The National tribune., 1898-06-30
PENSION POINTERS
Inquiries Answered and Sug.
gestiOns Made.

TAn communications for this column should
be accompanied by the true name and correct
address of the inquirer. The reply, however.
will be marked as may be desired. No attentiOn
VIII De given to anonymous inquiries IL no re-
ply IS printed within three weeks. write asain.l
f. p, Springvale. Kans-A provision of
the act of March B. 1855, is as follows:
Provided, That all applicants for pension
shall be presumed to have had no disdbil-
ity at the time of enlistment: but such
presumption may be rebutted"
,. Is. H., bearing, O.-The one-year
volunteers enlisted after July IL, 1864,
were entitled to the full bounty of s100
only If they served the full term or were
discharged before the expiration thereof
because of wound or injury incurred in
the service and line of duty. There has
been no change in the law or rulings in
this respect.
T. J. S., Charlotte, Mich.-When an
invalid pensioner drawing under the act of
1870, and having n claim pending under
the general law, wishes to be pensioned
under the general law, he should proceed
to comply with the known official require
ments to establish his title under the
general law. In addition to- evidence
showing the origin and existence Of the
alleged disabilities in service and line OF
duty, evidence showing the continuance
of the same from discharge to date IS
essential.
examination usually determines the
question OF title To- an increase on pen
stoned disability. To establish claim to
additional pension. e., increase on
account OF disability not covered by the
pension certifcate-the same proofs are
required as in establishing an original
claim.
j. B.-Any rejected pension claim may
be appealed to the Secretary of the In
terror.
j. p. H., BrookfeId, Mo.-There is no
fixed time within which pension claim
may be expected to be settled after the
proofs are all furnished. IL your claim
has been apparently complete for two
years and still nothing is heard from the
Pension Bureau, an inquiry through your
member of Congress may bring some sort
OF response.
L. c. r., Rome, O.-There is no law
under which remarked widow can re-
gain her former pension on the death OF
her second husband. IL the second hus-
band was a soldier, she may be entitled
to be pensioned on account of his service.
j. j. u, Cleveland, O.-While the
widow is living and remains unmarried,
the children OF the soldier may not have
the benefit of the soldiers service in
taking up land under the homestead
laws.
W. F. X, Kankakee. nI.-When a
widow pensioned under the act of 1890
remarries, leaving a child OF the soldier
under Is, the child'S pension under the
act Of 1890 would commence only from the
date of filing application after the widows
Temarriage.
II. j. H., Hot Springs, S. D.-A rejected
claim for increase on pensioned disability
is regarded as closed unless contest is
entered within three months after reiec-
ton.
ID. Fl. c., Gloversville, n. Y.-The only
law in which title to a widows pension is
all hyy DAFT of ma I,a.fo =
June 81, 1890, which requires that a widow.
to be entitled to pension under that act
shall have been married to the soldier
before the date OF the act. If the soldiers
death can be shown to be due to the
service and line of duty, the widow is
entitled under the general law, without
regard to date of marriage.
S. IN, ClearmOnt, Mo.-There is no
limit to the delay that may possibly
occur in action on a pension claim in the
Pension Bureau. An inquiry through a
member of Congress is apt to hasten
action,
L. T. s., Superior, Wis.-The rate of
invalid pension under the general law for
the amputation of leg at the knee is S36
per month, the same as for amputation
a bOve the knee. 1t is held that the word
knee" in the act of Aug. A. 1886, is used
in the ordinary rather than the technical
sense; that 1.-The point indicated by line
drawn around the limb Immediately be-
low the ligamentum patellte, at the base
of what is known as the tubercle of the
tibia, marks the lower limit of the knee,
and an amputatiOn at or above that limit
is an 'amputatiOn at the knee as con-
by the act of Aug. 4, 1885,
AS to your other question, consult
surgeon.
A. A., Camanche, Cal.-There is no
limit as to the period within which an
appeal to the Secretary of the Interior in
a rejected pension claim must be taken,
except in claims for increase on PEN
stoned disability. In this latter class OF
cases no contest of a. rejection may be
instituted if three months have elapsed
since the rejection.
W. III. S.-The ordering of an extra
medical examination may usually be re-
garded as favorable indication. There
is no way of determining lust how long a
period may elapse after the evidence is
all in and all required medical examina-
ton had before final action is taken by
the Pension Bureau. The Soldiers
Home at Washington, d. c., is for ex-
soldiers of the Regular Army only.
Twenty years honorable service, or dis
ability incurred in service and line OF
duty, incapacitating for further military
service, is essential to entitle to admis-
sion.