Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-31

OF his clients, impersonated an officer of
the pension bureau, and, in fact, violated
practically every federal penal statute APP
plicable to claims for pension He Is now
serving twenty-eight years sentence.
Every Method of Deception.
An attorney at Lime Springs, Iowa, was
disbarred by reason Of the fact that he had
been convicted and sentenced to paw a
fine of $1,000 and to serve two years i'm
prisonment for violation of the federal
statutes in connection with claim for pen
sion, but the offense for which he was con-
Vlcted was only one of the many offenses
SHOWN by the evidence +, have been COM
United by him. This man corrupted ex-
amining surgeons and witnesses 1t was
MS practice to write out statements to be
copied by his witnesses, so that the same
would be in their own Handwriting and
thus have semblance of verify which they
did not possess. 1t was shown during the
investigation of the claims filed through
THIS attorneys fundamentally that he re-
sorted to about every possible and con-
ceiVable method of deceiving the govern
ment and his clients. He attempted to
put a stop to the investigation Of his
claims by causing the arrest of the special
examiner who was in charge of the inves-
tlgatfon, and, in fact, he succeeded in Sc
curing conviction in a state court on a
trumped up charge against the examiner.
winch conviction was subsequently set
aside by the United States court on the
ground that the examiner in doing the act
for which he was convicted in the state
court was acting within his duty as a spe-
cial examiner and within the law.
The following extract from a letter ad-
dressed by this attorney to an examining
surgeon is Of itself sufficient evidence as
to the rascality of his method without
further comment: II would like to have
you write me just how this is, and If you
can send me the reports or copies Of them
(meaning the certificates of medical ex-
he nf fho nj tod
States government 1 will appreciate it. l
mean send copies Of reports that have
been mailed and then send the others for
me to copy as heretofore, and hoping that
you can do this as usual, and If you will
will promise that 1 will do everything
that l can for you personally and will
work all the harder in the future from
now on"
1t would take at least 1000 pages to
copy the evidence against this man.
Used Dead Friends Name.
An attorney In Washington was disbarred
for unprofessional conduct in collecting H.
legal fees. He was associated with another
attorney in good standing. Shortly after
the disbarment the other attorney died
and the disbarred man took advantage Of
that fact to practice before the pension
bureau under his dead friends name. Re
ceiving fee check issued to the dead
friend he raised 1t from so to 800,
dealer in Philadelphia Both the attorney
and his brother were sent to the peniten-
tiary for forgery and conspiracy, and it is
known that this man committed many
other fOrgeries, and indictments are now
pending against him.
Another Washington attorney has just
been disbarred for collecting illegal fees in
connection with nurses claims.
An attorney at Buffalo. NY, admitted to
practice before the bureau New York
caused to be made and caused to be filed
of false, forged and fraudulent
declarations, aftidavits and papers as evil
Dc nee In these claims. causing the organiza-
ton of commission which Investigated
over one thousand claims containing evil
dence that proved utterly worthless and
Valueless. He had so organized his office
in Buffalo that he could prepare and have
executed any paper that he desired, having
public and executing officers Who'll
ly under his control, who would attach a
seal and jurat to any paper placed before
them.
He caused to be made and caused to be
fled false and fraudulent vouchers for PEN
SIGN, having attesting and Identifying wit
nesses sign papers that they knew nothing
of; having these false and fraudulent pa
pers filed as vouchers for payment Of
money due on pension. This man was for
merly United States government official.
He was finally run down, tried and con-
victed and served a penitentiary sentence,
and has been disbarred from practice.
Duped Ignorant COlored People.
A subagent of Washington attorneys, who
was located at Charleston, SC, forged af-
fidavts, declarations. signatures of idenu-
flying and attesting witnesses to afiidavits
ard declarations and signatures of Identify
ing and attesting witnesses to the vouchers
for the payment of pension; filed and caus-
ed to be filed in the pension office hun
dreds of papers purporting to have been
n he certain
ties, when in fact members Of his own
family and household, together with him
self, had signed the names of witnesses to
the papers. He being an officer empowered
to execute papers could readily do this and
any kind of paper he desired.
His dupes were ignorant colored people
of that particular section. Upon the allow
arce of a claim he would demand Illegal
fees and receive them, Withholding the pen
sion certificate, in some instances not even
allowing the claimant to know what they
were drawing.
He was tried and convicted, and is now
in the penitentiary.
Stole His Clients Money.
A pension attorney practicing before this
bureau, doing business in New York city,
caused to be filed claim for pension, al
leging insanity of the soldier. Upon this
claim there were some ten or twelve thou
sand dollars paid. The pensioner received
no benefit at all from the money, the at
tcrney and the guardian of the pensioner
dividing the spoils.
When the pensioner was located by this
bureau he was being kept in a rail pen,
without any clothes, Gagged as beast; had
no care whatever, and received no benefit
frcm the money.
Through a technicality of the law the
bondsman, guardian and this attorney es-
capped scott free.
An attorney of Biddleford, Maine, rep
resenting a widow claimant upon the al
lowance of the claim, demanded and re-
Ceived an illegal fee of $11.15. He was dis
barred from practice. Owing to the statute
of limitations he was not prosecuted.
An attorney of Akron, Ohio, practicing
before this bureau in certain cases, de-
manded and received illegal fees, the legal
fee having been paid to the attorney of rec
Crd. He was convicted and a fine imposed
liz several cases. Disbarred from practice.
A subagent of Washington attorney To-
Gated at Denver, Col, forged the names
of attesting and identifying witnesses to
declarations, the names of claimants them
selves to declarations and affidavits; forged
pension checks of claims after the pay
Inent, the checks being sent to his care;
had formerly served thirteen months in the
state prison for forgery; was convicted Of
the charge Of forgery i'll the United States
court, but upon new trial being held was
cleared.
A pension attorney in the territory Of
New Mexico, who filed number of claims