The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-03
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
of Value Concerning Pensions.


! Correspondents should write each question On
separate sheet of paper. give full name aud adj
dress andmnri II Correspondents Column" No
| attention will be paid 10 communications not &C
eompaIIied with name and address of writer. II u
! requested that stamp bs Enclosed for reply by
| letter. Postal cards will be replied to by mail
| only: Replies by mail will ordinarily be made
within a week. and II in this column within three
weeks.l
| Charles Mqntoue Fountain, Ind Please let me
know WHIST Section of the law of June q, 1890. is.
| Anstcer. The following is a copy:
| See 2. That all persons who served ninety days
| or more iB the military naval service of The
United States during the late Of the rebellion,
aud who have been honorahiy discharged there
| from. and vino now who may hereafter be
suffering from mental or physical disability OF n
permanent arscter. not the result of their own
| vicious habits which incapacitates them from the
performance OF manual labor in such a degree as
! To render them unable to a support. shall,
upon making due proof of the fact according TO
such rules and regulations the Secretary of the
| Interior may provide. be placed upon the list Of
| invalid pensioners OF the United States. and he
| entitled to receive pension not exceeding twelve
| dollars per month. and not less than six dollars
| per month, proportional to the degree of inability
| to "a support; and such pension shall COM
mence from the date of the fling of the spplioa-
ton in the Pension Office, after the passage of this
act. upon proof that the disability then existed
and shall continue during the existence OF the
| same: Provided That persons who recciv-
ing pensions uBder existing laws, or whose claims
| are pending in the Pension Onice may, by app
! cation to the ommlssioner Of Pensions. in such
| form as he may prescribe, showing themselves
entitled thereto, receive the benefits of this act;
and nothing herein contained shall be so construed
to prevent any pensioner Hereunder from prose-
cutting his claiia and receiving his pension under
any other general special act Prorided hotCerer
That person shall receive mere than ~nc PEN
sion for the period Ind prouided further.
That rank in the service shalt be considered in
applications filed under this act
"Approved June a. 1890"
j. R w., New Maysrige. Iad.-Plesse explain
wlie will be emitted 10 pension under the law Of
1890. according to the ruling of Secretary Smith.
According 10 my reading. il will cut off the bulk.
Ansror. A claimant will have to be very seriously
| disabled to be pensioned under the new law. For
instance, IL he is totally unable to perform any
manual labor, ne will be rated at Sl2; and for
degree of disability which would under the old
law enitle pensioner TO SIS per month, he will
be given Sc under the new law, ETC. We estimate
that more than one half will be- cut off"
". s., Alpine, Ipd.-A soldier drawing pension
under the old law of IS per month made spplica-
ton for Increase and rejected; made appiica-
ton under new law Of 1890; was allowed Sl2 per
MONTH sent his old certificate to y. s. Pension
Agent, and received the new certificate. If the
Administration tax his pension from him under
the new law, will they return his old certificate 20
him, or will he have TO 20 through the same pro-
lie did in getting his original pension
Arsrer. When his case is examined, If it he held
that lac is entitled hold his pension under the
law. he will be notified that his pension has
been suspended and lie will be given 60 days to
furnish testimony to show that his degree of dis
ability is sufficient To keep him the roll. II such
testimony is not furnished. is not satisfactory
tue Pension Bureau, me will be either reduced
called upon to elect whether he shall be restored
under his old certificate and. If his disability has
not decreased he will be restored if he
elects. IL will not necessiiate an application from
him for such restoration.
j. P Bearer Falls Pa.-Please give some advice
to The boys that have been dropped, whether IL is
worth while IT, put in evidence required TO let
their claims drop. Now, they need the testimony
of two witnesses that will have to be written by a
Notary dictated, which will cost ST. and the two
physicians, which will cost them $40 more. Then,
according to the ruling of this Administration. they
would undoubtedly be left OUT anyhow. Now
look TO your paper for advice, and several com
rades have spoken 10 aud wanted To know Whist
they had better do-to let the matter go by default
or not? SnslUeT IL IL impossible to advise as to
fit every case because we know nothing of the de-
gree of disability existing in any II The PEN
si0ner is drawing less than Sl2 under the new law
and there has been no increase of disability, the
chances are that his name will be dropped at the
end of he GO days suspension. But there may be,
of such cases some where the pension will be
reduced. instead of being taken away altogether; so
that IL must be determined by the pensioner him
self whether il is worth his while to furnish the
timony specified In tire suspension circular.
