New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-02
FORGING PENSION CHECKS.
GENERAL FRANZ sIGE1is SON CHARGED
WITH THE CRIME


MAKING DAMAGING ADMIssIoNs-HELD UNDER
HEAVY BAIL-HIs FATHER soRELY DIS
TREssED-A MODEL YOUNG FELLOW
TO ALL APPEARANCES:
An examination by special agents from Wash
lngton Of the affairs of the Pension Agency in
this city resulted yesterday in the arrest of
Robert Sigel, the son OF General Franz Sigel. the
Pension Agent, on three charges OF forgery. Many
other violations of the law were acknowledged
by the young man, and 10 is probable that PEN
noners have been defrauded out Of many thousands
OF dollars by his acec within the lhst few years.
Sigel Is about thirty years Old When Gen.
eral Sgel was appointed Pension Agent In Feb
ruary, 1886. he selected his son as one Of the
clerhs and he has held o confidential position
He made out many Of the checks for pensioners
and had the right to certify to the correctness
OF the Endorsement on checks for 5000 or less.
The first important case Of fraud discovered by
Joseph q Jacobs and Thomas j. Shannon, the
agents sent to this city by the Commissioner Of
Pensions, was that of Samuel Knight, q blind PEN
sioner, who lives at Port Henry, Essex County,
~ T. Knight applied for pepsion through q
local Justice of the Peace named Beers, and
secured pension which with arrears amounted
to s6,7Se4Z The money was received at the
Pension Agency, and on August 20, 1888, four
checks were drawn to Knights order, one for
s2,4so a., one for $4,000, and two for s4oo each.
The larger checks were sent 70 knight or to the
notary, Beers and indorsed by Knight with his
mark, as he does not write, and they were paid
IN the usual way The two smaller checks were
Endorsed with knights name and mark, and
Robert Sigel signed bis name as witness They
were presented Of bank in this city and paid
on the day OF their date, so that it was evident
that they could not have been sent TO Port
Henry and returned to this city before payment
DEFRAUDINs SOLDIERS WIDOW.
The second case ON which the agents Of the PEN
sion Bureau founded criminal charge was that
Of Mrs. Jennie Heinemaun, the widow Of soldier.
She lives in this city. She became entitled to
ss75 on q claim for pension under an act passed.
nc the last session Of Congress. Three checks
were drawn on November 2 for the payment Of
the money, although tho regulations OF the bureau
provide that amounts less than $4,000 shall be
paid In single check. One OF the checks was
for $3.50. one for sl25, and one for s1oo The two
hrger checks and SIS IN money were inclosed by
Sigcl in an envelope, and were sent to Mrs. Hene-
mann. She indorscd the two checks, writing her
nnme In full The third check was signed by
mark as Mrs. Heinemann's signature clerk IN
the Pension Agency signed his name as witness 70
tho attended signature, and Sigel added his cer-
tifc.te that the Endorsement was correct. This
check was also o. he'd at o city bank
Agents Jacobs ard Shannon told the facts they
bad learned TO United States District-Attomey
Walker and Assistant Disrict-Attorney Roso. Mr..
Rose took them before Commissioner Shislds' and
Mr.. Jacobs made affidavit 10 three complaints,
IN tr,dn
checks with knights name and ono check with
Mrs. Heinemann's name Commissioner Shields
issned n warrant and Deputy Marshal Jeffries
sersssed sieel a. his desk in tho ptrsion Agency.
He was tsltsn before Commisslohcr Shields yes
terday afternoon Under the charge Of forgery
Sgcl might receive, II convicted, imprisonment
for thirty or forty years In the aggregate and as
ho was an official In Government Office Assistant
fxed L''tH' ns suggested eds $4,000 as the amount
The prisoner, is q short, slightly built young
man, with light complexion and face denoting
weakness of character. He was exceedingly
plaintively for light bail. He made damaging
admissions, and could hardly be restrained by the
Commissioner from making further statements
that would tncriminstc hmse hscld, ,InS hs nad $ no
not TO say anything but be continued to argue
rs 10 his guilt and the amount OF bail TO DO
given. He said: ..o-ooo
nor even $4,000. Idon't know whether my father
win intercede for me or not DO tnlnk {hat
smaller bail might be fixed, because when these
people tell their story, they VIII say thab was
authorized 10 do as did"
INDrscREEr TO THE LAST.
Mr.. Rose asked. "You don't mean to say that
they authorized you to commit forgery, do you p
Well they knew was 30 make the indorse'
ment.n Siccl continued 1t may have been an
Indiscretion. Indeed, will acknowledge that IL
was indiscrcet to do as | did, but l am sure 1t
can all be explained It Is quite misundsr-
standing These people didn't know about the
amount coming to them, and they were willing
10 give me some mad 10 give some cf the ssoo
TO somebody else. / didn't get IL all'
"No. vou and the notary divided IT. suppose
was Mr.. Roses comment
Tho Commissioner finally fixed the bail at
800. 900 but will consider an application Ior lts
reduction when q bondsInan IS ready. oiget "as
committed to Ludlow Street jail In aeiauio oi
Sirel also made long statement in the presence
OF Messrs Jacobs and shannon, and the statemehc
Was taken down by stenographer. ne auhi'tcui od
the agents say hss 9,sm IN one dollar upward from
PENSIONERS for services although the Revised stat
utes impose fine OF $500 on ~ every Pe'iSi|r or
agent or other s, person %So taEes s'''g receives
81 demands any fee or reward from any pensioner
for any service in connection with the sya payment n
~ port "'' Henry nP at ono time about the
Knsht KRIS pensca and that he registered under der
the name Of Smith lie did idots not DENY 70 anS Sns
agents that he had made the inuorseMsn.s ..at ana
received the money, btt seeiueu ,ve,s wiling To
give him something aided his cause, ne tbst vonnS
81 sss spi has SeeS partcuary earnest his efforts
to the arrest and eonycc9 o al aoweS
sor ali services in pension case The agents of
the Pension Bureau say that ts the poney thouah
II would make no difference in law II they had
authorized him. nnaor eo.tion
The charges Of forgery are drawn nhJet & o.vslVn ,
b4ls OF the Revised Statutes IN wnicn @ one run
ishment is fixed at not more than zen yeafs year,
Imprisonment. The charge might h siSO os a. mshe tbe
nn1er sections I,b13 and 1,514, whlon NIX tne
nnniah,nent for Forgery Of obligations OF the Gov
ernnenu at imprisonment for not more than nfteen
Pension Agent General Franz Sigel was seen
by Tribune reporter yesterday afternoon .s at ms