The state chronicle., 1893-05-13
STARTLING PENSION FRAUDS.
Crooked Operations cf Norfolk Attor
ney Named Drewry.
Wash Post.

Crooked Operations CT Norfolk Attor-
ney Named Drewry.
Wash. Post.
The Pension Department believes
that it has unearthed one of the
most stupendous swindles in the
history OF pensions in the United
States, and in section of country
where least expected.
An attorney Of Norfolk, Va,
named W. r Drewry, now under
arrest, IS charged with the crime of
securing fraudulent pension claims
by the wholesale, using as his in
struments in many cases colored
women and men who could not read
or write.
For some time past the Pension
Department has been suspicious that
there was rottenness In certain
liue Of pension cases handled by
Drewry. About twelve months ago
Secretary Noble ordered three cases
dropped from the pension rolls that
| Drewry had secured through his
peculiar methods, and later OF he
was debarred from practice. When
the present administration came
into power a thorough investiga-
ton was made into the cases that
Drewry had secured from time to
time, and when it was concluded a
few days since it was discovered
that about SO per cent. of the cases
| he had handled under the act of
| June 27, 1890, were secured through
/! the filing of false declarations,
| The extent of the frauds can be
understood when it is stated that
| 166 cases were granted, and that
every one of them carried arrears
The Importance of the discoveries
necessitated prompt action, and A
D. Albert, supervising examiner for
the Southern district, with Special
Examiners Luke, ,Schnekers, Cannon,
Whitehead, Montgomery and Hol
lery, were Immediately sent to Nor
folk, where they are now pursuing
their investigations in junction with
Special Examiner Maxwell. They
have learned that Drewry DID {
thriving business. In his Office
occupying desk room. was a notiar
public named B. A Richardson, il
When Richardson went out Q
the office Drewry used the nota
Irys seal, attesting the false evi
, dence which he had prepared, am
forwarding the papers to this cit,
Richardson IS said to have bee
ignorant of the use to which hi
| seal had been put, and Drewry ha
= already been convicted OF forginj
the notary's name and seal,
The result of the examiner
a work will be shown next Monda.
3 The United States court meets
= Norfolk on that day, and sewers
= pension cases will be brought b.
fore it. It is expected that tt
fraudulent pensioners will soon /
dropped from the rolls, and serit
of prosecutions commenced.
Drewry was arrested ss51eut OF
: year ago on the charge of sectlfhii
fraudulent pensions, but owing,
is said, to laxness on the part of tt
local authorities, escaped punisl
ment. The Pension Departmel
believes thai he capnot now escal
the legal consequences Of his act
and that his punishm ent will
swift and certain
In addition to the above charg
it is alleged that Drewry has char
ed exorbitant fees. The legal fee
$40 whereas Drewry has charg
his clients $40. AS matters nc
stand the Government has a!rea'
been defrauded of large sum
money through the fraudule
practices of Drewry and whi
there is little probability OF recc
cry The amount thus stolen "
not be known until the special I
"A aminers sent to Norfolk make tn
report, but IS the arrears in Ct
siderable sums have been paid
- many of the 166 fraudulent cas-
the steals will probably aggreg
100000.