St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-22
LOCHREN SPEAKS OUT.
VAN LE0YEN. TIE DISHONEST PEN
SION AGENT, DEN0LNcED.
HIS BAD METHODS EXPOSED.

Bribed. Pension Applicants
Deceived-Four Special Exam
liners Working on Van Leuven
Cases in Minnesota and Iowa
Examiner Waite's Good Work.
The following statement was today
given out for publication by Pension
Commissioner Loehren: $50 much mis-
apprehension concerning the attitude of
the pension bureau toward the old
soldiers is current that it seems proper
to make public statement concerning
matters growing out of the recent and
now pending Van Leuven investiga-
tions.
MIR. Van Leuven has for many years
done large pension business, having
his Office at Lime Springs, 10. His
clientage has been by no means con-
fined to his immediate vicinity. but has
been drawn from all over the states of
Iowa and Minnesota, even from re-
mote parts of the country. In
June last, as a result of
preliminary investigation into
his methods, he was SuS-
pended by the secretary of the interior
from practice before the department.
While it would not be judicious to enter
into detail at this time as to the facts
brought to light in the preliminary in
vestigation, will say that it was clearly
shown that for years he has supported
the claims which he has prosecuted by
highly developed and successful sys-
of dict A 10
time of his suspension evidence was be-
fore the bureau showing beyond ques-
ton instances of purchases of testimony,
fraudulent preparations of affidavits,
bribing of sworn officials of the govern
ment, and
Wholesale Deception
of applicants for pension, by means of
which they were induced to show their
gratitude by the payment of fees and
gratuities beyond the amounts allowed
by the law. 1t was apparent that all
claims allowed upon eX parte evidence
furnished by Van Leuven must be in
vestigated. In the few cases inquired
into at the time of the preliminary in
vestigation. evidences of fraud were so
plain and so umerous that every claim
filed and prosecuted by him became in
eyitably an object of suspicion. Ac-
cordingly all his cases which could be
at once identified in the files of
the bureau were drawn and ex-
amined, and nearly 500 of these
have been sent to Special Examiner
Waite at Minneapolis for investigation.
In such as seemed to lest wholly upon
evidence prepared by Van Leuven-
somewhat more than 200 in all-suspen-
sion of payment was ordered pending
the necessary inquiry. This was in ac-
cordance with the uniform practice of
the bureau for many years, and is sim
gular in this instance only by reason OF
the fact that the majority of the sus-
pended pensions were drawn IN few
adjacent counties.
Especial Examiner Waite has been
for several weeks engaged exclusively
upon these cases. In some instances it
has been found practicable to reScind
the order of suspension in advance of
thorough investigation.
En Such Cases
there has been but a brief withholding
of the pension. But in most of the cases
the evidence upon which the original
action of the bureau was based rs now
known to he SO worthless that it would
be breach of official trust to continue
payments before the facts had been
thoroughly Sifted Doubtless there are
some cases in which the temporary loss
of the pension works hardship to worthy
men; but no pains will be spared to as
certain such cases and make the period
of suspension as brief as possible. 1t is
not charged or believed that in each
suspended case the pensioner himself
has been guilty of misconduct. Ii was
Van Leuven's practice to take the prose-
cution of his cases quite often out of the
hands of the applicant, and it often
happened that honest claims in his
charge were supported by dishonest
means.
-Four special examiners, experienced
employees of the bureau, are now en-
gagged upon the Van Leuveo cases in
Iowa and Minnesota, and the work will
be carried forward with the greatest
possible diligence and dispatch. The
eX Darte evidence upon which each case
is allowed will be fairly tested. and if
found honest and reliable payment will
be at once resumed. Special Examiner
Waite has been vehemently denounced
in some quarters on account of the way
i'll which he is represented to have OBJ
tanned important evidence III the Van
Leuven matter, in May last. His con-
duct OF the case is, however, known TO
he bureau, andfs approved"