Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-10
INTERESTING DETAILS w1runELp.

INTERESTING DETAILS WITHHELD.
The work of scrutinizing the cards
and recording the names of pensioners
was extremely laborious and required
the services of two men. For several
days record of the rank, the company
and the regiment was made. After
about one.third Of the work had been
accomplished Colonel Wilson returned.
He objected to this information being
given, stating that it was not included
in his instructions respecting the matter
TO be taken from the cards. He sug-
gested, however, that the reporter con-
suit Deputy Commissioner Bell and
that official was Immediately sought.
The latte also objected and said moth
ing but the names and residences of the
pensioners and the amounts of the PEN
sions could be published. He, too, at
tempted TO discourage the reporter.
"You think" he asserted, "that by pub.
fishing the list you will purge the pen
sion rolls but instead you will increase
them" "When | was superintendent
of division, soon after the recent act
was passed" he continued, 81 could nave
made $4,000 by furnishing pension
| agents with lists of pensioners. Now
1Ou dl6 AOiuS w Slft' IOl hOlll1GB WuHL
could have made $4,000 from. PEN
sion agents will be the only persons
benefited by the publication. The gov
eminent has published the lists OF pen
sioners and spent millions OF dollars on
the work."
CURIOSITY OF THE CLERKS.
At the agency the reporter and his as
sistant received every courtesy. The
curiosity of some of the clerks was
amusing, as We're also their declarations
that it would take several weeks to ex-
anime all the cards. They wondered
why the list was to be published and
declared that the publication would
benefit nobody except pension agents.
THE ARMY OF INyALIDs.
Many of the pensioners in this State
were members Of the Fifth, Sixth
Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Delaware
regiments and many of them are col.
ored men. Their disability consists
chiefly of hemorrhoidal difficulties. Il
is amazing how many Delawareans
seemingly healthy and able-bodied men
are walking hospitals if the pension
records are to be believed.
THE TWO WHO GET $72 A MONTH.
Two Wilmingtonians who each re
ceive pension of $72 per month ar,
William II. Biddle of No. 1906 Yves
Fourth street and Robert Brown o
Twenty-ninth and Market streets. A
reporter of The GAZETTE saw til
former Thursday. He is entirely dis
abled by disease which he claims IL
have contracted in the late war Hi
appearance is that of a man who ha
undergone much physical suffering anc
: his health is permanently shattered HI
says he has passed through an awful ex
istence during the past ~ years, and hi
looks indicate it. Bobert Brown is con
fined to the house by aswound whic
depriVes him of the use of leg. He
unable to work and has to remain i
bed most of the time.
ENLISTED UNDER ALIASES.
The persons who went under aliase
1t was stated at the agency, used fit
titious names at their enlistment for th
purpose of preventing their parents a.
certaining their whereabouts.
DEAD PEOPLE STILL ON THE LIST.
1t will be observed that the list cor
tains the names of number of person
d who have died recently. One has bee
IS deceased for nearly two years, but th
others died at more recent dates. Whe
J. these names were encountered, in tn
O work of copying the records, the after
e ton of the official in charge was Gale
d to the fact that the parties were deaC
= and he replied that all names of per
d sioners were kept on the rolls until IL
4, department was notified of their d,
J. cease. 1t is possible, in such instance
+ for the pension TO be continued by
II failure to notify the department and
d corrupt personation of the deceased, b,
,e whether this system of fraud has ey,
Ie been perpetrated can only be dete
d mined by an official investigation.