The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-22
OUR CORREsPONDENTs.
Replies TO Questions on Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.

OUR CORRESPOND
Replies 10 Questions on a Variety Of Interesting
Subjects.
ITO CORRESPONDENTS Write questions on n SEN
arate sheet Of paper, give full name and address,
and mark 10 Cores pow tents Column" No atten-
ton will be paid % Communications that not
accompanied with ful and address OF writer.
Our readers requested 20 IncOse a stamp for
reply 10 their lttlirirs. Postal cards viii be
replied TO by mail otiH Replies By mail will ordi-
narily be male within week, and ii in tins col
umn within three weeks
l.. ~, Barre, VA soldier drew pension, which
was afterwards suspended upon an affidavit filed
against him. A special examination was ordered,
and the decided against him. Claimant be-
lieyes this to have been unfair examination. 1.
III this the case, can claimant demand another
examination. and what course must he pursue2 2.
Are persons reliability taken by the Pension Office
without their knowledge, OF they having any
chance 10 defend themselves considered IN the set
uetnent Of elaims2 3. Are people who reside 30
40 miles apart considered being in each others
neighborhood? 4 If a case IS represented TO the
Secretary OF the Interior, and another examination
solicited by the claimant, would it be granted? 5.
/ IL Special Agent misrepresents a in his
port, and IL should be so shown, would the Com
missioner suspend him? 8. Can claimant find
out obtain the report of Special Examiner?
AnStrer. i. That we cannot answer. IL viii depend
entirely upon the merits Of the case Of which the
Commissioner Of Pensions is the sole Judge. Sub
NIT the matter 70 him. 2 Yes. 3 No. A. We can
not say. We know nothing Of the merits of the
case D. The question Is too hypothetical for Us 70
| L. O., Blackstone, MrsS-what is the aggregate
number Of rebel prisoners held by our Governments
/ between 81 and '65? What per cent. died in our
prisons? How many Union prisoners were cap
tured and held by the south, and the per cent. Of
deaths2 AnS'rer. Total number captured by Fed
erals. a76.l79. Total number paroled 2ls 500 Total
number confined in Federal prisons 2Z7 $40. Num-
Der of deaths in Federal PRISONS 80 I52. Per cent
/ Of mortality So. Total number OF Union troops
captured by rebels, is, 10 Number paroled o.
\ or. Number actually confined In rebel prisons
9iO73. Number of deaths in rebel prisons shown
by individual graves, 80 IOl. Number estimated to
\ have died in rebel prisons, 5000 Per cent. Of
/ mortality, 37.6.
W. L. r.. KingsvtlEe. Ho.-Is there service PEN
sion granted for widows of soldiers of the Indian
/ wars? AHslger. No; there no service pensions
since the Of 1872. but il may be by the time this
reaches you that the Mexican pension bill will have
/ in any Indian war
j. B. w., Mtscatias Iotoa.-A pensioner applies
for an increase Of pension, which is rejected by the
Pension Office. He then puts the in the hands
| of Member Of Congress. Viii! said Congressman
have access 10 AL the evidence filed in the Pension
Office in said case will the claimant have TO fur
nish the evidence again? AnslOer If the claim
IS considered by Congress, al the papers file in
i the Pension Office will be sent to the COMMITTEES
having the bill in charge. IL will not be necessary
TO furnish any evidence which has heretofore been
| furnished.
SEX, Rashford, " FL enlisted Aug %. 1861,
TO serve three years or during the war; was taken
sick and discharged on a Surgeons certificate Of
disability. April T. 1862. Am entitled to bounty
Ansscer. Having been discharged for disability
you are not entitled 10 any bounty.
1 T. w., Dayton, OIL enlisted for three years Aug.
IS, 1852, and was discharged to accept commits
sion, April q, 1863 was mustered out a commits
| stoned officer at the close of the war. i received
| no bounty as an enlisted man. Am entitled to
anyf 4nstoer. No, your bounty forfeited by
| When you accepted a commission you lost your
rights as an enlisted man, and bounty WAS not paid
w. IT,, NetD BrtsnssVicE ~ J-what appropriation
IL there for back pay and bounty? ARSoer. There
! Is noappropriaton for the payment of such claims.
IL requires special appropriation by Congress,
| and such matters are included in what is known
the Deficiency Bill. That bill for this session OF
Congress has passed the House and IS now pend
| ing in the Senate. 1t viii undoubtedly become a
| law soon.
w. r, Hampton, FIa.-I made application for
! increase pension on shell wound of right arm and
also for injury eyesight from the effects Of small
/ pox-a new disability Can drop the new part Of
the claim and continue the other? ARswsr. You
can abandon any part of the claim by notifying the
Commissioner Of Pensions TO that effect and can
| claim an increase on the old disability.
