The Washington critic., 1888-07-31
WASHINGTON CRITIC.
PENSION CRAZEn WnMEN.
Peculiar Persons who Imagine They Ha


Peculiar Persons who Imagine They Have
Claims on the Government.
New York Press: Almost any day per-
sons, a majority Of whom are women,
may be seen focking to the clerks Office
of the United States District Court to
make oath to applications for pensions.
Some of the number are regular and
periodical visitors, and have become
known to the officials as pension cranks.
Their mania is PENSIONS" said an Off
clal. They present no evidence on
which to frame an application to the
Department at Washington, but are
filled with the idea that the Govern
ment owes them pensions, and talk
wildly on the subject. We soothe them
with the assurance that their money
will soon be forthcoming, and they 20
away quietly, only to return after the
lapse of week or two and renew their
demands. Several of them have been
coming here at intervals for years"
One of the women who is continually
haunting the Federal offices with her
appeals for pension is known as the
"one-eyed BRIDE" A court officer told
how she got the appellation. Some
years ago she was drawing pension of
$S month as the widow of veteran of
Company ID Of the famous Sixty ninth
Regiment, who was killed in the war.
Complaint was made that she had got
another husband, and she was hauled
before Commissioner Shields on a
charge of perjury. The man claimed to
be her husband was also brought into
court. The clergyman who performed
the marriage ceremony identified her as
the bride, but was not sure about the
man being the bridegroom.
He knew the woman because of her
being minus an eye. She was dis.
charged, but the testimony was deemed
sufficient for the annulling of her pen
sion. Since then she has behaved as II
she were demented, and is clamorous
for pension. One of Commissioners
Shields steady visitor is black.robed
woman of middle age and quasi re.
Is. II want nv money!. "Whai
money, madam" says the Commits
sioner. my pension money. You have
got it and | want it. Here are my
papers," and the visitor begins fumblinl
through an ancient reticule, from which
are produced doughnut, piece Of
cheese and other articles, but no papers
''You will have to apply at Washing.
ton, madam" soothingly replies the
Commissioner. Every we'll, but yor
will hear from me again." and he al
ways does.
General Franz Sigel, the pension
agent. who pays out $4,000,000 at thu
Cana street agency, says that he is Otter
worried by women, and men also, whit
have delusive claims for pensions. Non,
of them are violent, and 60 away afte
receiving assurances that Congress il
considering their claims. General Sige
says that there are "a, 900 pensioners OF
the rolls, and that the number is in
creasing annually in the ratio, as com
pared with the decrease from death
and other causes, of 175 to 100.
The bulk of the pensions are from S
to So month. Only two instances ar
known by the General of the voluntar
surrender of pensions. One was tn
case of colored woman, who gave u
her pension because of the pesterings O
agents and others for share of her in
come. The other instance was that O
an ex-soldier, who relinquished his per
sion so that the money might go towar
paying the nations debt. Mrs. Ger
eral Grant and Mrs. General Hancoc
are the two most distinguished widow
on the roll. The former is paid $500
year and the latter So, 500 a wear.