The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-07
FX- SLAVES DEFRAUOED.
Pension Swindle is Now Reaching
Great Proportions.
Efforts to Stamp 1t Out-In Spite of ohi-
cial Warnings Many Negroes Arc
Paying Money to the Promoters.

WASHINGTON, D. C. (specia!l.-The OK.
slave pension swindle has taken deeper
root and spread further than bad been sup
posed even by Government officials. The
delusion that the United States Govern
ment is about to pension all the persons
who were in slavery before the Civil war
is a fixed belief throughout the Southern
States. thanks to the ingenuity with Whlcn
the men behind the scheme have toSlereu
it.
Here in Washington, where wide publicity
has been given to the rascally character OF
the swindle, poor old negroes are paying
money regularly in the expectation OF get
ting u big wndtall from the Government.
and now reports from all over the South
show that the aeiusiOn ia spreading every
where faster than the Government expo
sures can follow:
A discovery made by the Senate Commit
tee on Pensions shows what lucrative
scheme this must bs to the men who are
preying on tho ignorance Of an unfortunate
class. The committee has two member
ship certificates" In the so-called "associa'
tion" to which the former slaves ara In.
duced to belong. 1t costs twenty five cents
to get one of these certffcate5s and the
dues are ten cents a month";.
Besides that. before q local branch OF tn 9
association" is formed It's members have
to pcy $3.50 for q charter. One OF the Ger.
tif1cates which has fallen into the hands OF
the Senate committee Is dated July 5, 1897.
and Is numbered 1867. Theother Is dated
April II, 1899, and Is numbered 35, ITO. This
indicates the momentum with which tue
delusion Is spreading. By. the time tue
second certificate was issued-ntne montha
la of ha q
have gathered In over $50 900, with no ex'
peEses except the cost of printing aud mail
ing seductive circulars.
The circulars are enough to convince
people more Intelligent and better edu.
Gated than the ayerave ex-slave. They are
profus sely illustrated, and give histories
OF the progress OF the movement" The
dissemination OF this literature received q
severe setback when Assistant Post
master. General Heath. on the recon-.
mendatton OF Pension Commissioner
Evans, barred 1t from the mails. Never.
thelessy Though badly hampered, the pro.
moters Of the scheme continue 20 push
their plan with unubated vigor.
&Unfortunately, 1t Is easy enough to get
some unthinking Congressman to intro
4 duce, "by request" bill TO pension ex.
slaves, and this has been dono IN more
than one Congress. OF course, the intro.
duction OF the bill is the end OF 1t; 1t ia
promptly killed, but that is enough to ac'
compllsh the purpose OF the promoters
They are able to say that bill has been OF
will be introduced, that money is needed
for Expenses" and the victims, encour
aged by the news. fall over themselves ir
their hurry to pay subscriptions and dues,
Senator GalInger, Chairman OF the
Committee on Pensious.' has investigated
the matter, and added his vigorous denun-
citation to those OF Commit -sloner Eyaus
and Mr.. Heath. The victims. however, be.
long to class that is hard to reach IN the
main, aud the lie is travelling long way
while the truth Is getting its boots on.