New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-24

COMMISSIONER EVANS .ASTOUNDED AT
HIS Discoveries.
rrY rrLr1n,Pu 70 THE TRIBrNE.l

HIS llgRON Ia
10y rrrrGnAru 70 THE TRIBUNE
yyashinr,on June $50 fre,uen' and general
b.o neco,1e The violatio NJ The laws relating 10
the execution o. vouchers of pensioners that the
commissioner Of Pensions has found It necessary
70 issue tho following circulas the contents Of
which special examiners and ohfr officials OF ths
Pension Bureau have been Instructed 10 commun.
cate to notaries public and other officers by or be-
fore whom such vouchers certified and exc
cutod.
Recent investigation had by tits Bureau to as
certain the methods employed q: public officials
in executing pension vonchers 'iaS eena9 mo
tions governing the subject 49,, -. .s.
l. il clearly evidenced that ne nesai, lax, ine,.
ferer' and perfunctory procedure now eA'ant mas
heroine q menace to The proper asld safe concuct
81 I me of tensions and sE ecal efforts are
cont INFLATED 70 correct the ex!strg abuses While
It is believed that many oficlas y no assist IN me
execution Of pension vouchers haN I no ConcepeV '
q. their criminal liability IN IN. premises
eSa1v oeriin mat n ma G' M :n5er Of thsir
oieutage. knowingly and wilfuly -eSort TO Wois-
To the end that the former cass may profit BY
this notice this circniar Is issued ,..
hoste and laxlty existing in many cffices. by which
post-dauns false ceruhcs ton, fsase cam ara a..
f,DS.s,rafion md acknowiedsnl st OF pension
vouc hers II is the intention Of this Bureau where
nroceedirgs against the parties mo indulge IN
these illegal and Irregular practices ana 'les arc
r., f5orins Strictly the instructions printed On
each voucher the matters complain sd OF may "
entirely rernedied
In conversation with a Tribune correspolkrt
Commissioner Evans said that his attention vas
ers, drawn 70 the matter BY The rece ~ az MS once
~ a batch ~ pension vouchers wach haa oeen
addressed 70 MIN instead OF the QaI.s!oh agent o'
the Washington agency. who was 70 2ay them An
examination Of the vouchers showes mat d" U
them had been executed before the same hoaly
.ba ne the same IN
all ,he "a ses Many Of the vouchers were those OF
widow pensioners IN such a case the pens'ohef"
required 10 certify under oath thar she has no'
been remarked since the former payment ana 'a'
witnesses are also required 10 certify uhae. oa.n
thar thev are personally acquainted with the
anant. tina, she Is the person 10 whoTs the pension
certificate was issued and that she 4 as not Dee.
remarked An investigation Of the caves disciose'
the following state ot facts
LAWYERS CLERKS AS WITNESSES
None OF the pensioners knew the Wi nesses To
Witnesses were not acquainted with the pensioners
one u the witnesses was clerk ana y pe"!es"
the Office Of ,hc notary public before a. oy WON
the vouchers were executed IN these cases '"es.
did not appear 70 have been n wilf-i violation o.
law or that any fraud had been commit ied. out
WAS clear that the law had been N.oar>i d. - W.
as evident that such practices invited III "a -,s.
cute further Investigations in the same me ana
PhiaiePha vas chosen as The s a-s NJ SSta sS
pension AGENT Mulhoiland Of thar agena, he va,
of The opinion that the law WIS pre;t' s s. San
Junction with a special examine % thi Ee.s~
bureau General Muholands opinion une erS at 49,
scr,ance Of the law vas exceptional ana '''d''''
of u tho rule
PLAINLY CASES OF FRAUD
The Violations were found more % nera
the country towns and districts than IN tne us
itself As the field Of inquiry broadened ana w
mil
thorough evidence accumulated showhS 'n
many of the Violations Of law had been van n. va
fll intent to commit fraud. and were noi ~, ~ A.
IGNORANCE or mere carcle: sness. or even 20 the
sire 81 the notary 10 swell the tota OF - vi
i machine" afiGavlts false certificates oeaI. ,s
ro,a,t,I AIS post-iatod vouchers and 50 IN ws,'
20 b. accepted the door FOR fraud stood WI open
i,dd.ne rascal- 10 enter and swindle the Govern
mcnf TnIess II should he c.osed !, would oe eon
pafatiVcly easy 70 any scounirel wl" ~ lsn,,rus
ian possession OF pension ceTnc1', 10 death Q.
the beneficiary or for = soldier "iiow ~ =, became
to Do after her remarrase ana u ,ttcrnsy
ana notary public 70 commit fraud A. a n ed ed 10
met such casc> have already been disroNs' omar.
ar, c,s4 a soldiers widow who had been ie s.ysn
rict had continued draw her pension y ~ Ina.
mrs H.'f p never seen Inc notary who siisnds.ss
10 the business She simply signed h'I snothsi
"A blank voucher. and h" did the RESI- III England
case a pension claim agent IN a Ns Ne a, sd per-
sa,c hsS H %crs drIW IN oe ' M Re ease pay
mcot to Kim On account Of back pension ! sisg It.
"A
ar,nnntgd 10 more than $500 lie c9HlihsI' 10 ds
CORY In uumherless cases and induced osna claim
~ lie was a notary pubic ar wen as bonts
ap.rt He t. np~ in jail IN delaut vii 10
amounting to $4,000 In sixteen case All. "a ard
ma next month ard undoubtedly SonS,S against
semi 10 the penitenuary, for the evidence
him IS overwhelming.
UNWITTlNG VICTIMS
rhis man not only committed CRIME a"' ,,l,u
on his own account but induced others !" If.
tho lau unwittingly one OF them was d ''r S..,
n, citizen o. sufficient prominence TO De al IAN
of a banking institution He Was also 10
ruhlic and he IS now under bonds amon isws1
r. OK, 80, \ ,hargc OF violating the pension ,asnsoa
IN wing his signature and seal 10 oatch =. Vho
vourhrrs brought 10 him by the claim Az.
requested him to do so as "A pei soti ..;on az TIE
,omnissionrr Evans called the attentooLh - cases
In which fraud had been committed OF a1 abe exc
,hr"n~h vioatons OF the law relating 10 'r~,s de-
cution OF pension vouchers. ana eNpl.os., zion o.
tsrninati,n TO cause the vigorous prose- iound
every notary public and other onicer WIZ r,crcugh
vioIating those provisions. which, as the fsIsp
investigations he has instituted S"o"'
into nnocuous desuetuue. .,, ~ ,ha Prov
The penalty for violation OF any OF LED Is
sicns referred TO In the circular above rSo,~a tern
fine not exceeding $500. Imprisonment, io sne and
not exceeding three years, or oy po'h ~
imprisonment
THE MARITIME CANAL COhPA.h .