The National tribune., 1899-10-12
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges-
tiOns Made.

Mrs. !. s., WelIsuUe, MO.-A widow
can prosecute the rejected pension claim
of her husband, provided that, if it was a
claim for increase on pensioncd disability,
he had been examined under the claim.
j. G.. H., NeU Hduen, Cont does
not matter how long a claim for Invalid
pension has stood rejected; it can be re-
opened at any time by the filing of addi-
tional testimony or by taking an appeal TO
the Secretary of the Interior.
j. S. NJ, Cedar Rapids, 1olra.-A
Mexican War widow drawing under the
act of Jan. 20, 1887, can not under amy
circumstances, except by special act OF
Congress, draw more than SS per month;
In general a marriage regarded as legal
under the laws OF the State IS regarded rs
legal by the Pension Bureau. Where the
marriage was Illegal at the time of lnccp-
ton becauS" of Il prior marriage not having
been legally terminated. a common-law
marriage may be regarded as arising after
the removal of the obstacle, If 1t is shown
the marriage relation WIS maintained
continuously between the parties. Under
the laws of some StatcS Cnot including
Ohio such marriage invalid in the be
ginning. can not be made valid save by a
new marriage according 10 the forms OF
law after the obstacle is removed, or by
some specific net of acknowledgment made
with full Knowledge of both parties that
all ODSisttIe lldl tAlSttu anu WIS lION It-
moved.
C. u. s.. Soldiers Home. N. Y.-From
your statement it is not clear what the
circumstances We're under which Il charge
of deSertion was entered. A soldier who
Joined another regiment without Il formal
transfer or discharge from n previous en-
Hstment, at Il time when the State, County,
Town, and other local bountioS Were so
numerous and large in amount, would
have considerable trouble in getting his
record cleared.
Constant Reader, Fort Logan, Colo
Civilian employees of the QUartcrmaStcr'S
Department ard their heirs do not come
under the general law as TO pension.
A special act of Congress is necessary in
such cases.
T. E.. c., Edgar. Neb.-The pension
claims of soldiers apd sailors of the Span
lSh and Philippine wars and of their heirs
come under the general pcrSion law, and
the fee law of 1884 applies TO such cases.
A fee not exceeding S25 may be contracted
for. If the fee is to be more than $40. the
agreement must be evidenced by articles
of agreement executed in duplicate &C.
cording TO the prescribed official form. both
copies being filed with the Commissioner
of Pensions.
T. ", Vienna, N. Y.-Pension appeals
filed in the Interior Department are given
docket numbers. What you quote from
the official acknowledgment of your appeal
iliSIfiiiS olshpIN tIitb ii you SliOul'l again
write to the Department while your appeal
is pending, You should refer to the docket
number of your appeal III order that the
papers in your case may be located 1t
will be year or more from the time your
appeal w;ls filed before it is taken up and
considered
A. S. W., Van EHen, N. Y.-Thc fact
that the stump below the knee is too short
to permit the attachment AID use of an
artificial limb, does not eutitlc to the S36
rating for loss of Il limb above the knee,
or total disability of the same.
Mrs II. n, KdRs1S.-"Revised Stat
utes' means the codificd laws of the United
States enacted by Congress, the last gen
eral codification being in 1878, and since
supplemented by the addition of pcrma-
nent laws enacted from time TO time. The
only pension act of Aug. 81, 1885," has
reference TO the rate of invalid pension for
total deafness under the general law.
What you refer to is perhaps the act of
June z, 1888, which was Il virtual re-enact-
ment of the arrears law, so far as regards
widows claims under the general law.
Increases OF Invalid pension on account of
pensIoned disability commence from date
OF medical examination. If based on
disability not covered by the pension GER
tlficate, the increase commences from date
of filing the application.
Il. o. g. W. N--So far as known, the |
attorneys you mention are in good stand |
usual. The failure to hear from the medi- |
cal examination had to determine whether |
you are not drawing more than you are
entitled to under the act of June 27, 1890, |
may be taken as an indication that the |
Pension Bureau concluded not to disturb |
your pension.
G. T.. p, TiLton, N. H.-Where the
rate of pension for certain disability has
been increased by a ruling or order, the |
Pension Bureau declines to recognize and |
allow fee to an attorney securing to a |
pensioner the benefit of such increase, on |
the ground that the services of an attorney
are unnecessary, and that it is only neces- |
sary for the pensioner to call attention to |
his case without filing q formal applica- |
ton. The rate under the general law for |
loss OF sight of an eye was increased from
IS to S12 by ruling of Dec. 4, 1891
III. b., Fremont, IoCd.-The act of
March s, 1896, was apparently intended
to secure to invalid pension claimants
under the act of 1890 the commencement
OF their pension from the date of filing
1lrst application under the act, but the law
is 50 construed as to practically defeat the
intention OF Congress. The "hospital
record, 50 important III Il claim for invalid
pension under the general law, is official
record of the disability claimed on. or of
a disability of which the disability claimed
on is the usual and ordinary result A
hospital record of disability having no
OH is of no benefit to the case.
u. W. s., Beech City, O.-Section 7 of
the act of March 2, 1899, for increasing
the efficiency of the Army of the United
States, and for other purposes" provides
that no person in civil life shall hereafter
bc appointed Il Chaplain who is more than
a years Of age.
your blood is the least bit impure take Hoods
Sarsaparllla 10 protect your health