The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-27
FRAUDS IN PENSIONS.
Odd SWindIeS PGTpetTated at the
Governments Expense.


Bogus Pensions Two Long Lost Hus-
bands-Fake observation-disclosures
nv Personation-Tho of Sue
cessfuI Frauds-Fifty Thousand
Attorneys Fattening on the Pension
Business.
From the Chicago Times.
Washington, May 1.-THE files of the
nension bureau are filed with ro-
,o,nres. Not few Of them are stories
nj bold and ingenious frauds perpetrated
NJ Uncle Sam S expense. One of the most
remarkable of these was conducted right
here in Washington by a man who Sc
cured for himself and confederate the
nroceeds of twenty-four bogus pensions.
This person was clerk in the pension
office. He rendered himself conspicuous
Inv attention to duty, staying long after
hours every day. This extra time he de-
voted to searching the files for widows
claims which had been abandoned. He
was in collision with an individual out
side The latter would hire woman
for - TO personate widow in the category
mentioned To earn this small sum, the
woman would bring two other persons to
swear that she had never remarked. 1t
was a great deal of perjury for very little
money. In each case the confederate would
draw the pension of Sl2 a month, retaining
the certificate. This highly original game
was worked until he held twenty-fOur
certificates, good for Sl44 each per annum
which represented TO himself and his
friend in the pension Office an annual in
come of 50. 456. When the conspiracy was
discovered the clerk disappeared and
4 81, 4
three years in the penitentiary
Two years ago a supposed widow in
Michigan applied for pension, claiming
that her husband had died in a confed-
rate prison. She was entirely honest.
Nevertheless it was found on searching
the record that the man was not dead
On the contrary, he was himself drawing
pension for disability. He had been
confined in a southern prison, and during
his Incarceration he and other captive
union soldiers were visited by charitable
ladies in the neighborhood. Among the
latter was susceptible young woman
who fell in love with him. After his re-
lease, instead of going home, he decided
to begin life again on new plan. He
stayed where he was and married the
girl On looking the matter up it was
found that the delinquent was one of the
most highly respected people in his
vicinity. He had hat store did a good
business, and was looked up to by every
body. The pension bureau could not stop
his money allowance. 1t simply notified
the former wife that her husband was
alive and told her where he was living,
leaving the drama to work out itself.
INITIATED HIMSELF.
In another case the claimant was an
old soldier, living in Somerset county,
Pennsylvania He stated that he had in
currred disabling injury, of the nature of
a rupture, while in the service. The re
cords showed that he was honorably dis
charged on account of this trouble.
Nevertheless, suspicion was aroused,
though everything seemed as straight as
possible. d. I. Murphy the present act
ing commissioner of pensions, went to see
the man. He was big, hearty-looSing
follow. Though he answered all ques-
ton satisfactorily q lingering doubt was
still felt. On investigation it was discov-
cred that the whole affair was fraud.
The witness who had indorsed the APP
pications had been bullied and terror
lied into doing so.
The truth was that the applicant had
proved himself an arrant coward while
in the service. One night he said to his
tent mates that he would not stand
up and be shot at, He even boasted to
them of the scheme which he proceeded to
put into practice. BY an ingenious artificc,
which must have cost him indescribable
agony, he produced temporarily the APP
pearance of a flightful injury. When he
exhibited himself to the surgeons they
were Mortified, and on their recommended
ton he obtained his discharge at once.
When he applied for a pension, before
going before the examining board of ply
sicians, herepeated the operation referred
to, again bringing about the shocking
condition described. They also We're
deceived and indorsed his statement.
Il the swindle had been finally carried
through he would have got several thou
sand dollars in arrears, besides an allow
alce monthly for life.
Not long ago widow of a union soldier
applied fora pension. The records showed
That her husband had been killed in an
early battle of the rebellion, Afterward
along came an application from the sol
olcr himself for an allowance for disabil-
ltY. He declared that, instead of being
killed, he had been captured and confined
Tor long period in southern prisons. AS
result he had become broken down, men
tally and physically. The papers in both
cases being before the pension Office stimuli
taneously special examiner was sent
to look them up. He took the man to
Illinois, where he was supposed to have
uVed when young, but the testimony OF
4elghbors proved that he was fraud
In fact, he was trying to persOnate the
dead soldier, whom he must have been
acquainted with. Meanwhile he had act
ually persuaded the widow that he was
her long-lost husband. Finally he con
lessed. Az present he is in prison await
ing trial,
One of the queerest frauds of the thou
sands which have come under the notice
OF the pension bureau was the case of a
very old man who claimed to have served
IN The war of 1912, In three or four deposi-
tlons made at different times he did not
give the same name of a battle in any two
instances This did not excite suspicion,
because he was very feeble and it was sup
posedJhat his memory was bad. However,
was found at length that he was trying to it
personate an elder brother who really had
fought in the conflict referred to. The
special examiner appointed to look into
the matter was still much mystitied when
oha certain evening he was discussing the
subject with the supposed veteran at the
nome of the latter. During the converse
tlon the government official had notion
mat somebody was listening on the out
SIDE OF the sitting room door In the midst
Of u pretty young girl burst in sobbing,
ana throwing herself upon the old mans
neck said:
Grandpa, tell the truth. II was your
brother and not yourself who served in
the war;