It. O., WGrsalO, lad.-I sent my discharge to
| Washington when i applied for pension. How
shall get ID returneds ARstcer. Write to the Com
missioner Of Pensions; he will return it to YOU
Nm. H. r., LGRark, I'LL enlisted a volunteer
In the 4th III. Cav, transferred to the 10Th u s.
/ c. Inf, and was discharged from the service by
reason Of having been rendered a supernumerary
non-commissioned officer in the consolidation of
the list and 10Th u S. O. Inf Am entitled to all
the bounty the Government offered to veteran vol
unteers? My term of service a veteran volunteer
| stUer. Hyou were mustered out q supernumerary,
prior to April %, 1866, you cannot recover the I'M
paid in stalments Of bounty. but IL you were mus
tered out after said date, you entitled TO full
bounty.
H. b. g., Martinsrills Mo-Can q pension agent
have a claimant ordered before Board of Surgeons
Of his own choosing, when only for convenience
and TO save expensef AnsDer. Sometimes he can.
AS a rule claimant Ia ordered before Surgeon or
Board, may be most convenient for him, and in
case it is ineonvenient to claimant, the order may
be changed on application to the Commissioner Of
Pensions, giving satisfactory reasons for the de-
| A. b. b.. Ephrata PA son was killed in serv-
ice and in line Of duty Afew years after the father
| died. The mother had two daughters, both well
OFF. She files claim for pension on the death OF
son, which is allowed. She saves this money and
in about year after claim is allowed she dies. To
| whom does this money go. claim that it reverts
| to the Government? Anslrer. You are wrong 1t
| Is n simple question Of heirship. OF course the
pension ceases with the death OF the mother, but
the amount of money she had accumulated belongs
to her nearest heirs the her other property
TO be disposed of by her will by direction OF the
court. The source Of the money does not in any
| way divert its disposition. When it was paid to
| her il lost its identity as pension money.
MA r. Mountain Springs. Ind.-A comrade en-
listed in 1861, and disabled by measles. He
| was sent home on sick list and was unable to re-
turn to his regiment until g. when he enlisted in
| another regiment and remained in the service I'M
| til the close Of the war, when he was honorably
| discharged. /. Is there any law to remove charge
| of desertion2 2 Is there any bounty allowed SOL
diers who enlisted for three years and were dis
charged prior to two years service on account OF
! disability? AnSt0er. L. He is undoubtedly marked
| as a deserter from his first service. If more than
three months elapsed from the date he reported
as q deserter to the date when he re-enlisted, he
has relief. 2. No bounty IS paid to soldiers who
did not serve two years and were discharged for
disease except those who enlisted for three years
| prior to July %, 1851.
| o. g. r., Woodstock, Vt.-Has there been bill
passed. Is there any arrangement to the effect OF
allowing person who has served In the Govern
| meat employ in the Quartermaster's Department,
| TO join the GAR? AnsIger. No.
M b., Lee OILS a soldier who entered the army
in 1864 a substitute. entitled TO pension in case
of disability? ARSWer. Yes, If same contract
ed in service and in line of duty.
| W. j., Bath, w. Y.-It Is said that Mr.. Black re-
eeves from the agents IS per cent. on all pensions
that allowed. Is this so7 Anst9er No, 10 Is not
true The statement Is absurd. Gen. Eack re-
ceves nothing but his pension of 500 per month
| and his salary of IS 600 per annum.
| VIM. r. w., Lttehjieid, Mieh.-l. served in the
army two years, and was then transferred 10 the
former, but have heard nothing therefrom. Can
apply for pension for disability in the army? 2 My
claim for bounty was rejected because of my trans
fer to the navy. Is there decision which will en-
title me to bounty? AnSUer. 1. Yes. 2. You do
not state sufficient facts Give all the data possible
and we will inform you
| W. r., Let0istotrn, Pal. Can q name be dropped
from the pension rolls, which has been placed there
by special act without repeal by Congress? 2.
Has the Commissioner of Pensions or the Secre-
t1ry of the Interior power to order re-examina-
ton OF pensioner pensioned under special act? 8.
How long pensioner leave his pension stand
without having trouble To get 1t AGAIN. AnssVer 1.
| pensioner cannot be dropped from the rolls, but
his pension can be suspended by the Commissioner
If la his opinion fraud perpetrated In obtain
| animation at any time 3. IL he fails to draw his
Il DensiOn three wears Ia drODDad he