The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-22
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions On Variety OF Intsrestin
Subjects.

| u.
Replies to Questions on Variety OF Interesting
Subjects.
| ITO Correspondents.-Writ questions on n sep
arate sheet of paper, give full name and address,
| and mark it " Correspondence Column" No atten-
ton will be paid to communications that not
| accompanied with full name and address of writer.
Our readers are requested to inciose a stamp for
| reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
| replied to by mail oaty. Replies by mail will ord-
| naT1iy be made within week and IL in this COL
umn within three weeSs.l
UidoC, Milan, Mo.-A widow applies for PEN
sion in March, 1854. Pension granted on account
of death of husband, who died from disease con-
trncted in the army. She has several children all
mother, are the children entitled to draw pension
during their minority from the death of soldier or
what interest have the children? AiStUer. No.
They have no interest i'll the claim.
| D. o. H., Uisc0nSil.-l. To what class of soldiers
| will Congress give aid through the bill recently
passed until they complete their claims that are
| still i'll the Pension Office? 2. Does an appeal to
| the Secretary OF the Interior reopen cases and
about how long are they behind in settling claims
q. Does addtiona! evidence reopen cases? 4. III q
claimant, mentally afflicted, is required to make
his own affidavit and is not able to do so intel
ahce in considering the claim If his mental debility
| was known to exist? 5. Will old letters written
during the war; while i'll hospital alIudiug to afore-
said debility be of any benefit in claim ? AnsUcr.
| l. We know of no bill recently passed =" bearing
| upon the subject 2. Yes. Over n year. g. Yes if
1t bears upon the cause of rejection and is of sufi
Client Importance to warrant such action. 4. That
| Is hypothetical question, which cannot he def
nitely answered In the absence of any knowledge
| of the facts 5. Yes.
B. G.. e., North Platte Neb-1 How MANY Union
soldiers were killed in battle during the war of the
| rebellion? 2. How many died of disease while in
| the service? 3. How many were taken prisoners
by the rebels? 4. How many died in rebel prisons
D. How many men were enlisted in the rebel army?
AnScer. / and g Killed in battle A 23S: died of
wounds and Injuries, 10 205; died of suicide homi-
eide and execution 526; died of disease 1856 PIG ;
unknown causes. 2il8i; total 30i $50. g. 2l2.6OS
4. The exact number will probably never be known
We put the figure at 10000. s. 1t cannot be deter
mined.
| Friend of the Soldier. Is there any earthly
reason why a poor, needy soldier, widow is
obliged TO wait from four TO six months for settle
ment of pension claim simply To get report from
the Adjutant- General, u, s. A.? 2 Is the wort; so
| far behind in that office? g. If So why? T. What
Is there to hinder increase of force or arranging
| the books so that more clerks can work, etc? s.
man enlisted as soldier in the of the rebel
lion and went with his mpany to the State Cap
tal to be mustered into the United States service
| but before being mustered, and while in line of
duty drilling, he received n sunstroke and in con-
| sequence of this was rejected unsound Could
he not legally apply for pension? Ansrer l. Yes
The inability of the force to keep up the work on
pension claims. q Yes. 8. lack of clerical force
4. The failure of Congress to provide more clerks
on such work. 5. There is nothing to prevent his
applying for pension, but he is not legally entitled
to receto6 pension under the general pension law
because he never was mustered into the United
". c. b., Albany Ter-I have recently been
placed on the pension rolls with pay to commence
from the date of application. In such are
there any precedents for private bill granting
arrearage money? If So please cite one or two in
stances. Iserved under an alias; now the Commits
sioner of Pensions has had my certificate made out
ia both names. Iwish, for good and obvious reasons
to drop the alias. Can | get it done? If So how?
Can my attorney have it done, and at what cost?
Ans,oer. No to all the questions.
AZ. w. L. Fairfield, o. notice that J. c. Spear
fish, OAK, inquiries if pensoner exempt from
pol-tax Now, the State of Ohio provides that
every able bodied man between the age of 81 and
55 shall perform two days labor the public high
ways. Is Il pensoner considered able bodied? If
so, why is he pensioned? Ansrer. We do not con-
slider that a peusoner is an able-boded man. else
he would not be pensioned but the matter of poll
tax is that is regulated by State laws and re-
gsrdng which there Is no general law.
