Evening star., 1886-06-23
PENSIONS AND POLITICS.
Commissioner Black Before the SEN
ate Committee Again To-day.

The Senate committee on public expenditures
to-day resumed the investigation of Pension
Commissioner Blacks allegation that political
influence had dominated the Pension Office in
the past.
The case of L. c. Houk, member of Congress
from Tennessee, which was pending at the last
adjournment, was resumed. The amount o
arrearages he got with his pension was So, O9O
The point made by Gen. Black in this case was
that the board of medical examiners of the
pension bureau in Washington reported that
there was no disability, and yet the pension
died. Gd .'"s' '''' 'o'n 'A'ef 'ne Apl1l'a0n ~a'
The case of George w. Wyatt, of company l.
22d Indiana regiment, was next taken up. He
applied tor a pension on the ground that he
was ruptured by hauling cannon up mountain
near Stephenson, Alabama. Aftidavfts of com.
rades to the effect that M the injury was produced
the case before the committee was a letter writ
ten March 22d, 1884, TO Commissioner Dudley
by Robert Graham: OF Indiana, in which he
called attention to the claim of his friend
Wyatt, saying the latter was good soldier, and
that his claim was meritOriOus; that it had been
on hand u long time, and ne requested Com
missioner Dudley to facilitate it as much as pos
sible, as Wyatt 'is an active friend of ours and
A POLITICAL HUSTLER"
Letters from the pension Office to the post
master at Wyatt's home, and one or two others
asking for information as to the credibility OF
the witnesses in the case were read
Gen. Black had nothing to say against the
merits Of the case. Being asked if that letter
caused 1t to be made special, he said he pre-
ferred to let the case speak Tor itself; that he
had no comments to make. He read a note
from Graham q Yancey, attorneys in the case,
calling attent1O TO its status, and an endorse
ment from Commissioner Dudley ordering it to
be sent forward Tor examination, review etc.
at once.
In regard to this case, the substance of Com
missioner Blacks allegations was that the ap-
plication OF Wyatt with affidavits showing his
suffering and needy condition remained in the
Pension Office for over ten years unnoLiced, but
that soon after his mmendatiOn as u pOliti-
cal worker his pension was allowed. He got
81 ,495 in arrearages. Gen. Black made no
question of the merits of the case, but it was
what he regarded as the manner of its allow
ance that he commented upon.
Senator Plumb called attention to the letters
written and the orders issued for a rigid in
quiry into the testimony as proof that due pre-
caution was observed. He wanted to know it
Gen. Black regarded the Graham letter as the
influence that procured the pension.
LET THE RECORD SPEAK FOR ITSELF
Commissioner Black preferred to let the record
speak for itself. There was some inquiry as to
the custom of writing letters to postmasters for
information in pension cases. Gen. Black said
he had practically discontinued it. He referred
TO some 1nsinuation or suspicion that such let
tiers had been designed to elicit political inform
alton with regard to applicants.
Mr. Plumb wanted any evidence to that ef-
tect which might exist and Gen. Black said he
would endeavor to present 1t.