The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-01-27
Our Washington Letter.
Claim Agents--PensIOn Matters
How the Soldiers are Swindled.-
Special Examiners, SC.

Claim Agents--PensI0n Matters
How the Soldiers are Swindled--
Special Examiners, SC.
WAsHINGTos CRY D. CT
January 2l.t. 1885.
| Ed. SPIRIT: The investigation which
has been in progress for three or four days
before General WARMERS committee,
has developed come rather startling facts
connected with recent pension legisla-
ton. II has been shown that the act Of
July 4, 1884, which will enable claim
agents to squeeze over S750,000 from
claimants, whose claims were already on
file when the law was enacted. and which
increased the fee to S25. in all cases in
which contracts could be procured. was
prepared by the Secretary of the Inte-
rior The circumstances under which
the bill was prepared are, to say the least,
rather singular. At the last session, a
hill relating to attorneys fees. known as
the Rogers bill, was appended to an ap-
preparation bill, and passed the House.
This bill was intended to, and certainly
would have, in greet measure. protect
ed the soldier from the pension attor-
neys. But when this bill went to the
Senate, the claim agents followed 1t up.
The bill didn't suit them, of course
Nothing suits them that is in the interest
of the soldier unless their interest is also
advanced. When this Rogers bill went
to tho Senate, the Senate appropriation
committee, under direction of Senator
Logan, struck 1t of. 1t required, then.
conference ON the part OF each House,
and during the time the bill was ir con-
ference committee, the claim agents got
in their work Lemon, the publisher OF
the National Tribune, employed Bob In
peraoll and three or four other attorneys
and lobb iests, and they went before the
Secretary Of the Interior. They argued
their side OF the csse,-they got the Sec
retary to present to the conference COM
pit,ee bill. entirely acceptable to them,
and recommend its passage. The con-
ference committee adopted the bill so
prepared, and 1t passed. without examin-
alton, through both Houses day or
two before adjournment. and is now a
Ilaw. 1t is said that it cost Lemon $780,
600 to get the law passed.
And now comes in the singular part
of the business. Lemon says he had
full Information Of the situation OF the
bill in the conference committee, and
knew that it was to he favoraby repor.
ted. Do the verv dav before ii vas re
ported. he sncceedea in closing con.
tract with N W. Fitzgerald, a claim
agent who had been suspended some six
months before. for the whole Of F'zger-
AIDS business. 1t s claimed by Fitzger.
aid that he knew nothing about the pro.
posed new Law, and that If he bad known
OF it, instead of $40 600. the price he
got. he would not have taken $500 900
for his business In this purchase, Lem.
on secured some 10000 casrs. and ol
this number probably 1000 OF them had
been allowed but the Tee had not beer
paid. The law Of July 4. virtually made
1.-The Pension office o collection agency
for these stale attorney fees, and Lemor
would get some $40, ,0G0 for fees in case,
In which be had nothing to do, an6
which had been allowed some years be-
fore. Besiaas. the law increased the fe,
from SIO to S25. aud thus adtled more
than 81, $50. 900 TO the fees allowed these
claim agents, and which must he paiC
Tout of the money due the pensioner. II
lorder to enable Mr.. Lemon TO enjoy th'
full benefit of the law, and reap the frl
advantage Of his contract, the Secretary
lof the Interior made an order restorins
Mr Fitzgerald to practice, and this or
der was made the day before the sale t
Lemon and at his ihstigation.s
On the face OF the matter as now pre-
sented, the methods adopted in securin!
the passage of the act Of July 4, ar
trather suspicious, and il will requir
some ine swearing 10 show that the leg
islation was not improperly procured
At any rate. the bill is largely in favo
of the claim agents in general and Gen
E Lemon in particular, and against th
!, interest Of the pensioners. may TAX
occasion to notice this matter again q
the investigation proceeds.
, spEoIAL EXAMINERS.
The committee on Payment OF Per
sions, Bounty and Back Paw has ais
g under investigation the conduct of tn
Special Examiners in the Pension ollie
r during the last election. N, testimon
has yet been taken on this branch OF To
!, Iinyes.io CATION, hut the evidence taken b
q fore the Springer committee shows ths
!. Mr.. Rathhone. the chief OF the Examir
o er's Division, was in charge OF an ele'
!. ton bureau at Cincinnati for three {
a four weeks, and that several OF the Sp'
!. cial Examiners and Cerks 10 the PEI
sion office we're appointed and acted {
il Deputy Marshals there on election da
= There will be no difficulty in connectir
, some of the principal officers in the Sp
n cial Examiners division with polite
,fl work, and every one knows that Con
missioner Dudley was at the head OF u
Il Republican committee in, OHIO. but 1t
, expected that the committee will disco
IN er come oi the 6ne work done ny Il
travelling pension agents, who hoods
!. the country ahont election time. Out
II the 800 Special Examiners in the who
United States during the months OF .
Al tober and N lvember, last. l0l of the
. we're in OHIO. And 8 OF this numb
q are found in General Warmers Dlstrie
And how many do you suppose we're
D, Washington county on election day r
Only 7 OF them, and one, bv the nan
o. Evans, a big beaded individual, stot
around the polls in Woodstield. The
D. will undoubtedly he enough discover
to bring a goodly number Of these wo
an thies within the spirit OF President Clev
IL, 4 L.. Ill