Evening star., 1898-08-25
Over S669, 900 Paid Out to Persons
in Foreign Countries.
OVER FOUR THOUSAND CONCERNED
Loose Methods Give Opportunities
for Fraud.
THE COMMISSIONERS CLAIM

The United States last year sent to for
eign countries over Se69,0OO in pensions
This is an increase of over $4,000 since
1897, and was divided among 1911 persons
An examination of the methods employed
IN pensioning foreigners who served in the
federal army discloses condition that is
subject to the severest censure.
Briefly, the authorities have no jurisdic-
ton over the foreign pensioner, and there
IL every opportunity for fraud-fraud that
the government cannot detect, or having
unearthed is powerless to punish. A case
i'll point illustrates the condition.
In a small suburb of Glasgow lives man
who served for three months in the civil
war as substitute. He learns or the gan-
Ell osfty of Uncle Sam and files his claim.
The department here looks up the military
record of the claimant and proves the case.
But the most valuable evidence OF all the
evidence the medical examination fur
nishes; who is to supply that? Through
our consul a physician Is called in, makes
the examination and the claimant gets his
pension. it is said that not a single in
stance is recorded WHARF the medical tesu
mony proved insufficient
1t is not to be expected, 1t is held,
that the local medical man will make
out poor case against the claim
ant especially when he is acquainted with
him. and is Of the same nationality. And
the foreigner gets the pension.
But after that the department loses juris-
diction. He may die and his relations con-
tinue to furnish the false vouchers. The
department cannot punish. 1t has no juris-
diction.
Examination Before u Board.
1t is claimed that if these applicants
were required to submit to an examination
by regular pension examining board and
JhenCaivaS in TO tt,a
sular agent every month much of the
danger of fraud would be avoided.
only a short time ago the commissioner
OF pensions directed his examiners to forego
the examination of the foreign cases before
them until after the pending cases of our
soldiers at home had been settled. One of
these cases was responsible for revoca-
ton Of his orders by the department. 1t
was that of a sailor, who mad served in
the rebellion for a time and returned TO
Scotland. In 1876 he hurt himself on a
fishing smack in Scottish waters, and now
claims pension therefor The claimants
attorney learning that Commissioner Evans
had set aside all foreign claims appealed
the case and was sustained.
Commissioner Evans in his letter to the
Secretary of the Interior on the case said:
Commissioner Evans Reasons.
Congress saw the excesses and the
abuses to some extent in our pensioning
those living abroad, who could not be found
in this country, and accordingly took
most radical step by stopping payment for
time of all those pensioned under the law
of 1890
way Is open for your commissioner to en-
large the pension business abroad, but they
don't mention that the law is not manda-
tory. L have no satisfactory means al my
command to Identify a claimant with the
service when he lives outside the jurisdic-
ton of the United States.
Il have issued no orders this subject,
but l did instruct the medical referee last
November to return some foreign cases in
his division to the files until was ready
to consider them. This matter has been
the subject of discussion here in the bureau
among my most competent men and advis-
ers. and 1 have had it carefully examined
too. fran a legal standpoint, and am con-
Pinced that my jurisdiction is limited to
tne United States, although the gentlemen
cite you or intimate what was done in the
past.
Il am clearly of the opinion that so long
as we nave over 100000 claims pending in
TINS bureau, claims of Americans. that live
In America, that pay taxes in America that
fought to save America and would do SO
again If necessary-I say l am clearly OF
the opinion that If there should be any
preference given it should be given to
Americans first, and not to men who have
been disabled years after they rendered
lew months service at their choice and
as l said, 1 cannot find any law that is
mandatory on this subject to compel me
10 aliow case that is up on prima facie
ex parte evidence, without examining the
merits to protect this government"
Amounts Sent Abroad.
1t might be interesting to know that
Canada receives the greatest amount II
furnishes 2.192 pensioners who received
last year 1892 600.
Germany comes next with 632 pensioners
receiving S9o,74S.45. Then comes Ireland
with 42S pensioners, receiving S6i si2 70.
we MeXlco n furnishes IL, who get annually
S16,S6S.25. England has 800 pensioners
VINO last year received $4S4I925 from
Uncle Sam Even poor old Spain has seven
pensioners, who collected 81 069 30 from tn.
United States last year.