The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-16
TOONER UNDER A CLOUD.
4 C0lOTtd Politician Charged With
Forging NdmtS Of Pensioners.

Reuben Gibbons Makes an AFFIDAVIT
that Toomer Has, BY Forging His
Name. Collected and Appropriated
His Pension Money for the Last Three
Quarters Toomer Arrested By Deputy
Marshal Dayton. but Gave a Bond Of
1880 Pending His Preliminary Ez-
animation Which WIN Take Place This
Morning.
Louis p. Toomer oolorcd. a notary pub
h-. with ON office at l5s ST. Julian street.
was arrested yesterday by United states
Deputy Marshal Dayton. on a warrant is
sued hy United States Commissioner ".
g. Connolly. charging him with forging
The name Of Reuben Gibbons TO three
checks. issued ty the pension agent in
Louisville.
Toomcr is wcu known 10 the colored
union soldiers OF this vicinity. which has
led many Of them to go to him as notary
public. 10 have the quarterly vouchers
filled o4t and sworn TO.
Reuben Gibbons. who served as pri-
AtA "AtN'tAAtf To- AAiA ID ~NAAAAt IA AltNFA
States infantry. colored volunteers. was
granted pension several years ago at
the rate of 81 per month, which was after
ward Increased 20 S.. This pension. he
states he drew with regularity until May
1885, As usual he signed the vouchers for
the previous quarter in the Office of Louis
j.. Toomcr OF, TO be more accurate, he
made his mark. not being able to write
ln tie following August Gibbons, at TOom-
er's request says he signed more vouchers
for the quarter ending the attn Of that
month. and later on for the following
quarter.
1t is custom of the pension agencies
when sending out a check. TO send the
vouchers for the next quarter along with
it. Realizing this and the further fact
that they were probably being imposed
upon 10y T00mer. Gibbons and his other
Grand Army friends became suspicious
that there was something wrong some
where which suspicious Toomer, IL is
stated. tried to set at rest by stating that
the big building. meaning Ford's theater,
had collapsed and destroyed the records
pensions and all To those who did not
swallow this explanation he told they
were dropped from the roll. The continued
receipt Of vouchers to sign at the end of
every quarter was sufficient 10 set the pen
sioners TO making more disagreeable in
quiries. Complaint was made to the post
master by some OF them, stating that their
mail was being diverted, and instructions
were given not on any preteNt to deliver
10 70 TOomers office or to TOOmer himself.
At the end Of the next quarter checks
were received by the pensioners at their
homes, the envelope being directed care
Louis b. Toomer No. 1856 st. Julian street.
IT seems that on every pension voucher
tho pensioner is required to give his post
office address in full. IL is said that Too
ft,t b- 4aaf of q soldiers would
dl i'm the buank with his street and num-
Der, so that the mail would come TO his
office, where he would open it and turn the
check or the equivalent in cash
over TO the owner. It is charged,
though. that later on he did
not go through the process of notify
ing the owners. but had the checks Cashed
and appropriated the proceeds to his own
usc. Some of the checks We're cashed by
the Chatham Bank and some by other
parties.
1t is believed that there are four or five
other cases within the knowledge Of the
pension bureau of the same nature az this
with which l.. b. Toomer is connected,
and in which the pensioners failed to get
their pension checks for the same quarters
Of the year as did Reuben Gibbons This
would give Toomer at least several hun
dred dollars a year as the result of his
malpractice 1t is impossible to ascer-
tain just how much money has been pro-
cured by this means and how many differ
ent persons have suffered through his way
Of doing business, but it is probale that
the examination before the commissioners
will disclose it.
As soon as the affidavit was made the
warrant was issued and placed in the
hands of Deputy Marshal Dayton. Within
ten minutes time the deputy had TOomer
under arrest and before the commissioner.
Toomers bond pending the investigation
before the commissioner, which is set for
this morning. was fixed at $500, which
was given with Capt. M. J. Doyle as Sc
curity and he was released.