Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-22
RERATED PENSION CASES.

RERATED PENSION CASES.
Thirty Employees of the Pension Once
Who Secured an Increase.
THEIR NAMES AND POSITIONS As GIVEN IN TEE
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMISSION
sHARP CRITICISM OF THE METHODS EMpIorKp
IN THE RERATINo OF THESE cAsks
The cases Of employees of the pension Office
whose pensions have been rerated are treated
at length in the report Of the commission that
has recently been engaged in investigating the
methods Of the pension Office. The report
calls attention to what is termed ''employe
cases" and states that there are cases in which
rerating and increase have been allowed GER
tain employees, thirty in number, in the pension
ofice. Nearly all these cases were adjudicated
in the months of May and June, 1889. A synop-
sis OF the official record in each case is given in
the appendix. The report says:
THE EMPLoYE CASES.
"a reference to the exhibits will show that
most of the 'employe,' cases were also forty
eight-hour' cases. 1t may be said generally in
regard to the employe' cases that they are
like many others which We have examined and
to which this report relates in this, that in the
adjudication for rerating the rule 'palpable
error or manifest injustice in former rat
ings seems to have been utterly ignored and
lost sight OF. They have almost without excep-
ton been readjusted on mere opinion, the
Judgment Of today annulling and setting aside
that deliberately rendered years ago, and
against which until recently no protesthad ever
been made by the pensioners. Not only this,
but, in our judgment, the recent action
overturning former adiudications, was in a
majority OF the cases without justification even
on the weight of evidence, conceding for the
moment for the sake of the argument the very
untenable position that in cases long since de-
termlned the weight Of evidence, as now viewed,
should be permitted to control to the setting
aside OF all previous adjudications. In some
instances the cases>wer referred by the COM
missioner or by his private secretary, Mr..
squares, to an examiner in the medical division
for an opinion, which, proving favorable, the
cases were taken up, briefed, and rerating al
lowed Why referred to a medical examiner,
subordinate in the medical division, rather
than to the medical referee, the official directly
in charge of the medical branch of the Office,
does not appear and is left to be inferred
"lt a medical examination of the employe
pensloner was deemed necessary, 1t was in
many cases had by board in the Office instead
of sending the applicants to an outside board.
Besides, as already indicated, the adjudica-
tions were hurried. The cases were expedited.
They were taken up very soon after application
was filed, thus displacing and setting back other
claims entitled in the order of business to pre-
cedence. Reratings were allowed and certifi-
Gates thereon issued in remarkably
short space OF time. considering the
large amount of business before the
office and the long list of unadjudicated claims
original and increase, which burden its fles
No reason appears which would at all justify
the action which gave them a preference in
the order of time over other claims. II good
reasons did not exist for the speedy action,
then insufficient and unsatisfactory reasons
must be inferred. The brief period which
elapsed between the dates of the filing of the
applications and their favorable adjudication,
together with the character of the evidence
upon which the reratings were allowed, are in
dicative of personal favor due to the official
relations OF the claimants"
THE NAMES OF THE THIRTY PENSIONERS
are as follows:
Frank A. Butts, principal examiner in charge
OF army and navy division, salary $4,000, who
resigned August /, 1888. Increase OF pension
from CIT to $50 per month. Arrearages Of
pension amounted to S2,196.
VIM. p Davis. assistant chief middle division
salary 800. Three reratings from December
IS, 1887, to June II, 1889; pension inreased
from 81. so to $3.50. Arrearages, S1,793.
salary 81, 900, dismissed October 4, 1889. PEN
sion increased from s20 to $50. Arrearages
received, $780,
John L. Paine, principal examiner board of
review, salary 81, 400. Pension increased from
81 to SIT. Arrearages received, S2,397
Joseph G. Squires, confidential clerk to the
commissioner, salary 81, 800, resigned June H.
1889. Pension increased from "a to GIG. Arrear-
ages received, S1.564.
Alva H. Doan, principal examiner board of
review, salary $1,000. Pension increased from
$40 to ESQ. Arrearages received S3,022.
Joseph Dickson, clerk in old war and navy
division, salary 81 800. Pension increased from
S22 to $50. Arrearages received. S7l3.
William B. Pratt clerk in the middle division,
salary 81, 400. Pension increased from 81 to
silas Colgrove, principal examiner board Of
review, salary $4,000. Pension increased from
$22 80 to $50. Arrearages received, S1,S22.
John E. Carpenter. medical examiner, medi-
cal division, salary $500, dismissed June 29,
1889. Pension increased from Sit to $50.
Arrearages received 81, s03.
William J. Hilligoss, chief of eastern division,
salary $4,000, dismissed July %, 1884, Pension
increased from sl2 to $17. Arrearages received
S1S4
William NJ GoodlOve, qualified surgeon,
salary $4,000, dismissed June 49, 1885,
Philip Metzger, assistant chief Of army and
navy division, salary $500. Pension increased
from $40 to $17.
W. w. Case, principal examiner, salary
$4,000: Increase Of pension from S18 to $50.
IECucriCh 4ytTs, CLERK, SOutQern DIVISION,
salary $1,000. Pension increased from IS to
$40.
Ashland B. Swiggett, principal examiner,
board of review, salary 81, 800. Pension in
creased from S24 to $50.
Samuel r. Hersey, assistant chief western
division, salary 81 800. Pension increased from
GIG to $50.
E. H. Maxwell, clerk, eastern division, salary
81, 400. Pension increased from Sc to $40.
Henry A. Phillips, chief Of division, salary
$4,000, Pension increased from sc to S24
Benjamin F. Darling, clerk, medical division,
81, 400. Pension increased from els to $50.
Whitfield F. Works. clerk, old war and navy
division, salary 81, 400. Pension increased from
"a to 50.
Jefferson H. Jennings, clerk division. special
examinations, salary 81 400. Pension increased
from 50 to SIT.
Caleb B. Moore, clerk, certificate division.
salary 81, 400. Pension increased from $50
to S36
Forest w. McElroy. clerk, western division,
salary 81 200. Pension increased from SIC
to $36