The National tribune., 1897-11-25
PENSION POINTERS.
INQUIRIES Answered and Sug.
gestions Made.

rAll communications for this column should
be accompanied by the true name and correct
addIe ss of the inquirer. he reply. however,
will he marked as may lie desired. No attention
teiii be qircn Ia anonymous Inquiries. If no re-
ply is printed within three weeks. write again ]
C. s. Bremen Ind-When 8 soldier in the
volunteer military service in .he late war ab-
sented himself from his command and the
service without the formality OF q discharge,
aud did not return 10 the service, he cannot
obtain Ru honorable discharge unless 1t can be
shown that he was physically unable to return
10 the service before the muster out OF his CON-
mand or the expiration of his term of enlist
ment or that he served faithfully TO the end
of his term of enlistment or served until May
], 1865. having served faithfully for not less
than SIX months previous 10 that date.
j. g. KeRddllriUc. Hd.-A three-yesrs volun-
teer who enlisted in September. 1861. and was
hororably discharged in January, 1863. is not
entitled To any original bounty, unless he WAS
discharged because OF wound jury incur
red in the service and line of duty. Tho adj
ditional bounty law OF Jpiy PC. 1866, allowing
bomnties OF 500 and $50 in certain cases where
the soldier was not entitled to bounty in ex
cess OF 500 under other laws, expired by limi-
tation on July l. 1880. No interest is payable
on bounties, back pay, etc
T. /. B-Invalid pension granted under the
act OF June % 1890. is still, rs a rule, made to
commence from the date OF filing of the last
application, if previous TO the fling of such
application the claim was rejected on the
ground of no pensionable degree of disability.
In some cases if the former medical examine
tion was in fact favorable, pension is made TO
commence from the date of fling OF the first
application.
J. B., LO,reU Mass-A claim for invalid PEN
sion under the act OF June q, 1890, should be
heard from within six months after medical
examination. As the ratings under the act OF
1890 are still made substantially in accordance
with the holdings of the last ADM nistratioD,
which hsvo not as yet been rcscinded, il is
doubtful whether a claimant who is already
pensoned under the general law San obtain
under the act of 1890 "a higher rating for his
old law disabilities and additional disabilities
not proven of service origin. As an invalid
pepsioner can change from one law to the other
without refundment Of any part of back PEN
sion through difference in ratings, it is usually
TO his advantage To accept pension under wbica.
ever law affords him the higher present rate.
He can obtain increase TO the limit of the act
of 1890. sl2. and if mis- disabilities of proven
service origin warrant he can then obtain
still higher rate under the old law.
S. H. B.. Columbus O.-Only the widow or
children under 10 of soldier can complete his
claim for invalid pension and receive the ac-
crued pension up TO the date OF his death. His
brother or sister have no title to his pension,
and no title in their own right. on account of
his service and death. unless his death was due
TO his service and unless under Is years of age
CT the date OF his death and at least partially
dependent on him for support. Under present
holdings il is further required that brother
or sister applicant be under the age Of 10 at the
date of filing application, unless the application
were flied before July /, 1880. If person
wishes to obtain pension by special act of Con-
ha laya rfv sfa 4 nd
together with statement of all the facts in his
case in the form of a petition TO Congress- and
forward the same TO his member of Congress TO
be presented. All pension claimants whose
claims rejected by the Pension Bureau are
at liberty to appeal TO the Secretary o! the In
terror. The Board of Appeals. which in most
instances has the actual consideration of ap-
peals and preparation of decisions in pension
sasss. is believed to be between three and four
months in arrears with its work.
Almond ~ Y-The Army and Navy Sur
vivors Dvision of the Pension Bureau has all
the names and addresses of survivors of the late
war, so far as officially recorded in the Pension
Bureau.
j.. If. r., Kalamazoo Mich-If pension
claimant fails TO report for medical examina-
ton within the time limit of an order for such
issued by the Pension Bureau, he can obtain
new order upon expressing his willingness to
report for medical examination If again
ordered.
G. s.. Clear Lake, Fash-Though no ruling
or decision has been promulgated, 1t is now
held that loss OF sight of one eye is pensionable
under the act of Jane q. 1890.
Bridgeport OFF a soldier claiming invalid
pension under the general law originally ap-
piled before July j, 1850, the pension granted
on the disabilities then alleged would csm-
mence from the date Of his discharge from the
service. Tho pension On disabilities formally
claimed on for the first time since June 30 $780,
would commence from the date of filing in the
Pension Bureau of the application alleging the
ssme.
A. d.. Corbondae, Pa-AIl official business
with the Office of the Commssary- General. u.
6. A.. may be addressed simply to the Com
missary General Of Subsistence, U. S. A., Wash.
ington, ID. C."
II. H. l.. DetrOit.-Assistant Secretary Davis
has resciBded his ruling that an invalid PEN
eioner at Sl7 per month eau go TO the S2I rate
If he shows additional disability. of service
origin, on which he is rated much as Lib.
The holding now is, as formally, that the dis
ability from the combined causes must be, in
the view Of the Bureau, equivalent to the
lose OF hand or foot" in degree TO entitle to
the s24 rate.
". f.. h., Rochester. Ioscd.-Commutation Of
rations for period of furlougb, if not hereto
fore collected, may be obtained On application
70 the Comm issSry- General Of Subsistence, u.
{. A. See reply TO A. d.. above
X p. b., Ldtrobe, Pho pension 10 granted
sc under the act Of June 81. 1890. unless the
claimant applied under said act When a
claimant applies under the general pension
Law. and not under the act of 1890 his claim
viii be settled under the general law
b. H.. Manifest LG.-When q pension claim
has been reopeped on appeal TO the Depart
mont from the action OF rejection of the PEN
sion Bureau. further action by the Pension Bu-
reau may he expected within a few weeks or
dinarily.
g. d.. Science Hill, Kn-Pension by special
act Of Congress i. not obtainable except by the
interesting themselves ia his behalf in for
warding the consideration and passage of his
private bill. 1t is extremely doubtful if any per-
son not Of high rank in the late war can obtain
pension by special act on account Of disabili-
ties not only not proven, but not clai med as
due TO the service.
a. d., Glorersriue. " Y-If application for
an invalid pension under the general law was
actually fled in due form in the Pension Bu-
reau before July j. 1850. and pension subse-
quently granted thereon, the rating should
commence from the date Of the claimants dis.
charge from the service, il disability for per-
Torrance Of manual labor, from the cause or
causes OF service origin, is sufficiently shown
continuously from date Of discharge. Under
the act of March 3. 1879. which amended the
arrears act Of Jan. 25, 1873, there is authority
for the commencement Of invalid pension
under the general law from the date of actual
disability" If il is not shown to the satisfaction