The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-29

The Local Pension Examiner Claims q
Forged Letter Was Used.
halle, of Upton, Made Charges Against Far
den-Othsr Changes to Be Made To-MOr-
row-Shifting the Indiana Districts.

There 10 quite breeze in the department.
of special pension examiners in Indiana.
Yesterday the Journal made the fret an
nouncement of the retirement of John Far
den. who was succeeded az the Indianapo-
lis Office by Paul Kelso. of Orange county.
New York. Farden was removed on &C..
count Of charges preferred against him by
Noah Halle. formerly of Upton. but now q
special examiner at Washington. 1t also
seems from Farden's statement that o
forged letter on file in the department. at
Washington, was used in securing his re-
moval. Farden will remain in the service
until tomorrow. Yesterday he was assist.
ing his successor. but tomorrow his uties
end unless tho Washington Office orders on
investigation and reinstates him.
Captain Fritz, formerly of Gosport. is
now at Washington in charge of tho exam
liners for the central district. which IN
cludes Indiana. He 10 o Democrat, but
held Office through the last Republican ad-
ministration. Upon the change Of admin
istration 1t was de termined to keep Capt.
Fritz in office. although 10 was decided 80
make sweep on q number Of examiners
About eighty five changes were on the list
Captain Fritz was given the privilege of
naming the Republicans in his district
that he wished TO keep in the service.
Among those whom Captain Fritz selected
was Farden. who was known as q c0mpe-
tent man. All the new appointments in
Indiana were to 90 into effect on July /.
In the meant time IL seems that Halle heard
OF the determin alton to reappoint Farden.
aud he filed charges with the powers
that be at Washington, claiming that Far
don had made complaint TO the de part
ment last fall against Halle. stating that
Halle was taking too active q part in poll
tics IN Marion county. Halle thought this
became offensive partisanship after Dem.
ocratic administration went into power.
Captain Fritz. when confronted with this
charge against Farden. as surprised, but
&c 10 said letter purporting to be written
by Farden against Halle was exhibited TO
HIM. Farden heard OF this letter and he
immediately pronounced 10 q forgery, and
he has written to Washin gtoD asking that
an examination OF his genuine signature
be made, and that IL be compared with
the one on the bogus letter. He does
not expect TO be reinstoted. but he
objects to retiring from the governments
service under false charge. He has been
n special examiner for the last twelve
years. Halle claims that he was reduced
by the charges &c ainst him. that IL, he was
taken OIL the road and put in the depart
ment office. The positions oil the road
pay about 81 day more than those in the
Office.
There have been n number of changes in
the districts of Indiana during the last
week. Yesterday Examiner Kennedy re-
ceived n notice from Washington that the
counties of Carroll. Clinton, Howard and
Upton had been detached from his dis
trict and added TO that OF Samuel Fischer
ut Kokomo. This order was from Commits.
sioner Lochren. and all the cases belong
ing to that district arc to be turned
over. ut once. to Fischer. Kennedy now
has Madison, Putnam. Hendricks, Boone,
Hamilton, and a part OF Marion. Kelso
will also have part of Marion county and
the counties of johnson. Shelby and Ham
cock. Farden's district included the coun.
ties of Monroe. Decatur. Bartholomew and
Brown. AS Kelso does not take the ooun-
ties covered by Farden. it Is believed that
q new district is to be created with Column
bus AS headquarters. Kennedy recently
transferred 1Ippeosnoe and Montgomery
counties TO Examiner Clay ton at Lafay cite.
Formerly there was 81 pervising examiner
for each State but when General Black
was Pension Commissioners he called all the
supervising examiners In, and created dis
tricts, each of which included several
states. Then each State Is in turn divided
in to districts.
Halle. the man who Ii responsible for
Farden's removal is now at Washington.
but it IS stated that he is to be removed TO
Baltimore July /.