The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-23
INFORMATION FROM THE PENSION
BUREAU, WASHINGTON, SHOWS
a DIFFERENT LIGHT.
WHAT THE RECORDS INDICATE
1T WAS SWAY BACK IN 1873 THAT
BE WAS ALLOWED
$72.
NOT OVER LOCAL BOARDS HEAD.
Under the Rules He Was Entitled to
the Amount and Received 1T on
Its Merits.

The publication of the list of st. Paul
people drawing pensions as a result of
injuries received in the late war caused
more talk IN st. Paul than any recent
piece of news. In connection with that
list came the subsequent publication
in the morning papers of articles about
the fact that Capt. Joseph Burgers
name appeared on the $72-a-mOnth
list. together with some comments on
the merits of his receiving the largest
amount paid to disabled veterans, The
two articles were SO at variance as TO
the alleged facts, the G. b e sent to
Washington to ascertain just what the
records in Capt Burgers case showed
to be the truth. The result of the in
quiry shows that the c. o b e did the
captain an injustice in stating that
he secured his increase through official
friends in Washington after the local
examining board had held that he was
not totally disabled and requiring the
constant services OF an attendant. To
rectify the injustice done Capt. Burger
the facts as obtained are briefly given:
The records in the case on file in the
pension bureau at the nations capital
the Second Minnesota regiment He
was wounded in the left arm so that
that member had to be amputated and
was wounded in the right arm so that
his fingers are stiffened June Is, 1865,
he was granted a pension of SIS per
month. This was increased to S25
month in 1885, and to $31.25 in 1872. In
1874 his allowance was again increased,
this time to $50 month, and in 1873
it was raised to $72 a month. Any fur
Their information as to details, the CT
ficialS at the pension office refuse to
give out. However, this is sufficient
to show that the information obtained
by the G. 10 b e from a local source,
though one which 1t supposed to be au-
thentic, was wrong, and the c. o b e, in
justice to Mr.. Burger, gives him the
benefit of the information which shows
that the pension he is receiving is only
what the pension officials of eighteen
years ago believed man who had suf-
fered as he did was entitled to. What
the rules were as to the granting of
pensions at that time or how they COM
pare with those of the present is not
known. The ones now governing the
issuance or increase of pensions are
these that were promulgated by Green
B. Raum, so that the present require
ments may be more or less rigid in the
matter AS stated heretofore, the
G o b e was informed, reliably, it pre-
sumed, that Capt Burgers last increase
was of more recent date, but the
records show that was not true conse-
quently the story that some influential
friends had been instrumental in Secur-
ing the $72 allowance is, as a natural
consequence, incorrect. AS said in the
G l o b e S article, nobody begrudged
the captain what his case merited and.
as the authorities decided. eighteen or
nineteen years ago that he merited
$72 a month, the public presumably,
and the G 0 b e certainly, does not be-
grudge him that amount. There can
be no question but what he was wound
ed sufficiently to merit it. nor is there
any question but what he came by it
honestly, because. regardless of pen
sion matters or political partisanship,
not even Capt. Burgers enemies have
ever cast any reflection on his person.
al honesty and integrity. 1t is told Of
the captain that, during a certain ses-
sion of the legislature, some politicians
sought to influence him through the use
Of money. They only tried it once. Not
only did he turn down their offer, but
it was with difficulty that he was per-
suaded from making a public expose
of the matter. SO that, when the
statement of Capt Burger recently an
peared in one of the newspapers. Civ
ing briefly the facts of his experiences
during the war and the subsequent hap
penings. there was no one to doubt it's
authenticity. The G o b e S informa-
ton, sent for before the captains state
ment appeared and received since,
comes simply as proof of what he said
about it.