The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-08-23
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

Correspondents should write each question on
separate sheet OF paper. give full name and adj
dress and mark 1t "COrresp oudents' Column" No
attention will be paid to communications not ac-
companied with name and address OF writer. II is
requested that stamp be nclosed for reply by
letter. Postal cards will be replied TO by mail
only. Replies by mail viii oTdi Harily be made
within week. and II in this column within three
weeks.l
T. p. C. Cheshire Mass.-l. Is there law oblig-
ing the Examining Surgeons to furnish a cfain1sns
a copy of the report submitted 20 the Pension
Office? 2 Does this Administration require q
widow 10 furnish two or more witnesses to her
marriage will they be satisfied with her mar
rage ceruhcatey Ansi7er l. NO. You refer to
the act Of July is. 1891, which provides THAT the
report OF such Examining Surgeons when fled in
Pension Office, shall be open TO the examination
aud inspection of the claimant or his attorney,
under such reasonable rules aud regulations the
secretary OF the Interior may provide" ? IL re-
quiTes that the fact Of marriage shall be proven by
the highest class Of evidence ObtaiuabIe This Fule,
has n. ways prevailed in all legal proceedings Ia
general marriage certificate is adslissbls
evidence unless its authenticity be clearly estab-
lished. The best evidence of marriage is certified
copy OF the public or church record Of the event.
The next best, the affidavit OF tine Clergy man or
Magistrate official who performed the marriage
ceremony. Then ihe affidavils Of witnesses To
the ceremony, and IN certain instances. when none
of the Rb0ye-indicated evidence Is obtanable and
its absence has been satisfactorily accounted for,
the testimony Of reliable persons rs to general
reputation that the parties were husband aud wife
Will suffice.
C. II. Malone ". FL. Please publish the law
bearing upon the exemption from taxes OF property
purchased with pension money. 2. Is man get
ting n pension liable to the payment OF poll tax?
Insurer. i. We have repeatedly stated in this col
umu that there Is no Federal law this subject
IL Is a matter controlled by the laws OF the several
States. Consult the Code of New York for the law
governing property situated in New York State.
3 This too. is n local matter. Consult the Code
w. s. Philadelphia, Pal. Will You kindly in
form me through The NATIONAL TRIBUNE the law
relating to the issuing Of pensions after appii-
cant has been examined by the Board of United
States Surgeons at the Postoifice building here,
and been given "a hearing? 2 Is the Commits
soner, who i charged by law to adJudicate all
claims that come before him. allowed 10 reject
claim after the Examining Board has fixed a
rating? g. Is not such rating equivalent to q grant
ing of psnsion2 Now, the Is this: I was
examined for wound and also chronic diarrbea,
more than two years ago, here at the POstofiice.
and was given a rating 2l3 for wound and 2-15 foe
chronic diarrhea under the old law. / was also
given rating under the new law at a subsequent
examination. Now, both Of the claims were re-
Jected, on the grounds that no disability exists in
pensionabe degree since filing my claim" and
that no ratabIe disability is shown to exist"
Now, 1 have furnished II different affidayiis az
various times from doctors, Surgeons at the Penn
sylvania Hospital and others. and have a hospital
record of seven weeks at the United States General
Hospital during the war;, which was at the Naval
Academy at Annapolis. Md. have been trying
for 10 years to have my claim settled. / was
wounded i'm the Seven Days battles in June. 1862,
and was taken prisoner IN 1868. and IN Libby
Prison. and also Belle Isle From the wound
in the head my sight is very bad, and have fur
nished the Pennsylvania Hospital eye specialists
affidayits, all 10 purpose. have written to my
Representative. also my Senator. i have written
to the President of the United States; also 10 many
Others and to the Secretary of the Interior but all
to purpose. 4. Can you inform me who the
pensions for if not for those disabled in batte2
AISUer. j. The law vests in the Commissioner of
Pensions subject to his superior, the Secretary Of
the Interior, very large discretion as TO what shall
constitute due proof OF any Tact IN issue In any
given case. No ironclad rule prevails. two
cases are precisely alike. 2 Yes. 3. No. Merely
advisory; in fact Boards of Surgeons are forbidden
to rate, and the raters in the Pension Bureau fix
the rate after duly considering the reports Of the
Examining Surgeons f. We believe that il is the
spirit of the law to pension one disabled IN the
manner you state; but as you have thus far failed
to secure favorable action, and have apparently
exhausted all resources. there would seem to be
nothing more to do unless you file new testimony
to present degree Of disability from the causes
alleged. We do not prosecute claims and do not
have access to the papers IN any case. We note,
and doubtless you do, the effects OF q strict and
narrow Interpretation of the law when compared
with those following administration which
construed the law with respect TO It's spirit rather
LMH II. Bat Care. " CT wish to join the United
States Army, and not knowing exactly that course
to follow, desired to write you for information.
Can n man join at any time. and how should ap-
plicatOn be made, as there Ia no recruiting oflcer
near me? ARstoer One can JOIN any time II ne can
pass the required examination. You would have to
present yourself at recruiting station. \ gu VIII
find one at sos Main street, Lynehburg, Va. ana
another at I45 North Cherry street. Nashville. Tenn
T. T. H Mil Brook Conn.,. What Is the cons
pensatiou of n Sergeant IN the Regular Army who
has served 80 years up to The present Time! : Il
30 years, what pension pay does he receive Tor
life? g. II a Sergeant in the Regular Army, after
serving 80 years. dies what allowance does his
widow receive? ARSacer. l. Twenty-eight dollars,
if service is continuous. 2 Seventy-five per cent
of pay of grade held at retirement. B. Eight dol
lars or SI2 according to the circumstances OF the
case feause of death. date of marriage, etc..
j. L. S. Evansville. Ind.-How many pensions
have been suspended during the present Admins
tration; how many resumed at the same rate;
how many reduced, and how many wholly drop
ped from the pension-roII? ARstrer. Up to June
g. 1894, $500 pensions had been suspended and re-
sumed at the same rate; 326 remained suspended.
pending final action; 3,OI4 had been reduced, ana
267I dropped from the pension-rOll. This makes
n grand total of $50 pensioners who have been
affected TO the extent above stated
j. H. C., Sidney Mel received my pension eheek
in June ndorsed it. and then mailed u, and II has
been lost in the mails in some way. when and
how can get another? AnStcer After the explra-
ton of six months from the date OF drawing the
lost check an application for duplicate Will De
considered when accompanied by the necessary
affidavit and bond of indemnity OF not less than
$780, The United States Pension Agent who drew
the check will fully advise you as to details The
Assistant Treasurer against whom the lost cnecK
was drawn should be at once advised OF the loss,
and payment of same ordered stopped