The National tribune., 1893-11-02
sspondent in Washington:
THE REruBIIc BuKEAI


correspondent in Washington:
THE REruBIIc BUKEAU
Cor. FoURIEESTH IT. AND PENSA. AVE.
WAsHISCToS, ID. G., Oct. 26, 1893
The public has no idea of the extent to which
the Government is being defTnuded by pension
ers. said official Of the Pension Bureau Tues
day TO The Republic correspondent.
1t is well known that under the present Admin
istratien a vigorous effort has been made aud is
being made to weed out pensioners drawing iIe-
galy. As consequences howl has gune up from
the partisan press. II Of the editors writing
these screeds could spend few weeks examining
the rolls. they would change their minds.
The movement 10 not a Democratic scheme. It
has been the rule of the Pension Bureau since
its organization TO cut off every man woman
known to be drawing a pension illegally, and the
rule will endure. II is but natural for a Nation
pay millions annually for pensionsto be ina posed
on. Inscriptions persons viii first endesvor to
get the rolls by Legitimate pr, cess. and. falling
in that. will resort 10 any method TO serve that
purpose.
The work of examining ia conducted as carefully
as possible but still mistakes will be made and
when afterward these discovered and
corrected the Administration is ceusured aud
blackgusrded from end of the country to the
other. Let me illustrate. Suppose / lave been
appointed the guardian Of public fund. being
responsible for expenditure and safe keeping OF a
large OF money. Seine man comes aud steals
part of il. If seek to stop him. and the
stolen money, am 10 be held up to censure and
discredit2 The CAGES analogous.
Now let me give instances. A man, wbose name
will not mention had an application file sew
ernl years with afiidavits. He a prominent
politician. and when his application not acted
OIL promptly. he began working members of Con-
gress In his behalf forwarding several letters with
requests that the receive prompt attention.
Finally he came to this city for examination
His claim was that by reason of a gunshot wound
in tile leg the knee his leg drawn up.
The foot did touch tie floor by i've or six inces
and be walked on (crutches. He was taken before
the Medical Examiner, who ouce grew sus-
picious and secretly questioned the MINIS injury.
A thorough examination was made of the case
but the man played his parl well aud tie EXAM
liners conld nos for some time prove their convie.
tons.
Finally, after the man had been defoined severa,
days. "A discovery made. One of tile Rxatnin-
suddenly entered anteroom ia which the
applicant closeied and found him on two legs
naturally possible On further investigation
il found that the soles of his shoes were worn
exactly the same, plainly showing lac walked on
both. II was learned at the mans home lie had
never been known TO cruches, and that "A few
days before he left home come 10 Washingto
he had pair made, carrying them with him on
the train. stating that lie taking them to a
crippled relative.
a. recall another case where a man filed "A claim
stating that lie had three fingers shot of during
the war A number Of afidavits were presented
backing the claim, and 1t would have probably
been allowed had IL not been for the fact that one
| Of our Examiners who was looking up evidence
discovered thst the fingers were lost by cutting off
with while Telling trees. So il goes There
/ =
defraud tiie Goveri,neHt, and many of them have
| no doubt been successful"
The direct object Of such publication is
to poison the public mind with the idea that
substantially the whole mass of pension
claimants are the most arrant frauds, and
| that in too many cases these frauds are sue
eessful.
There could be nothing more absurd than
this story of the claimant with gunshot
wound. 1t shows the lie in every sentence.
A man claiming so severe a gunshot wound
received in battle would proceed very differ
entity. He would have evidence upon his
discharge, or the rolls Of his company, and
the hospital records in the War Department
would furnish him proof Then the Medi-
cal Examiner before whom he appeared
would not waste the time he is represented
to have DONE He would demand at once 10
see the scar, and would make such an exam.
iaaton of the injured leg as to confirm OF
| disnose of the claim The Story is nors
disparsging to the Examining Surgeons
at the mans residence and in Washington
than TO any body else. If they did not dis
cover such glaring fraud inside OF fye
minutes from the time the man appeared
before them, and inform him that he was
vibrating dangerously near the bars of q
prison, they are unfit to hold any position in