
such testimony is not given the weight that would
attach to testimony from persons not relatives.
However, you can submit it for what it is worth.
C. G. s., SharpSbng. PAGAN soldier of the
Mexican war procure duplicate papers of discharge,
he having lost his papers? Ans,oer. No, unless the
discharge is on file in the Department and can be
found, in which event certified copy thereof can
be obtained If lost, you cannot obtain anything
relating thereto.
j. j. S., National Military Home, Ohio.-The PEN
soner has a right to demand examination be-
fore other Board and If all the circumstances
are made known to Commissioner Clarke he viii
probably so direct There is no law that prohibits
the examination of a claimant "a pensioner by q
Board other than that nearest his residence. The
whole matter is one within the discretion of the
Pension Office, and examinations are ordered as
may be considered best for the interests of the
Government and the claimant. We have never
known II reasonable request of this nature to be
refused.
H. w. L,nnriLe Ind.-w: ere a Captain was
drawing 500 per month pension and was reduced
to SIS last Biennial denomination, is there any
law emitting him to the old rating 500, without
an increased disability? AHst0er. No; but the rat
ing of pensions is much more liberal now than il
when biennial examinations We're in force, |
and we presume il the pensioner should apply for
increase he could obtain it.
j. C. Hes, RetU, Pa enlisted August q, 1854, |
for year, and discharged June l, 1865, by
reason of services being no longer needed ] only
received the first lnStaiment OF bounty, SS3. How
much more am entitled to? And am | entitled |
to interest from the time il due me to time of
collecting it? Ans,oer. You should have received
S33la when you were mustered in, and the same |
amount at the end of six months service The re-
manning instalmeut was not due, because you did |
not serve one year. (See reply to Jesse, Nov ~
The Government does not allow interest In claim |
for back pay OF bounty.
X. L., Socktoe, Ind.-My pension claim goes into |
the hands of Special Examiner, detailed from |
Pension Office for that purpose. In what way will
lie proceed? What will be required of and |
what of him 1nst0er When the Special Ex- |
amner is ready to take up your claim he will send
you a written notice TO that effect, and will call
upon you and probably take your statement first
have testified, and any others who may have any |
knowledge of the You have the privilege of |
being present, either in person by attorney at
the examination of the witnesses and crOssex-
anime them, etc Any new testimony that you may |
desire to submit will be duly considered Twill |
get all the necessary information instructions
from the Special Examiner when he calls upon you.
II. ". r., Springfield, AdsS.-The highest num- |
bered regiment from New York during the late |
the i98d; from Pennsylvania the 2i5th; from |
Ohio, the i9Sth.
H. n b. Wnubeok, To,oa-I Does a soldier lose |
his right of homestead when he has taken out !
papers therefor once but never settled omit; there
fore has had no benefit from it, 2. Is there any |
chance for soldiers TO get the difference in value |
between greenbacks and gold for their pay, etc, |
during their servcep As1Cer l. Yes, he has lost his
right. 9 There is chance to recover. We do |
not think that such measure will ever pass any |
Congress.
j. NJ Cessna PAGAN a soldier be pensioned for |
more than wound? ! lost a leg in the service, |
for W hici get $50 per month. had ball in my !
shoulder, that broke through the shoulder blade, |
and could not be reached. IL very much disables |