The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-05-20
FRAUDULENT PENSIONERS
swindles Perpetrated at the Gov
ernment's Expense.

Quoted right here in Washington by a man
who secured for himself and confederate the
proceeds of twenty four bogus pensions.
This person was a clerk in the Pension Of
fee. He rendered himself conspicuous by
attention to duty, staying long after hours
every day. This extra time he devoted TO
searching the files for widows claims which
had been abandoned. He was in collision
with an individual outside. The latter would
hire woman for 81 to personate widow in
TIE category mentioned. To earn this small
sum the woman would bring two other per-
sons to swear she had never married. TWAS
great deal of perjury for very little money
| In each case the confederate would draw the
pension of $40 month, retaining the certih.
cate. This highly original game was worked
until he held twenty-four certificates, good
for $l44 each per annum, which represented
to himself and his friend in the Pension Oflce
an annual income of So, 456. When the con-
spiracy was discovered the clerk disappeared
and was not captured the other man got
three years in prison.
Two years ago supposed widow in Michi-
gan applied for a pension, claiming that her
husband had died in Confederate prlso"
She was entirely honest Nevertheless, 1t
was found on searching the record that the
man was not dead. On the contrary, he was
living near Asheville and was himself drawing
a pension for disability. He had been con
fined in a Southern prison. and during his in
generation he and other captive Union sol
diers were visited by charitable ladies' in the
neighborhood. Among the latter was sus'
ceptble young woman, who fell in love with
him. After his release, instead OF going
home, he decided to begin life again on new
plan. He stayed where he was and married
The girl On looking the matter up, it was
found that the delinquent was one OF the most
highly respected people in his vicinity, de
had a hat store, did good business, aud was
looked up to by everybody. The Pension
Bureau could not stop his money allowance.
1t simply notified the former wife that her
husband was alive and told her where he was
living, leaving the drama to work itself out.
In another case the claimant was an old
soldier living in Somerset county, Pa. tie
stated that he had incurred disabling injury,
of the nature of rupture, while IN the SER
vice The records show that he was honora-
bly, discharged on account of this trouble.
| Nevertheless, suspicion was aroused, though
everything seemed as straight as possible.
| Mr.. ID. l. Murphy, the present acting Com
missioner of Pensions, went to see the man.
He was big hearty looking fellow. Though
he answered all questions satisfactorily, a lin
gering doubt was still felt. On investigation
it was discovered that the whole affair was a
fraud. The witnesses who had endorsed the
application had been bullied and frightened
into doing so.
The truth was that the applicant had proved
himself an arrant coward while in the service.
One night he said to his terminates that he
would not stand up and be shot ut. He even
boosted to them of the scheme which he pro-
ceeded to put into practice. By an ingenious
artiice, which must have cost him indescrib
able agony. he produced temporarily the APP.
peurance of IA frightful injury. When he ex-
hibite6 himself to the surgeons they were hor-
riied, and on their recommendation he Oh
tanned his discharge at once. When he ap
piled for a pension, before going before the
Examining Board of Physicians, he repeated
the operation referred to, again bringing about
the shocking condition described. They also
were deceived and endorsed his statement.
Ii the swindle had been finally carried through
he would have got several thousand dollars In
arrears besides an allowance monthly for life.
Not long ago widow OF Union soldier
applied for pension. The records showed
that her husband had been killed in an early
battle of the rebellion. Afterward along
came an application from the soldier himself
for an allowance for disability He declared
that. instead of being killed. he had been
captured and confined for long period in
Southern prisons AS a result he had become
broken mentally and physically. The papers
in both cases being before the Pension Office
simultaneously, a special examiner was sent
to look them up. He took the man to Hi,
nois, where he was supposed to have lived
when young, but the testimony OF nelghbors
proved that he was fraud. In fact, he was
trying to personate the dead soldier, whom
he must have been acquainted with Mean
while he had actually persuaded the widow
that he was her long lost husband. Finally
he confessed AT present he is in prison,
awaiting trial
On another occasion a claimant residing al
Cannonsburg, Pa, applied for pension for
disability incurred during the rebellion. He
represented that in a hand to.band conflict
he had been struck by dubbed musket on
the shoulder. As result his left arm was
withered. This person was prominent man
in his neighborhood. A special examiner
went to his home and took his deposition.
There was no suspicion that anything was
wrong. However, on being asked for the
names of comrades who had witnessed the
infiction of the injury he could not give one,
though he had filed aifidavits on the subject
from three persons. 1t was discovered thai
these individuals had done nothing more thar
swear to his identity Subsequently his at
torney or somebody else had filled in the
portion left blank in each affidavit paper with
statements respecting the fight and the
wound received. The whole story was pure
invention. In truth. the applicant had go
his hurt by falling off the roof of two story
house which was in process of building. On
being confronted with the facts, he confessed
and begged not to be prosecuted and ex
posed.
The Pension Bureau now contemplate:
, several measures for wedding out fraudulent
nensioneVx. A circular has already been sen
TO no special examiners in different parts o
. the country, directing them to inquire in al
localities which they visit as to the existence
of such cheats 1t is part of their regular
, duty to examine witnesses for the purpose o
obtaining testimony in respect to all apphca
tons for pensions. They will ask every sucl
witness if he or she knows of anybody who il
reported to be drawing pension fraudulently
Cases thus learned of will be fully investi
gated.
In every important town there is at leas
one Board of examining surgeons employed
by the Pension Bureau. Each Board is com
posed of three physicians. Many change
in the personnel of the Boards are soon to b.
made. The new men will be instructed t
make the examinations much more strict
They will inquire of all applicants as to re
ported fraudulent pensioners. Furthermore
3 by new rule Of the Pension Bureau, ever
/ claimant under the law of 1890 must furnish
the affidavits of two credible witnesses as t.
: whether his disabilities are due to viciou
! habits or not These things have never BEEF
done hitherto.
To the same end the Pension Bureau vii
utilize Postmasters all over the country, par
ticularIy in small places. AT the Postoffice
in little towns, neighborhood scandals of ever
' sort are talked over and the local pensioner
are well known. The Postmasters will b
requested to give Information of cases re
e ported TO be fraudulent. In addition to thes
measures, thousands of cases where pension
: at high rates have been allowed will be with
t drawn from the files for reexamination.
According to the Pension law of 1880
which granted from S. to So month 70
disability, a claimant, in order to obtain tn
e maximum allowance, must be seriously disa
bled But it is asserted that thousands G
names now on the rolls are those of person
0 not entitled to this high rate. OF 10000
such cases approved during the last fou
wears. more than 300, 900 got tie maximum
of S144 year. Before the law of 1890 wen