Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-30
fully withheld from settlement all gen.

fully withheld from settlement all gen.
eral law claims of children over 16
years of age, in disregard of the law
and decision of the department (P. D.
Z, p. 43S); meanwhile using every ef-
fort TO secure such construction OF
the law as will enable him to reject and
deny these lawful claims, the matter
being now pending on his renewed re-
quest for reconsideration OF the Ques
tions of law.
TWELFTH COUNT.
He has for the past year unlawfully
withheld from official consideration in
ordinary course of business the just
claims of soldiers and sailors of the
Spanish war, many of them sons and
other relatives OF soldiers and sailors
of the rebellion, ca the misrepresenta'
ton that the war department mas been
unprepared CT unwilling or una
formation from the official mil
itary records. whereas the war de-
partmert has been ready and willing
to furnish desired reports on "a hours
notice. National Tribune, June %,
1891 The unlawful and unjuStifable
action of the commissioner of pensions
in this furnishes striking evidence OF
his personal feelings and disposition
towards all beneficiaries of the pension
laws, there being with respect to this
class of claims no room for the SLAM
derous objection or suggestion that the
claimants have for years slept on their
alleged rights and the claims there
fore presumably of doubtful or fraud
uient character.
THIRTEENTH COUNT.
at is notorious that claims filed un-
der the general law before July 1,
1880, and therefore involving arrears
to date of discharge, are rejected by his
direction, unless supported by record
evidence, and if supported by record
evidence re buried in the special ex-
animation division, the evident pur-
pose being to reject, if not to delay in
definitely all claims requiring large
first payment.
FOURTEENTH COUNT.
"He has rejected thousands Of claims
for invalid pension under the Act OF
June 81, 1899, the applicants in which
are 62 years of age and over, notwith-
standing that under the Mexican war
pension act of Jan. 29, 1887. claimants
62 years of age are regarded as pen
sionably disabled and entitled to the
rating OF IS per month, and notwith-
standing that 62 years is the COM
pulsory retirement age of the regular
army, navy and marine corps.
FIFTEENTH COUNT.
Upon manifestly misleading repre-
sentations as to the statutes of the
official business of the pension bureau
he procured the reduction of the Office
force of the pension bureau by 100.
July l, 1899, Notwithstanding that
the delays in action land settlement
were then great, and have continued
notoriously so to the present time, be-
ing as great if not greater than for
many years past. thousands Of claim-
ants being unable to secure any action
on their claims or learn what, If any,
additional evidence is necessary;
weeks and months growing into
years without any information of any
character being elected as to the Off
cial status of the claim. 1t is worthy
of note that discrimination ap-
pears to be made against claims ON
file many years, and therefore involv
ing considerable sums of arrears, the
official reports as to the average
amounts of first payments bearing out
what has become noticeable in this
regard. (Annual Report, 1898, p. 23.)
"SIXTEENTH COUNT.
Notwithstanding the great number
of just and valid claims awaiting set
tlement for many years, he has dill
gently avoided their consideration in
order that he may be able to turn back
uneXpended into the treasury large
amounts of the appropriations for pen
sions. (Annual Reports, 1897, 1898,
1891
SEVENTEENTH COUNT.
He has sought to deprive claimants
of the benefit of advice of counsel by
forwarding to them direct the orders
for medical examination, expecting
and desiring that claimants, without
knowledge of their rights and privi-
leges and without due regard for their
interests. will place themselves at a
disadvantage and afford greater op-
portunity for the reje:tion or delay of
their claims. (Order 361, dated April
IA, 1881
EIGHTEENTH COUNT.
while criticising. both in the pub.
lie press and in official reports, the
work OF the examining surgeons ap-
pointed and retained by him on
grounds of fitness. and showing the
falibility of the examinations made by
them under his direction. he never
theless habitually regards their reports
as absolutely correct when unfavora-
BILE to the. claimants, and as the per-
sonal knowledge and experience of
thousands of claimants attest, wholly
favorable reports, on slight
pretext, or on no pretext whatever
(See Associated Press reports and An
nual Report for 1881
NINETEENTH COUNT.
l.. L. L
he entered upon a course of TRADE