The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-07-28
The Case Of Justice Long.
WHY HE WAS DROPPED FROM THE PEN
SION LIST PENDING INVESTIGATION.

the suspension Of the pension o
Charles Dean Long, one Of the Jus
tices of the Supreme Court Of Mich
gan, reported in Detroit dispatches i
was ascertained at the Pension Blu
reau to-day, that Judge Long was ii
receipt Of pension at the rate o
$72 a month for loss of left arm above
the elbow and gunshot wound on lef
hip, resulting sin total helplessness
requiring the regular aid and atten
dance of another physician" The
following statement Of the case wa:
today furnished by Second Deput,
Commissioner Belt:
"Report being made to the bureat
that, in spite of the fact of his being
pensioned for total helplessness, re
gular aid and attendance of another
physician, he was performing his duties
as a Justice Of the Supreme Court o.
Michigan at the salary of $1,000 pei
annum, the bureau naturally came to
the conclusion that an investigation o1
the case was demanded and suspen-
sion followed accordingly, on the
ground of the performance of duty as
Justice Of the Supreme Court of Michi-
gan at salary OF $1,000 per annum
was hardly consistent with total help
lessness requiring the regular aid and
attendance Of another physician
"The papers on file in this case
show a peculiar and extraordinary
state OF affairs. The pensioner has
not been examined since March aI,
1884, at which time the Officer Board
at Washington rated him at $50 per
month. In August 1884, pension was
increased to $50 per month from
March 2I, 1854, the date Of the last
medical examination, at which time
this rate contemplated helplessness, or
degree OF disability SO nearly ap-
preaching helplessness that the 'regu
lar aid and attendance Of another ply
sician' was required.
'In May, 1889, Mr.. Longs pension
was rerated and increased by Com.
missioner Tanner and an allowance
made OF $50 per month from June 4,
1874, the date of the law establishing
the $50 rate, and S7s per month from
June II, 1873, the date of the law es-
tablishing that rate Of pension.
The re-rating and increase Of pen.
sion were made on the personal order
of Commissioner Tanner granted a
second re.rating at the rate OF $25 per
month from June 6, 1866, and S3I.25
from June 4, 1872. This constituted
an increase Of $40 per month from
June 6, 1866, and SI3.a5 from June
4, 1872, to June I, 1874.
"No application for increase or re-
rating was ever made by Mr.. Long
subsequent to August 1884, when his
pension was increased to $50 month,
except letter written to Commission.
er Tanner on June IL, 1850, in which
ne requested a rerating Of his pension
from June 4, 1866, to June 4, 1872, at
S25 per month; and from June 4,
1872, to June 4, 1874, to $3I.a5 per
month, which request was duly com
piled with by Commissioner Tanner,
despite the fact that no legal applca-
lion had ever been made for re rating.
1T is needless to say adds Deputy
Commissioner Belt, ''that the acts Of
Commissioner Tanner in rerating and
increasing this pension without appli-
cation on the part of the pensioner
being made and without further medi.
cal examination, were wholly unwar
ranted by any law or rule or order in
existence in this bureau at that time
Or since.
"In other words, Commissioner
Tanner jack.screwed this pension up
rom $50 per month to $7a per month,
and between May. 1850, and August,
1889, granted two re-ratings each
carrying large arrearages, without any
legal application on the part of the
or any medical examination,
so far as the records show, the gener-
Gus act Of the then Commissioner of
Pensions resulting in the payment to
Mr.. Long of a total sum of $6,9Ia,.
94."