Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-07-22
WASHINGTON.
THE PENSION COMMISSIONERS
REFORM.
Further Developments In the Investiga-
ton Of General Black.


tion Of General Black.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE commit
tee that has been investigating Commits
sioner Black drew out some sensational
evidence this morning which shows that
he has been guilty of doing exactly what
he charged his Republican predecessor
with having done.
Last week the committee sent down to
the Pension Office for the papers in six
cases that had been brought to their at
tention in which Black had granted pen
sions against the evidence, and the decis-
ion Of his own examiners, for political
reasons, or to oblige personal and politi-
cal friends, and every one Of them are not
only questionable, but are many degrees
worse than any o. those vetoed by the
President.
At Blacks instance one Of the six cases
was taken up to-day, and 1t was that of
one Peter Wynne, who lives in Washing
ton, and is notorious as bowling Demo-
crat. His claim for pension was based
upon an alleged wound in the foot and
for piles, and 1t has been three times re-
iected, once during Dudley's administra-
tlon and twice since Black has been Com
missioner. In May, 1885, soon after Black
came into Office, he rejected the claim
upon the report Of Board Of Examiners
who decided that .'there is no evidence
TO show that the claimant was wounded
or that he contracted piles in 1862, or
that they existed in 1885 or since. The
records fail to show any evidence of
wounds or disease"
AT the instance of General Rosecrans
the case was reopened and sent to anoth.
er board of examiners who made the
same decision with the addition that the
Witnesses who testified in Wynn's behalf
were men of "bad character and noto-
rious incompetency." When General
Rosecrans received notice that the claim
had been rejected again he sent Wynne
to Black himself. with the following let
ter:
Personal.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
REGIsTERs OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 90, 1885.
MY DEAR GENERAL-You were so
kind as to take some pains beyond your
duty, about the case Of Peter Wynne, at
my request. From the official letter Civ
ing the outcome of your examination,
and the decision of the special examiners
in regard to Peter Wynne, it is clear to
me that they did not tell the truth. l
want you to see Peter Wynne imself,
and the papers he has. This would
oblige one who would otherwise call per-
sonally with Mr.. Wynne, who is, am
certain, very honest man. Your friend,
"W. s. RosEcRANs.
'To General j II. Black, U. S. Pen
sion Office. =
Commissioner Black had physical ex-
animation made of Wynne, and found
that he was not suffering from piles as he
claimed. He did have a scar on his foot,
which he said was that of wound re-
ceived during the war. There was no
evidence Of disability. There was no ev-
dcnce to show the truth of his statement
except Rosecrans' certificate that he twas
n very honest man.. On the contrary it
was very plain that he had lied about the
piles, but Black at once and in spite of
the evidence wrote an order to place
Wynne on the pension rolls because of
the wound in the foot. but decided that
the claim for piles could not 60.
Under oath this morning the Commits
sioner admitted that the facts above stat
ed are correct, but thought there must
have been some reason outside the record
for granting this pension. What 1t was
he couldn't recollect.