The National tribune., 1900-03-08
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges=
tiOns Made.

E. c., CIarksrilie, O.-The Board OF
Review of the Pension Bureau is ap-
pointed by the Commissioner of Pensions
and is supposed TO consist OF clerks rateo
as Principal Examiners" SIS in num-
Der. with salary of $1,000 each
per year. In addition to the Prime
pal Examiners" there are usually a
number of additional clerks of lower rating
as TO salary, detailed TO the Board Th'
Board of Review reviews simply as 10 mat
ters of law and evidence, the purely medical
questions arising being passed upon by the
corps of Medical Examiners in charge of the
Medical Referee and Assistant Medical
Referee. These Medical Examiners re
view the reports of Examining Surgeons.
H. p, Rocky Hill, O--There is no pro-
vision of law at present for the settlement OF
or reimbursement for expenses of necessary
medical attendance, etc, of volunteers OF
the Spanish war while on furlough pre-
liminary to muster out, but several bills
have been introduced In Congress to make
provision for such claims. Nor is there
any provision of law for reimbursement for
funeral expenses of men who died at home
on furlough.
II. S. C.. Cranton. Visit a pensioner
removes from the United States, it is prob
able that the payment of his pension would
thereafter be made from the Washington
Pension Agency. His pension vouchers
could be executed before any United States
Consular officer or before any person au-
thorized to administer oathS for general
purposes and whose official character is
certified to by a United States Consul. 1t
is not probable that there would be any
discount of pension check in Canada.
j. w. E., Baker, kdn.-The War De
partment will not furnish to claimants or
attorneys any information as TO what is of
record in the Surgeon-GeneraPs Office
relative TO particular soldier. The in
mi hnTypvpr ha
a member of Congress. If medical evl-
dence is furnished showing that an appli-
cant for invalid pension is physically unfit
TO travel TO the nearest Examining Surgeon
or Board, the Pension Bureau will direct
an Examining Surgeon to make an exam
ination at the applicants home. If the
applicants condition is such that he is IN
imminent danger of death, the rules of the
Pension Bureau provide that upon the fact
being shown by evidence of the attending
physician, the ease may be made special;
but observation seems TO indicate that the
present Commissioner of Pensions is averse
to making any case special, and complaint
is made that even i'll cases of the character
above indicated the evidence filed showing
the facts has been ignored. Its possible
that the request of a Congressman might
have some weight with MIR. Evans in Sc
curing early action in such case.
r. T., San Diego, Cal.-You are privi-
legged to file new claim for increase without
waiting official action on the appeal taken
in the old case. Nobody can tell when a
particular case is likely TO be reached by the
Board of Pension Appeals. There seems
to be as great irregularity there as to .regu-
lar order" as in the Pension Bureau.
.SE. C.-The matter of making oath is
largely matter of mutual understanding.
1t is not absolutely necessary that the
usual formula should be repeated by either
party, if it is understood that the attach
ment of a signature, Il nod of the head or a
flourish of the hand means that the person
to be sworn makes oath in the usual form
to the paper or TO the matter TO which he has
attached his signature. 1t is matter of
understanding and good faith between the
parties, and neither one nor the other could
be allowed TO afterwards deny that oath had
been administered or taken.
Sparta, UI.-No allowance is made by
the pension laws for the nurse or attendant
of an invalid pensioner. Where the pen
sioner's condition from disability proven
due to the service and line of duty is such a:s
to require an attendant, a special rate of
pension is allowed. This is the only recog-
milton made in the pension laws of nurses
or attendants of old soldiers.
c. N. B., Troy, O.-The surviving
brothers and sisters, and children of de
ceased brothers and sisters, of soldiers and
sailors are joint heirs TO arrears of pay, etc,
due the soldier or sailor at date of death in
the service. Application may be made to
the Auditor for the War Department, Wash
lngton, ID. c., III caseof deceased soldiers.
c. A. H-f your recent allowance OF
pension under the act of June 81, 1890, is
your original allowance under that law, it
was error on the part of the Pension Bureau
to fix the date of commencement from the
date of medical examination.
o. Y. j., Barton, Vt.-The law you
refer to cutting off pensions of pensioners
residing abroad has been repealed-act of
March 2, 1895.
E. L. c., Defuniak Springs, EVa.-The
Mexican war service pension act of 1887 in
terms addresses itself 10 widows who "have
not remarked" since the death of the person
on account Of whose service claim for PEN
sion is made. II was incorrectly stated in
our issue of Aug. 81, 1899, that Mexican
war widows remarked before the act of
1887 were nevertheless entitled 10 pension.
The error was corrected in issue of Nov. 8,
1899.
j. j. j., Detroit, Mich-Your widow
would not be entitled 10 a pension under the
law of 1890.
S. j. F., Togus Melt is believed that
the Grand Army pension bill amending
sections and 3 of the act of June p, 1890
which has passed the Senate and is now
awaiting the action of the House. will be-
come a law during the present session of
Congress. 1t is expected that il will correct
all the misconstruction of the acts of 1890
and 1896, but it would not be surprising if
It should fail TO accomplish all that is
desired of il