Mrs. H. b. Mendoza Mo.-Can L draw a pension
for my husband. who was disabled during the war
my son. who killed in battle, having first OBJ
tanned pension for my son? L think l can have
pension granted for my husbands injuries but
wish you to inform me If can draw it while draw
ing pension for my son. AfSuer No But one
pension be allowed. You can elect which
pension you draw. but the law forbids the
payment of two pensions to one person.
Il. c. r., Kcsne, Wis.-l. When soldier files
claim for pension he is then sent for a medical ex-
animation to see Ii he has reasonable disability
Is he not? 2 If such is found to be the case he is
then required to furnish evidence TO prove that his
disability was incurred in the service and in the
complete, he is then sent for medical examination
for rating, is he not? After this is done and a rat
Ing given has not the claimant good reasons to be-
lieve that his will be favorably considered?
Ans0er. Yes to ali the questions, applied to an
ordinary
Drafted, Ha,sey Valley, NJ FL was drafted from
the State OF New York and enrolled July I5 1868;
honoraby discharged July II, 1865 received SIO0
bounty. Am entitled to any more? AfS,Uer No
W. H. g., HeUs Riuer, V.-l If claimant for pen
sion employs an attorney and the attorney agrees
to make copies of all the papers in the case to
whom do those copies belong? 2. Would such
agreement have to be specified in the contract? g.
If such copies belong to the claimant how can he
compel the attorney to give them up? Ans,ger. / |
70 he g g n mart Of tI.
attorney 8 records. We do not know how he could
be compelled to give them up. There could be no
copies he should have taken copies before he sent
the papers to the attorney.
for enlistmens in the Regular Army prior to July
], 1861 You are, therefore, not entitled to bounty
for your enlistment in 1860.
j. L.. Sloan Springs, Ark.-Is q Cherokee Indian
who was enrolled in the Cherokee Home Guards |
and discharged from United States service at the
close of the war. entitled to membership in the |
GAR? We ask this to settle question I'm our |
Post. There have two Cherokees applied for men,
bershp If these get in all right, there are several
more to follow. Ans0er. Yes, if otherwise quail |
fed. |
PiHrile, Shasta Co., Cat-The trouble in your case
appears to be. as we construe your letter that you
have not furnished medical evidence showing that
the alleged sequences are resulting disabilities" |
of the disease originally claimed to have originated
In the service and you admit that you cam OF prove
their existence in the service. 1t is not necessary
In oil cases to prove that resulting disabilities
existed in the service, but 1t Is necessary to proue
that they did result from cause due to service and
In line of duty and where such additional disabli-
ties developed after service this only be proved
by competent medical testimony, unless the result
ing disability is SO common sequence to render
II quite probable that it Is legitimate result ETC.
The diseases claimed by you results of chronic
diarrhea are not common sequences, and will not
be accepted as results of said disease without medi
cal proof of the fact because they very liable to
exist independent Of each other and may not be
due to the service. Your theory may be correct |
but 1t will not be accepted by the Pension Office |
unless you demonstrate its accuracy by medical
proof showing your exact physical condition at the
date when these diseases appeared.
g. p, Brooklyi.-Is there any law passed by Con-
gress giving preference to veterans of the late
10 be retained in offices coming under the civil
service, when reduction Is made in such offices?
AsssUer Section l754 Revised Statutes of the United
States provides that persons honorably discharged
from service for disability which originated in
oe and In line of duty shall be preferred for
appointments to civil offices, other things being
squat.
B. L. j., Peoria, M.-1 II the soldier was never
mustered into the U. g. service, infer from
your statement, he would not be entitled TO pay
bounty, and yet he appears to have rendered some
service. A statement of the facts should be SUBJ
aitted to the Adjutsnt- General for an amendment
II record. 2. Col. Pritchard, with portion of Will
1Tl,C All Fits stopped free by DIR. Kline's Great