The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-16
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sug
gestions Made.

Militia including the Washington County
Battalon-cnlisted for six months in accord
ance with Gov. Candles proclamation of Aug.
"a. 1861, calling for 10000 cavalry and 50 1000
infantry for the purpose OF maintaining the
pow err of the Federal Government" and of the
loyal State Government within the State-is
regarded not coming within the pension
laws, except for disability from wounds or in-
jury incurred Z" in any engagement with the
rebels or Indians" claim for pension ac-
count of which was prosecuted to successful
issue before July4 1874. Transfers and other
employees of the Quartcrnaster's Department
of the Army are not iregarded rs within the
pension laws, except under the same conditions
as above @s.n % 20 $50
IT. G., Surprise, Mo.--It is not believed that
atfidavits or other papers filed as evidence in
the Pension Bureau are ever Intentionally lost
Or destfoy ed no matter how uniriendfy tie
Administration may be appear to be toward
pension claimants There are plenty OF ex-
plantations for Official calls for evidence which
claimants have. previously furnished. or con-
slider they have furnished. without attributing
such calls to the destruction of evidence In the
Pension Bureau. A claimants attorney, or his
member of Congress. or the claimant himself,
may examine the files of his case in the PEN
sion Bureau and ascertain just what evidence
is on file, and properiy-directed inquiry by
mail is5pretty sure to bring information as to
why call is made for testimony which the
claimant has already sent.
A. G.. p, Stereas Point. Wis.--In theory, at
least, the special examination of q pension
claim rs conducted with a view to determining
its merits and securing to the claimant the
pension, if he is entitled to the same. In times
past it has frequently appeared as though a
special examination were had to find some
ground for the rejection of the claim, but it is
believed that under the present Adnrinistra-
ton the theory above mentioned will be most
Thoroughly put into practice, as IS evidenced by
several. decisions aud other official action
already taken.
Subscriber, AHegtany city, Pa.-Sec. 4747, Re
vised Statutes provides that 4" no sum of money
due, or to become due, to any penslUner shall
be Liable to attachment, levy, or seizure by or
under any legal or equitable process whatever
whether the same remains with the Pension
Office, any officer or agent thereof, or IS In
course OF transmission to the pensioner entitled
thereto, but shall inure wholly to the benefit of
such pensiOner."
4. B. T., Ldke Benton Man-When pension
claimant is repeatedly informed, at intervals
Of several months that his claim is being con-
sidered with view to its final disposition. it
is possible that the continued delay is occa-
stoned by the failure OF witnesses i'll the case to
respond 10 letters of inquiry sent them, or the
delay may be occasoned by the slowness OF the
Special Examination Division to promptly in
stitute inquiries rs to standing of witnesses.
G. f., Karlsruhe Germany-Seven months is
not an unusually long time for action on a pen
sion claim under the general law after the
completing proofs are filed. The claim is moro
likely to be awaiting action a year than to be
acted upon within six months after the last
evidence is filed.
az s., Grants Mills NJ Y.-Thcre is 40 pension
law allowing more than Sl2 per month for dis
ability not proven rs of service origin. The
highest rate allowable under the act Of June
q, 1890, is $12 per month"; no matter how great
the degree of disability.
d. n X, R0ita, Mo.-A widow pension claim
ant is required to show the death divorce of
the soldiers former wife. but she need not show
his marriage TO his former wife. 1T Is permissi-
BILE TO obtain evidence so far as possible to
establish a widows claim during the lifetime
of the soldier, and such evidence when fled
after the sold er's death would be considered in
support of the widows claim if the persons
giving the evidence be still living.
Subscriber, Wilkes Barre, Pd.--lFive months is
not all unusually long period for claim for
increase Of pension to be awaiting action after
medical examination.
c. II. d., Deager, C0lo.-The 500 bounty
provided by the acts of A pril g, 1872. and July
90 1888 for three-years volunteers enlisted
before July %; 1861, is not an additional or
extra bounty 1t is due only those who en-
llSLeu rs Staten anu ulu NOT eHJItltu W
bounty under the act of July D. 1861, by rea-
son of their being discharged before two years
service for reasons other than wounds or injury
incurred in the service aud line OF duty.
Subscriber. Chama, N, M-Ihe records OF all
hospitals Ill charge of Government officers
during The war are on file in the Record and
Pension Office of the War Department, but in
mtily Instances the records are very incOm-
p!cte. In considering u pension claim filed
under the GENERAL law Il disability pf
origin, the Pension Bureau calls upon the War
Department for such Information OF record as
relates to the soldier, using as guide the allie
cations made as to the hospitals in which treat
ment was had during service
Or. A. j., Dayton, O.-1he reference to law
of " Feb. 4, 1897" in this column in the issue
OF Aug. 28, 1897, is mistake of the types. The
law referred TO is that of Feb. "a, 1897, which
has already been published.
II X, Fraiktii,ton, n. Y.-Mounted Orderles
at Division headquarters were not mes
sengers within the meaning of the extra
duty pay provisions of the act of March 3. 1863.
The messenger" were employed in semi
clerical capacity. No evidence need accom-
pany the filing of an application for increase
of pension in the Pension Bureau.
W. p, PueJlo, Coio-At a recent date the
total number of persons drawing invalid PEN
sion on account of service or disability incurred
since March A. 1861, was 7l4,90S The average
value per annum of all pensions is about SI33
d. M d. Richtdad s. DIT is impossible TO
say within what period after medical exami-
nation a claimant for increase Of pension on
pensioned disabilities may expect action by the
Pension Bureau on his case When claimant
for pension under tue general law has a disa-
bility for which rating of $l2 per month Is
prescribed by tho official practice, and another
for which rating of $50 is III like manner pre-
scribed his rating on the allowance of his claim
will not exceed $50 unless it is shown that he
is so disabled by pensoned disabilities as to be
unable to perform any manual labor of any sort.
His rating would then be $50.
j. r., Valley Falls, N. "a claim for in
crease of pension can hardly be changed into
a claim for rerating of pension. specific
claim for rerating is i'll general necessary to
secure rerating of pension.
j. L., Randall IFiS.-No bounty-land is
granted for service since March 3, 1855.
Mrs L. j. s., san Pedro, Cal.-For tombstones
to mark soldiers graves, address the Quarter
master General. u. S. A.. War Department
Washington. ID. C.
Il. C., Springdaie, w. Fa.-If claim for re-
rating is granted, the rerating should cover at
least some portion of the period for which the
rerating is claimed antedating the filing of the
application. The rerating claims are considered
in the different adjudicating divisions of the
Pension Bureau, the same as original claims
for pension.
W. III. s., Vest Philadelphia, Pa.--Invalid
pension granted under the act of June 81, 1880,
should commence from the date of filing of the
first application under the act. Nothing could
be clearer than the terms of the act of March g.
1896, on this point.
&. p s., So. Maoy's. w. Pa.--A physician is