Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-30
The Ostrander Pension Case.

The readers of the REPORTER have
heard the rumors and are more or less
acquainted with the alleged facts in
the above case. In brief it, appears
that Mrs. Maria Ostrander was success
full in prosecuting fraudulent pension
claim and received in July 1885 as
back pension S2,185.O0 and an allow
ance of eight dollars month. She
claimed to be the mother of Chauncy
N. Ostrander, son of Alexander
Ostrander by his first wife.
Last Fall some time in October DR..
Joslyn was arrested for completely in
prosecuting this claim. Last Thurs
day the 23d inst. the Grand Jury at
Madison returned indictments against
Alexander Ostrander, Maria Ostrander
Andrew Bean, DR.. Joslyn and Geo. L.
Williams which was a great surprise to
the people in this vicinity.
g. l.. Williams host of friends in
this county were puzzled to think how
he, of all others was in any way crimi-
nally interested in the claim. On
inquiry it was found that he acted as
attorney in the prosecution of the
claim. The writer Of this article
called at his Office and was shown such
papers and correspondence as he yet
has in his custody which have any
relation to this claim and found that
he had taken only the part of an
attorney just as any other person
would have done under like circum-
stances.
Mr.. Williams is comparatively new
conner in this county and knew nothing
of this WON ans early history and
therefore took the lady to be an honest
upright Woman-never mistrusting,
but what she was the mother of the
deceased. And we venture the asser-
ton that outside of very few of our
Oldest settlers few could up to two
months since have been found who
would have questioned or doubted Mrs.
Ostrander's claim-.however, later evil
dence and developments have reveald
the true inwardness of her pretenee
and Mr.. Williams regrets most keenly
that he ever had anything to do with
the case and feels confident that when
the time comes he will be able to make
his position in the matter perfectly
clear. He publishes the following
card which explains ITSELF
GRAND RAPIDS Wis, Dec. %, 'S6
The papers of to-day's issue bring
to me the first intimation that the u.
S. grand jury at Madison had seen fit
to indict me for completely in the
alleged fraudulent pension claim of
Maria Ostrander. The action of the
grand jury is certainly as great shock
and surprise to me as to my numerous
friends in the state, and for the pur-
pose, in part at least, of checking
hasty conclusions and erroneous i'm
pressions, [ desire briefly to make a
statement or two. [ appeared before
the grand jury on the 18th Of this
month and fully and freely statedsall |
knew about the claim. | stated under
oath that / had no knowledge norein-
formation prior to last OCTOBER that
Mrs. Ostrander was not the real mott
er of the deceased soldier andaiun-
married as she claimed to be. In the
years 1879 and 1880, and soon after
coming to Wood Co., the law business
not being very brisk. / commenced
and prosecuted number of pension
claims for soldiers and dependent re-
latiyes, and among others the claim of
Mrs. Ostrander. In her case the evil
dence passed through my hands as her
attorney to the department and at the
time seemed to me straight and proper
and as presenting the true facts in the
case. | had no more doubt Of the
truth of the statements made by
various witnesses aud on which the
pension was allowed than had the
Pension department when allowing
the claim and as stated above and as
sworn to by me, and | think uncon-
tradicted by any witness before the
grand jury, the first notice which I
had that Mrs. Ostrander 8 claim was
fraudulent was received by me last
October. The indictment, so far as [
am concerned is certainly founded on
suspicion alone and while regreting
very keeuly the action and the smirch
thereby cast upon my good name, L can
only confidently wait for future full
and complete vindication, conscious
of my rectitude in the whole matter.
Papers which have published the fact
of my indictment will greatly contri-
butte to my peace of mind and do a
simple act of justice by publishing
| this statement.
Respectfully,
Geo. L. Williams.
The Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin
| takes common sense view of the
situation and speaks editorally as
follows. HTho action of tho TIr;toJ