Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-04

friends of early youth who participated in
the marriage festivities would be on hand
when the fruits of the marriage first saw
the light Of day and wheAsthe spirit of the
soldier took its fight they were there to
say goodbye. Even then faithful to the
last they would watch over the sorrowing
widow and see to it that she kept the SOL
dier's memory green by remaining his
relict.
Out of about $50 claims fled, less than
thirty were allowed, and they wefe all fur
ther investigated and some of them were
dropped from the rolls The attorneys wife
was found to be drawing pension by i'm
personating the deceased widow of SOL
der killed in the service.
A Bogus Examining Surgeon.
An interesting and funny case of an i'm
postor, representing himSelf to be men,
ber Of q board Of examining surgeons of the
pension bureau, located In northeastern
Pennsylvania, has recently been reported
by one of the real examining surgeons A
claimant who lived on a farm about twen-
ty miles from town wa1 ordered to appear
before the board for examination under his
applicat ton for increase. He started bright
and early, taking the first train in, and i'm
mediately proceeding to the United States
Hotel, In which the surgeons met. Arriy-
Ing there about 6:45 he asked the clerk
whether the board of surgeons met there,
and being informed that they did and in
what particular room the meeting would be
held, took chair and sat down by the
door for thEee long weary hours before any
of the surgeons appeared, with full de-
termination not to be gold-bricked by any
of the city sharks.
At 9:45 the secretary OF the board arrived
and entered the room, and "a few minutes
afterward another person walked through
the hotel and, as IL by accident, stumbled
across the feet of the old pensioner. Apol-
ogizing for his carelessness, the man went
into the room in which the board held its
meetings. and coming out Immediately af-
terward took his seat at the table in the
notel once Motioning the pensioner to
come to him. the latter obeyed, and as he
approached the desk the man asked his
name, what regiment and company he
served in, the number of his pension GER
tiheate. and how much he was getting. and
then instructed the pensioner to hold out
his tongue: He said THAT will do: you
will pass. That amounts to fifty cents.'
Inc pensioner promptly paid the fee and
the man departed. The pensioner suspect
ing from the mannerism of the alleged ex-
amining surgeon that something was
wrong, asked the hotel clerk which Of the
surgeons 1t was, and was advised that it
vas rot surgeon but "an old bum.
He thereupon started post haste down the
street, caught up with the fmpostor and
asked for the return of the 80 cents which
the latter said he would gladly do, request
ing him to wait until he went into a saloon
for the purpose, as he slid, Of visiting a
hours at the door. and never saw his friend
again until after the arrest OF the impostor
by the federal authorities
An Intermittent System Opposed.
The commissioner of pensions is opposed
to the proposition which has been ad-
vanced from time to time having in view
All intermittent pension list, whereby pen
sioners under engagement by the govern
nient in clerical positions We're not to re-
ceive pensions while enga ged.
In an interview with a reporter Of The
Star this morning commissioner Evans
said: y
IT do not think 1t would be fair to cut off
the pension of any soldier suffering from a
disability because he happened to be in the
service of Uncle Sam. He renders n quid
pro quo, and because he iJ manned and
drawing a pension for his disability there
is no good reason why he should not at the
same time be drawing a. salary for duties
performed. His disability shuts him out of
many other pursuits in which he may have
made very much more money