The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-05
AN ARMY OF PENSIONERS.
DgI,5fo NAMES ON 7HE ROLLS-aI3S,-
$4,000 ram ~ 1928.

ohio Heads the List, with Pennsylvania
second and New York Third-A Gang OF
Pension Ewindisrs Is Discovered In tho
South-Pension Frauds in This city.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 4-The annual report Of
Commissioner OF Pensions Evans contains
table showing the number OF pensioners in
each State and Territory Of the United States
and In each foreign country on tho rolls on
June 80. 1890. and the amount paid for pen
sions in each State and Territory and each for
eign country.
Ohio heads the list in the number OF pension
ers, with a total OF 105,J27. and total pay
ment OF $l545G.OO7. being closely followed
by Pennsylvania with 10i,6sl pension
ers and payments amounting to $l2.4IO.-
7D5. Then comes New York state with
~. 527 and total rnyments amounting to Sl2.-
OO3, S55, while Indiana comes fourth with
"a, Oo5 pensioners and payments amounting to
SO, 443.95l.
or foreign countries Canada has the Load
there being on the pension rolls 2, 1870 persona
receiving the sum OF S3l Il. 7D7 amt ally. Ger
many follows with BO5 and a payment of
$50. $50 every year. The next highest country
Is Ireland with 4l5 and payments amounting
TO $50. $3.50. and the fourth IL England. having
32l on the pension rolls and receiving pensions
amounting to S46.524.
The total number OF pensioners Is 091 3D.
and the total payments on account OF pensions
is Sl3S. 355. O52 rs. At the close OF the past
fiscal year there were Az. 800 claims pending
represented by 45Os77 claimants, and the
number OF claimants not pcnsIoned was
1884.
There are now pending 1927 criminal cases in
the various districts throughout the country
During the fiscal year 10 cases were disposed
OF by trial. resulting In l57 convictions and IL
acqutttnls. In 1911 per cont. OF tho cases
brought to trial convictions were obtained. II
cases dismissed on nOe proseGui. 172 arrests
were made and indictments were found in 30,
cases.
wel-organized gang OF pension swinders
was discovered in one Of the Southern cities.
and so far l47 of the claims have been located
and l29 investigated. with the result that 1t
has been shown that it was the practice Of the
leaders to forge whatever papers were neces-
sary to make out prma facie case. TO select
the name of a soldier upon which to base n
claim for widows pension from the soldiers
cemeteries. Several OF those arrested ex-
planned their mode Of operations. Four OF
the gang have been convicted and the others
will be tried this fall. Nashville. Tenn. was
the city where they operated most extensively.
The leader Of the gang is pension attorney
who has been debarred on a specific charge OF
forgery.
l;cfundments amounting to $6.U23 were
secured: Sl.243 twas recovered through civil
suits: reclamation amounting to $500 was
m ade on forged checks. and SDUl was recOuped
by reissue. making tho total savings to tho
Government $11.20S in admitted cases alone.
and many times that amount was saved by the
timely discovery OF forged and fabricated AMI
davits and declaration in pension claims.
On the rolls OF the New York Agency 53.0I1
pensioners we're borne on June 30 1893. OF
these the status OF $500 pensioners residing
in New York city and Brooklyn. Jersey City
and vicinity were inquired into. with the
result that 435 were found to have died or
remarked: SO widow pensioners were dropped
for violating the Act Of Aug. I. 1882: 80 widow
pensioners were dropped FOR non dependence;
~ widows had drawn pensions after remar-
riage: . pensioners dropped for fraudulent
representations and who will be prosecuted;
total number submitted for dropping from the
roll for all causes. 1876: total number OF cases
Investigated that have been submitted to the
Bureau for Criminal Prosecution for violation
OF the pension laws. 90: total number of cases
in which action was taken with view to
criminal prosecution and arrests made. Al
or the ex-slave pension bill fraud. in which
thousands OF ignorant negroes have been
swinded. the Commissioner says that various
ASSOCIATIONS nave Oeen organized Tor the
avowad purpose OF securing legislation of this
character. Some OF the associations have as
sumed large proportions. notably those located
in Nashville. Tenn. Louisville. Ky. and Madi-
son. Ark. 1t has been the practice Of these as
sociatons to commission agents ard send
them through the country to organize local
clubs and societies, and to collect from each
new member an initiation lee Of % cents. with
monthly dues at 10 cents. %allowing to the
agents 10 or 10 cents for each new member Sc
cured.
The Commissioner says that these agents
have reaped rich harvest from those who can
least afford the loss. and while they are I'M
questionably guilty of obtaining money under
false preteRses. there is no Federal law under
which stop can be put to their practices. lie
suggests that in order to meet ~ far as possi-
Bile this condition OF affairs. the act OF April l9.
1884. be amended 30 as to provide for the pun
ishment Of any person who by false represen-
tation relative to any bill that may have been
introduced into the United States Congress.
shall obtain from any nerson any money or
other thing Of value by reason OF such false
representations.