The National tribune., 1899-02-09
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sug-
gestions Made.


W. a. H., West Plains, Mo.-lf you
claim has been in the Special EXamina
ton Division of the Pension Bureau TO
nearly three years, il is probably becauS'
your Witnesses were very much scattered
Under a recent order of the COMMISSIONS
of Pensions il is understood that all case:
that have been under investigation, or a
least lin the Special Examination .Di
vision" for over a year are to be recalled
with a view TO their early settlement
Perhaps your member OF Congress car
ascertain exactly how the case stands.
II. ID. r., Wet Claize, MO.-The pro
visional companies organized from the En-
rolled Missouri Militia in the Summer O
1865 are entitled 10 pension only in case
they filed and prosecuted their claims Il
a successful issue before July 4, 1874.
n. j. c., Mendon, Pa.-Therc is nc
Federal statute eseT>ntipg from State,
County, or municipal tax Ic.,sion money
or property bought with pension money.
w L., Hillsdale, Wash.-It is somewhat
doubtful what the rating would be in a
case where the pensioner is drawing SIC
under the general law, and establishes
title on deafness of one ear as an addi-
tional disability. He might be increased
TO SIT only, or he might be allowed the s24
rating If The ear was totally deaf The
rate for SO many varying degrees OF deaf
ness is SO because the act of March 2,
1895, provides that the minimum rate OF
invalid pension under the general law
shall be SO. The S2i rate is grade"
rate tthird grade, so called, and ratings
for various disabilities are not added to-
gether To make up grade rate III the
combined disablement be, in the view OF
the Pension Bureau, equivalent IN de-
gree 10 loss of hand or foot, the ga
rate would be allowed.
II. ". t., Lyle, Okla.-1hc pension
money of pensioner is not immune from
process or attachment after it is paid to
him or her. The act OF Feb. 3, 1879, au-
thorizes the Secretary OF War TO erect
headstones over the graves of soldiers
who served in the Regular or Volunteer
army of the United States during the war
of the rebellion, and who have been
buried in private, village, or city GENE
teries. Application should be made to
the rtermaster-Generai, U. S. A.,
Washington, ID. c., who will send the
stone, suitably engraved, freight paid, 10
nearest freight station. No provision is
made for headstones for widows Of sol
diers.
A. C. F., Albion, Ill.-Apparently you
have learned by experience that there are
persons holding themselves out as pen
sion attorneys" in a small way, that do
not know much about their business. Ii
you wish to appoint new attorney,
sim:ly give him the proper power-of- At
torney TO be filed in the Pension Bureau,
and il viii there be determined whether
your former attorney is in neglect under
the rules of practice, and if he is, or as
soon as he is, your new attorney Will be
recognized.
n. C. C.-What you refer TO is the fol-
lowing: eff an invalid pensioner draws $50
per month for inability to perform any
manual labor, he cannot obtain higher
rate unless il can be shown by salts
factory evidence that his condition from
disabilities of service origin is such as to
require the frequent and periodical aid
and attendance of another person. Ii
such a condition can be shown, he can
obtain a rating of $50 per month under the
act of July IA, 1892. If an arm or leg is
involved, he may obtain rating OF $50 by
showing the practical uselessness OF the,
limb"
r. T., San Diego, Cal-It is impossible
70 say how soon you may expect to hear
from the evidence filed to reopen your re-
iected pension claim. Six months is not
a long time, especially in rejected case.
You may file just as much additional
testimony as you can obtain, and then
take an appeal TO the Secretary OF the In
terror. 1t would be well TO secure action
on the additional evidence in the Pension
Bureau before taking the appeal, if action
can be obtained without waiting over
long. An inquiry by your member OF Con-
gress might hasten action.
c. W. NJ, Milford, Vt.-Such n bill as
you mention would probably be beneficial
in many deserving cases if enacted into
Law. Many for whom the bill is designed
would object, however, to being obliged to
prove their financial circumstances to be
such as TO entitle them.
III. c. p, Grand Rapids, Mich, and
others.-The 500 bounty allowed by the
act of July 20, 1888, is not an additional
bounty. Ii is due only to those three
years volunteers enlisted before July %,
1861, who were discharged before two
years service for reasons other than
wound or injury incurred in service and
line of duty.
j. NJ. H., Plymouth, Ind.-Pension ap-
peals are now acted on by the Secretary of
the Interior about year after the date OF
their filing. While Assistant Secretary
Davis was absent, spell binding" the old
soldiers and others whose votes were
needed, last Fall, the work OF sustaining
the reflections OF the Pension Bureau was
successfully carried on in the names Of
First Assistant Secretary Ryan and Sec
rotary Bliss.
w. III. S., Bells, Text you are claim
ing invalid pension under the act of
June q, 1880, you will find ii difficult TO
furnish the Pension Bureau with evidence
which will be regarded sufficient to over
come adverse reports of Examining Sur
geons or reports that are construed as
adverse. Very strong evidence, medical
If possible, is necessary You cannot OBJ
tain more than S12 under the act OF 1890
Under the Hoke Smith administration of
the act of 1890, which is still observed by
the present powers, many disabled claim
ants are rejected and denied pension.
Many are rejected three and four times
before they succeed in getting rating at
the Pension Bureau.
j. ID. S., Racine, O.-It is provided by
the war revenue law of 1888 that no
stamp shall be required upon any papers
necessary 10 be used for the collection of
claims from the United States for pen
sions, back pay, bounty, or for property
lost in the military or naval service
Articles of agreement as TO fee under the
act of 1884 are included in this provision.
Old Soldier, Fayette City, Pa.-1he
"S12" widows are those pensioned under
the general law who were married to the
during the soldiers service if he served
since that date.
f. NJ, Denver, Colo.-It is permissible
for the wife or other relative OF an attorney
In a pension case to perform notarial
service in connection with affidavits. etc.
necessary TO the case. A wife would not
be regarded as having such an interest in
the fee in a case as would debar her from
acting under her commission as Notary
Public in connection with the prosecu-
ton of the case.
Constant Reader, Monrovia, Ind -Your
attorney should be able to advise YOU i'm
the matter you refer 10. II is not clear
from your statement what sort OF an "in-
crease" claim you have on file or lust
what the statement was that you filed
four months ago.
l., NJ w. Ogden. Ky-AS Won, we re die