The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-09
Rare Instance Of a PensiOner Perjuring
Himself Cited to Show Necessity
of Greater PrecautiOn.
INDIANA'S MANUFACTURES
Statistics Gathered by the Census
Bureau Three Years Ago.
Proceedings of the Senate and House
Debate OH SeigniOrage Bill-GeE-
eral Washington News.
SneciaI IN the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis JOurual.
WASHINGTON, March s. President
Cleveland seems to have thoroughly infused
everyone about him with his ideas about
''purging the pension rolls" They all have
the idea that there are a great many
fraudulent pensions paid every quarter, and
that, like General Land Commissioners
Sparks who stopped the issuance of land
patents for almost a year under the i'm
preston that ii would stop frauds, they
believe that the only way to discover and
punish irregular pensions is to hang them
all up till the pensioners have another time
made good their cases.
There is one of President Cleveland's as
sociates, however, who has some original
and advanced ideas which he did not OBJ
tain from anyone connected with the admin
istration, for the reason that he entertained
his present views before he became con-
nected with the administration He is ].
Sterling Morton, Secretary OF Agriculture.
Mr.. Morton probably does not go as far as
his associates in the belief that the pen
sion rolls are honey -combed with fraud,
but he believes that there are some incon-
sistences that should be corrected. Talk
ing to your correspondent the other day
Secretary Morton said the insurance COM
panies have been able to unearth a great
deal of perjury In connection with the issu-
ance of pensions, and on the other hand,
the Pension Bureau had succeeded In uncoy-
ering much perjury in the life-insurance
business. He stated that there were great
many pensioners carrying life-insurance
policies which had been issued subsequent
TO the granting of pensions. He recalled
one instance which certainly is very fla
grant 1t was that of a man in the West
who was granted a pension, say in 1880,
for a chronic disease. About eighteen
months or two years afterwards 1t was
reported In the neighborhood that the pen
sioner had taken out a lfe-insurance pol
icy from one of the great New York COM
panies. neghbor Of the penSioner
short time afterwards CHANGED TO be in
Gotham and called at the office Of one OF
the general officers Of the insurance COM
pany, whom he knew very well. During
the conversation the caller inquired whether
a certain person had taken out policy.
The officer called a clerk, and an exam
ination of the books revealed the fact that
a policy had been issued to the man ABOUT
two years previous. Then the caller IN
auired for the examination papers which
were filed with the application. When they
were produced he ran his eye through the
list of medical questions to the one cover
ing the disease which it had been reported
the man was given a pension for 10 the
amazement of the caller the pensioner mao
answered mo to the question. He then
informed the insurance officer that 1t was
the understanding that this policy holder
had been drawing a pension for two years
or more for a disability covered in this
question which had been answered mega
lively.
A short time afterward the neighbor Of
the pensioner was in Washington, and, out
of idle curiosity, he called at the Pension
Office, and knowing the Commissioner asked
bor When they were brought forth II
granted Tor the very. disease which two ,wsoo
pepsioner had declared he did not possess
The The" visitor inquired of himself and then
the Commissioner how 1t was that the pen
soner could retain his pension after he had
declared in his insurance application that
he did not possess the disability for which
be incontestible after two years. and SO
the holder was secure on that score; but
Ne was not safe as to the pension. 1t Is
"Of course cases of this kind are rare
and remote" said Secretary Morton; but
l think there should be. question in
policies which would read something like
this: Are you drawing pension from
for what disability Then there should
be a question inserted and sworn TO by the
applicant who files his pension papers which
Would read about this way: Have you a
and when was it issued?' This would cover
the two ends of the line. and would put men
on their guard. OF course 1t Is perfectly
proper for one drawing a pension for the
loss of a limb or a gunshot wound which
c cure and carry a life insurance. I believe
IL is a part OF a poor mans duty TO pro-
tect his family by life insurance, but where
a pension is granted for an organic disease
and the pension becomes Incompatible with
the rules and regulations governing the Is
st,ance of life insurance policies there can
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