Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-28


Comm missioner Lochren.
out being fat, and he has lost ten or fifteen
pounds since he came to Washington. His
chestnut hair is slightly thin on top and he
wears full brown mustach contrasted
with an ample imperial almost white, CIV
ing his face the contour of those of Sena-
tors Hawley and Gibson. He has a good.
healthy color and no physical infirmities
except as spectac.es imply fattening of
the cornea. Whenever he Is sufficiently I'M
occupied he vigorously smokes a briarwood
pipe about as large as teacup.
His War Record.
Lochren was in the war-rIght in the
middle of it and the whole length of It,
1 have known him intimately since long
before that time. When Sumter was fred
on, he fell into company E of the first
Minnesota, and he stayed right there til!
the trouble was over. 1t was the banner
regiment Of the war. At Gettysburg it lost
more men in killed and wounded than any
other military organization within human
history-twice as many as the light brigade
In Its reckless. fatuous charge at Balak-
lava After Sickles' corps had been driv-
en- back by Longstreet's column the first
Minnesota. then weakened to 262 men, was
standing considerably in advance Of our
line. with no perceptible support and was
expecting the order to fall back, when
Hancock rode up and ordered the command
Ing officer to charge at double quick two
brtgades OF confedcrares advancing across
the swale. They went in on a rum reached
the foremost ranks, used their bayonets
after the last discharge, and stopped the
whole advance for fifteen minutes, when re-
Inducements arrived ana held the ground.
The loss of the Minnesota men was terri
bic: Out Of he 70, mel engaged 2lo We're
Killed and wounded, and not another man
was missing! Loehren's company lost it's
principal officers. and twenty-seven Of It's
thirty-four men, and at the end of a quar-
ter of an hour he found himself in COM
mand of his company of seven survivors
The very next day the regiment, reinforced
by two weak companies that had been on
detached service, was again in the front
line withstanding Pickett's charge, and lost
seventeen more men. have heard l.oSh-en
tell Of this Here he said," for tie only
time in my life. 1 saw stones thrown in
battle. The rear ranks gave such help as
they could by finsiag stones. With which
the field abounded, over the heads Of their
file leaders at the enemy in front. A good
many were brought down In this way.
The rebels did the same thinS. not. per-
haps. in imitation, but because the field
was thick with stones. and this method Of
oirense occurred simultaneously" 1t need
only be added that the charge of the first,
which was so destructive of life. was not
futile, like that at Balaklava, but did the
very thing that was needed. Hancock af-
terward said. Il should have sent in the
first Minnesota at that moment II l had
known every man was to be killed"
Not Down on Pensioners.
And yet they say you are down on
the pensioners Judge" said.
'MeT' he answered. 81 ain with the boys
every time, but the law must be strictly
enforced. and shall lie as far as l am con-
cerned. Perhaps you will think 1t strange
when 1 tell you that the Secretary's ideas
of strict enforcement generally more
liberal to the claimants than my own. 1t
is difference OF Interpretation, of course.
But / know that the pension system. when
equltably enforced, is wise, just and
ben eficent provision for the nation = dcie?d-
ers'
"You are actually reducing the output of
the pension office, Judge"
"Oh, yes he replied. under Gen. Raum
about a thousand pensions q day were al
lowed; during the last months We issued
certificates at the rate of $40 day
Il see in the paper that high tide has been
reached; that the number of pensioners will
henceforth diminish"
Il am not so sure of that" he answered
1T may be so, but We cannot be certain
But we may be sure we are not far from
the turning point. General ttaums issue
of a thousand day resulted mainly from
pensioners under the dependent pension act
of 1890
The Suspension List.
You had to suspend the pensioners under
that?"
'Oh. no: we suspended only a fraction of
reached in re-examination. failed to show
inability to perform manual labor The
law was explicitly based on that inability
and the provision had been ignored"
WAS that suspension of those cases legal
judge?"
Certainly: not only legal but expressly
according to the rules OF this department
which my predecessors have enforced. 1t
vas the old practice Of the bureau
Then how came you 10 withdraw the
order afterward IN these cases.
only i'll some cases. The Secretary de-
sired 10 ameiiorate the Inconvenience or dis
tress winch a r!sid enforcement night
cause. ami he suggested that payment
should not be suspended in those cases
where there was prima facie evidence of the
claimant being entitled to some pension"
1 asked the commissioner if there were
any new developments.
No" ne said, unless IL is dishonest
scheme that has Just come to light, appar-
emily concerted to frighten all pensioners.
Bogus notices are being sent to pensioners
in different states announcing that their
pensions have been stopped. ! have re-
ceiyed several of these and don't know how
extensive the plot is. One was a written
notice signed with my name: one was a
notice on a postal card. With whom such
notices originate anybody is at liberty to
guess"
\ compilation is being made of the frauds
against tie government perpetrated and at
tempted and the Office seems nearly ready
20 make systematic exposure of them.
iney are ten times more numerous than has
been generally supposed. and they comprise
50 much that is ingenious, mendacious, gro
tesque and biZarre-they include such fam
tasic and complicated plots they are so
audaclous in their forgeries and perjuries.
That they might we'll supply a Washington
correspondent with an entertaining letter for
every week in year. The temptation has
been so great, the opportunities so numer-
Gus. and the miscrealts so versatile that
the records of the pension office for the last
five years furnish amazing instances of con-
spiracy and false personation that are hard
iy paraiieled In the criminal calendars of
the world To unravel the meshes of this
rascality would tax the cunning of Lecoq;
In recording their exploits Gaboriau might