Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-04-09
wAsHIN1TON CLAIM AGENTS.
Tue San Francisco "ExamIner'' Establish.
es claim Agency In yVashington.

The San Francisco EeGmines- is frequent
ly in receipt of complaints from its subscrib-
ers in all parts of the Coast States and Ter
ritories that legitimate claims against the
Government for Indian depreddtiOns, and
land, postal and pension claims intrusted to
the care of various attorneys and claim
agents have not been properly prosecuted, or
If so, that the charges of the agents or attor-
neys for fees and alleged expenses have been
so great as to leave little nothing for the
claimants. We have been frequently urged
to make war upon these rapacious attorneys,
but for many reasons it Is almost impossible
to do so IN such manner as to benefit our
subscribers. We might speedily succeed in
driving dishonest or over greedy attorney
out of the field, but his place would be i'm
would be endless and practically useless.
We have therefore decideu, as the best means
of curing the evil, to establish in Washing
ton Bureau of claims, which Will take
care OF all such matters and push them to a
speedy and, In al! cases where 1t is possible,
successful issue. Mr.. John Wedderburn, our
Washington correspondent, and up to the
time of his death Secretary to the late Sena-
tor Hearst, IN which position he has had
much experience in presenting and push
ing such claims, will have charge of this
bureau and will employ all necessary le-
gal and clerical assistance of the first grade,
making only such charge for their SER
vices as Will cover the actual cost and
pay him a reasonable price for the time
devoted to the work. Mr.. Wedderburn is
known to every member of the Pacific Coast
congressional delegation, to whom inquiries
as to his standing and reliability can be ad-
dressed. The necessity for the establishment
of such bureau is we'll shown by the fol-
lowing petition, which has been extensively
circulated in northern California:
To the Hon. the Senate of the United States;
an Congress- ssenlbLed-GENTLEAIEN: The
undersigned petitioners would most respect
fully represent that We are claimants against
the government for losses sustained by In
dian depredatlons committed in Humboldt
county, California, at different times since
1850; that we were induced to employ an at
torney here to properly prepare said claims,
and another at Washington by power of at
torney to prosecute them there; that we have
paid our attorneys here for making out all
papers In said claims, besides being at
considerable expense IN attending with
witnesses the Government commission here
that examined our claims; that now our
attorneys at Washington (Messrs. - ara
asking US to sign contract giving them
one-third OF whatever may be recovered
from the Government as their fee, be-
sides requiring US to pay all accruing costs
tor prosecuting said claims. This we consid-
er an extravaganza an unreasonable charge.
Therefore we pray your honorable body to
so amend the bill now pending before you
for settling these claims that it will embody
clause allowing attorneys such fees and
commissions for attending to said claims az
shall be deemed just and equitable and your
petitioners will ever be most thankful.
Parties having claims of any kind against
the Government, Will address all letters to
the Examiner Bureau of Claims, 70 Corcoran
Building, Washington, d. c., where Mr..
hedderburn may also be consulted in per-
son.