X. s. NJ, Net0 Castle. Det.-Some time in 1888 /
made application for pension under the old law.
After collecting all the evidence could, was in
formed that was short of the most material part
of evidence: that Of two comrades who were pres
ent when received my injuries. On my visit to
your city, at the last Encampment, l across
two OF my comrades who recollected the affair, and
each one OF them gave me an affidavit 10 that
effect. In the meantime had applied under the
new law of 1890. and my claim was granted. Now,
what want to know is this: Should not in he
future hear something from my old claim +?
And. should the authorities at Washington fit
to my name under the late law. does my
claim still hold good under the old law? AnSwer.
Yes to both questions.
j. A. g. DAYTON O-The losses occurring in
the Union army during the late as fol-
lows: Killed. Regulars 2047; white volunteers.
57,30l; coiored troops 1914; Total 1852 Died of
wounds. Regulars. unknown; white volunteers.
80, 600; colored troops. 0S3; total BATH Died of
disease. Regulars 1892 white volunteers I54 l54;
coored troops IS 3OI; total 1888 2S7. Accidentally
killed, Regulars unkuow white volunteers, 300;
coored troops, unknown. Executed by sentence,
Regulars, l; white volunteers, 6. Missing in
action, Regulars, J. 299 white volunteers 4,l57;
coored troops. 1 293; total 6.749. HonorabIy dis-
chaYged. Regulars I,2O3; white volunteers no $50;
colored troops. 2.s05. Discharged for disability |
Regulars 509l; white volunteers, 22 260; colored
troops, 7,055; total ga, BOG Dishonorably dis |
coored troops 209; total. $685. Dismissed Regu-
lars. 1922 white volunteers, 2l43: colored troops
1855; Total, ] 4!3. Csshiered, Regulars. G.; white |
volunteers, 252 coored troops. I6; total. 27i Re-
signed, Regulars, 800; white volunteers. 81 $50; |
coored troops. S9l; total q, 28l Deserted Regm-
lars, i6 3e5; white volunteers, l702l6; ccored |
troops l2,464; total. l990 45. In the foregoing,
men who were mustered out at expiration of term |
of service of 1T close of the war not included.
J. g. b., Madison Ind would be pleased to |
know whether Order No. 229. dated June 49, 1893.
aud any subsequent orders of Hon. CoDmis- |
sioner Of Pensions means that all affidays in the
future relative to pension claims must comply |
with said order (suc proof of births OF children.
of marriage minor parts of claims), does 10 |
imply only TO incurTence of disabilities or injuries.
aud To the continuance of the same? 4ns,oer.
Order 229 applies to- all atfidAyiis filed In support |
OF IL claim and W hich are not in the handw riiinX |
of the witness.
J. f. W., Winchester, KY. Soldier fled claim
for pension under general law through attor-
ney; also, evidence To complete same. Soldier dies
before said claim is allowed. leaving "a widow. Has
the widow right to employ another attorney in
the case and make contract with him for n fee of |
SIS? 2. Has attorney the right to contract for /
and receive a fee of S25 for prosecuting claim for |
widows pension general laws) filed April 1898. If |
claim is allowed? g. Has attorney the RICH, to
contract for and receive fee of S25 for prosecut
ing claim for increase invalid pension Oh account
Of new disability general laws) filed january,
1893 II claim is allowed? ATSt0er. l. The widow
can appoint and contract but whether the second |
attorney will be recognized is a matter for the |
Pension Bureau to determine. The first attorney
has, in some cases. rights which the widow could /
not interfere with. 2 Yes. g. Yes
III. c. d., Norcty. MOI was n soldier; served
three years; WAS honoraby discharged; am draw
lug II pension under act OF June ~. 80. IL send
in MY voucher for my pay, and IL IS returned with
out check. does IL mean that have been dropped
from roll or does IL mean pending invest igation
2. Can Secretary Smith stop the claim without the
action of Congress- that passed The law? AHslUeT.
You cannot be suspended or dropped from the
pension roll without due notice. (See Sec. g. Act
June 81, 1879 2 The act of Juno u, 1890 under
which you were pensioned. provides, among other
things, that the pension shall continue during the
existence of the disability. Under Section 4775
Revised Statutes, the Commissioner has power to |
order claimant, or q peDsoner, for examination |
any time in his discretion and IL he rules that
such special examination shows that the disability
does not exist in a pepsonsble degree, he may
pend for further proof, and drop the pensioner If
ne considers such proof unsatisfactory.