New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-14
HOW PENSIONS ARE SECURED
SOME FACTS IN REGARD TO PALFABLE
FRAUDS.
PROVISIONS OF LAW THAT PERMIT PENSION AT
WIDOWS AND MINOR CHILDREN


ToRNEYs To PUSH THROUGH CLAIMS FOR
WIDOWS AND MINOR CHILDREN
A TYPICAL CASE.
Inr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSEl
Washington. Feb. l3.-whlle 1t is indsputably
true that many pensions have been obtained 10y
fraudulent means. and that many other attempts
III the same direction have been discovered ana
thwarted. It Is likewise true that many or the
stories OF pension frauds which are going the
rounds OF the Democratic and Muswump news
papers are highly imaginative and exceedingly mis-
leading. or this nature was recent article pup
lshed in ST. Louis newspaper. Among other
things. It recounted the exploits OF an Alabama
school-teacher. named Harrison. who. X was al
legged. had obtained the names Of n large numoer
OF "old soldiers who had died In bachelorhooo' anu
by means OF forgery had succeeded In obtaining 10
fewer than forty-one widows pensions. which ne
drew and enjoyed himself There was some foun-
dalton for this story but It extremely fraii and
not able to carry the superstructurc.
In brief. the facts were that Harrison mao oo-
tanned on tho payment OF s. to a pension claim
agent In Washington list OF the Alabama SOL
diers Of the War Of 1872 and set about the work OF
manufacturing bogus pension CLAIMS mat was
nearly ten years ago. He obtained q few genuine
signatures but many OF them were forged, inclul-
Ing those OF widows and magistrates. ana the rest
fictitious. lie succeeded in having several OF
the claims allowed and in drawing several thousan"
dollars from the Treasury before the fraud was de-
tect ed. He was arrested in March, 1880, ana on
Sep,erlbe- OF that year was tried. convicted and
sentenced 10 the penitontiary for ten years and 10
pay heavy nne. This story Is now revamped ana
published az news" In order 10 swell the choruS
pension frauds"
FAULTS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM
1t ought TO bc ad ritted in all fairness however
thet fraudulent pension claims are rot the only
fraudulent claims against which the Government
has constantly to guard Itself whenever anu
wherever the temptation to defraud the Govern
ment is offered rogues will be found ready to en-
brace Il, and the pension system has at'tacteu 10
share of them. It has enough 70 bear without nav
ing thrust upon 1t burden OF misrepresentation.
That the system is faulty one every hoheS' ""'i
intelligent man, who has carefully stuuieu IT, W
who has been charged with the duties OF admins
tration admits. There has been improVldeht ies'S
lation by Congress- and more than once s'raiheu
construction Of Law. in obedience 70 suppose"
sentiment among the veterans OF the war which
did not exist. II less heed had beer palu 10 inc
ella NOR OF pension claim agents. ana more 10 tne
real sentiments Of worthy and deserving benehc!-
aries Of the pension system. it would have been
better for everybody except the claim agents
There are some respectable pension attorneys IN
Washington who ara quick 10 resent any imputa-
ton or slur agains, pension claim agents as class
and vet IT would not require very thorough In
voeigaton of the petition files Of Congress TO sho"
how instrumental and influential that class has
been in manufacturing soldier sentiment when
has been used to promote and urge every lmproW-
dent act OF legislation that has been placed on the
statute book One OF these acts smusgled Into
a penson appropriation bill ten years ago. and has
since COS, the Government several million dollars
and Melted the claim agents handsome sum.
Under this provision soldiers widow who has
since been remarked is entitled 10 file a claim
ami receive a pension for the period OF her widow
hood She may have remained widow for twenty
years after the death OF her soldier husband. and
made no application for pension. She may then
be remarked and apply for and obtain a pension
for tho twenty years-enough TO set her second
husband I'D in business. Some OF the claims OF
this descripti on allowed within The last few months
amounted to several thousand dollars each
In his las. report the Commissioner OF Pensions
urgently recommended the enactment OF a law pro-
hbitng the grantiaE Of a pens on TO the widow
OF a soldier who shoI'l marry thereafter. bill
to carry out this recomre idaiion passed the Sen
ate January % and the House Committee on
Invalid Pensions has refused favorably TO report
il by q majority OF vote II a sing.e one OF tho
fifty thousand registered pension claim agents. or
Of the might army OF unregistered 'scalpers'
who solicit business for them. and charge such
fees a. their victims can be catoled into paving.
IS rot bitterly opposed TO this measure. the fact
has escaped observation. To say that any con-
siderable
10 IL would be absurd. and yet their names ana
Influence are invoked 70 defeat an act OF legsla-
ton which IS favored by nearly all Of them, from
4, he Commander thief OF the Grand Army OF the
Republic down.
PENSIONS TO MINORS"
Another practice which existing laws permit and
which ought 10 ia stopped is the granting OF
IN nors' pensions" TO persons who have reached
mature years The law provided that the minor
I-pion la
entitled to a pension at the rate Of g a month
each until they arrived az the Of sixteen years.
the intent OF course. being that this money should
be used aid in the support and education Of the
children until they reached the age OF selfsuppor'
Bat the Pension Bureau to-day Is flooded with
minors claims in behalf Of persons some OF whom
have reached the age Of forty years and for whom
no cai,.is were filed during tho period Of their IN
fancy OF minority. and. az the law Is now and al
ways has been construed. these claims must be al
lowed The fact that the pensions we're not ap
piled for until recently ought TO be regarded as
sufficient evidence that they were not needed while
the proposed benefcaries were minors And II
aoes seem M though the pension system is pushed
10 he utmost verge OF liheralty when II permits
the granting Of minors pensions to men with
bald heads and gray boards.
To show how the laws for widows and minors
may sometimes operate. even under strict con-
struction. the following case is cited.
listed in the Army in 1851, and went 20 the field.
leaving a wife and three children behind. few
months afterward the wife formed irregular and
unlawful relations With another man said re-
lations continuing until the husband returned
home to die in ISL The unlawfu, relations were
resumed and have continued three children hav-
ing been the fruit Of The Illicit union. This sol.
dlers widow applied for pension as the widow or
the deceased soldier, and also on behalf Of the
three legitimate children during the period OF tner
minority She alleged and proved that she had
never beer remarked.
The claim filed by her II finally allow 81 (and she
has furnishcd every iota Of proof required by OK.
sting law) will result in the payment 10 her OF
more than s, 90 from The National Treasury. II Is
i,ndersfnnd that this has passed the final stage
Of adiudio alton. and that the next step, II taken.
,r,li be. N. issue Of the pension certificate. or
cou-ee this is extreme case. and IL Is one which
probably would never have made It's appearance
IN he files o. tire Pension Bureau had 1t not been
for the shire dness and assidulty OF pension claim