The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-27

u utl' tle appuclnt had got his hurt by
falling on the roof of a 2-story house
which was in process of building. On be
ing confronted with the facts he confessed
ana begged like a whipped cur not be
prosecuted and exposed.
The crop of fraudulent pensions has
Deen large. This is not at all surprising
considering how easy such cheats have
been made For example, suppose the
case of an eX-bounty jumper in Oshkosh,
much run to seed through drink and
other dissipated habits He receives a
circular from an attorney informing him
that he IS perhaps entitled to a pension
and advising him to apply for one.
Inc eX-bounty jumper finds this sugges-
tlon most attractive. His wife has grown
tired of supporting him and the money he
gets from her is hardly sufficient to paw
Tor his rum and other vices. A regular
annuity from the government would be
very useful Accordingly, he replies TO
Jhe circular, stating his services in the
war and the nature of his disabilities.
Raspe ting the latter he can speak earnes-
tly, his constitution being thoroughly I'M
dermlned by alcohol. The attorney makes
out form OfappliCatiOn and sends il to him
Tor execution before notary or magiS-
trate. The statement thus sworn to is
forwarded through the attorney to the
pension bureau. The case is recorded and
course the claimant is ordered up for ex-
animation before the nearest board of ex-
aiming physicians. Probably a surgeon
on that board has attended some member
OF the applicants family at some time and
takes an interest in him. On favorable
report by the board he gets the pension
incidentally he has been obliged to swear
that his disabilities are not due to vi
clous habits. His own affidavit to this eff
M ho
ing required.
Fifty thousand attorneys are now regu-
larly practicing before the pension bureau
They are scattered all over the country
The fee which they are allowed to receive
in each case is fixed at SO This sum is
taken out of the first payment of pension
by the United States pension agent and is
forwarded to the attorney by draft The
latter can in no instance exact more than
SO, and the claimant is so notified
Nevertheless, illegal fees have frequently
been eXtOrted from pensioners. 1t is a
risky business Any attorney caught at
1t IS dlsbarred from practice before the
bureau. The attorneys secure the names
OF possible pensioners from persons for
whom they have procured pensions in the
same neighborhOod. 1t is hardly possible
for any one who has a reasonable claim
to escape knowledge of the fact. Some
times a single ex-soldier will receive as
many as dozen circulars of the kind
referred to inside of a week
The pension bureau now Contemplates
several measures for wedding out fraud
ulent pensioners. A circular has already
been sent to 10 special examiners in diff
ferent parts of the country directing
them to inquire in all localities which
they visit as to the existence. of such
cheats. 1t is part of their regular duty
to examine witnesses for the purpose of
obtaining testimony in respect to all APP
plicatiOnS for pensions They will ask
every such witness if he or she knows of
anybody who is reported to be drawing a
pension fraudulently. Cases thus learned
of will be fully investigated.
NEW AND STRINGENT MEASURES.
In every important town there is at
least one board of examining surgeons en-
ployed by the pension bureau. Each
board is composed of three physicians,
These surgeons are all republicans at
present. During Mr.. Cleveland's former
administration one republican was
selected for each board to serve with two
democrats, in order that politics should
have no control over decisions The demo
Gratis complain that under Mr. Harrison s
regime they were allowed no representa-.
ton whatever, every board being exclu-
sively republican Many changes in the
made. The new men will be instructed
to make the examinations much more
! strict. They will inquire of all appli-
! cantS as to reported fraudulent pensioners
Furthermore, by new rule of the pen
! sion bureau, every claimant must furnish
the affidavats of two credible witnesses as
to whether his disabilities are due to vi
ciOus habits or not These things have
| never been done hitherto.
hn pl,H hn eio will
utilize postmasters all over the country
! particularly in small places. At the post
Offices in small towns neighborhoOd sean.
! dalS of every sort are talked over and the
| local pensioners are well known. The
! pOStmasterS will be requested to give in.
| formation of cases reported 10 be fraud
ulent In addition to these measures thou
sands of cases where pensions of high
rates have been allowed will be with.
! drawn from the files in Washington for re
! examination.
| According to the pension law Of 1890
which granted from So to S12 month fol-
| disability, a claimant in order to obtain
! the maximum allowance must be seriously
! disabled But it is asserted that thou
sands names now on the rolls are those OF
| persons not entitled to this high rate
! of 400, 600 such cases approved during the
! last four years more than 100000 got the
maximum of S144 year. Before the law
| of 1890 went into effect there were only a
| few over 400, 900 pensioners on the rolls
now there are 95S,000. This law cost the
! government more than 500, 0C0, 600 last
! year The democrats claim that of this
| vast sum 5000 900 was expended H.
! legally the object held in view being to
grind out as many pensions as possible
with a minimum of care in investigating
claims. Thus, it is alleged, has come
about a condition of affairs which oblige
| the United States to spend more money
annually on account of war than is ex-
| pended by any Of the armed nations of Eu,
rope. Hence the poverty of the treasury
and the present financial crisis.
TWO PLUCKY WOODCoCK