Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-02
PENSION FRAUDS DISCUSSED
Statistics to Show Violations of Law Among
Veterans.
Commander Shaw's Recent Statement.
Related by n Correspondent
Who Offers Counter Facts.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In a recent issue of your paper Com
mander Shaw of the G. A. r. discusses the
| charge that the pension rolls have on them
| the names of many fraudulent pensioners,
and he furnishes a comparative table of
figures to show that less fraud is found in
the administration of the pension laws than
in the administration of the internal reve-
nue. and postal laws and customs laws.
Here is his statement:
internal revenue transformations,
4,O21; acquittals, sos; nolle pressed, 1885,
Post Office laws-Convictions, ITO; acquit-
tails. 80; nolle pressed, pa.
Customs laws-Convictions. 1856; acQuit-
tails, 21; nolle pressed. 50.
Pension Iaws-Convictions, 100: acquit-
tails. II; nolle pressed IS.
THE cases still pending July 1, 1899, were
1889 for violation of internal revenue laws,
1856 post Office. 112 customs and 1876 pen
sion5."
1t will not take long to show that Com
mander Shaw is indebted to his fancy for
his facts. The last annual report of the
commissioner of pensions $780, pages 49,
shows that there were during the year $50
indictments by the federal courts on ac-
count of pension frauds and 327 criminal
cases pending on account of violation of
the pension laws. In one city in the south
the same report shows that of 100 selected
cases investigated 100 were found to be
wholly without foundation. and only one
case was found In which the papers were
honestly executed. On page "a of the same
report we find that, upon inquiry into the
status of $500 pensioners in New York city
and vicinity the names of 435 persons who
had died or rremarried were still carried on
the rolls, and presumably parties not en-
titled were drawing their pensions. Sixty
three widows, were dropped from the rolls
for adulterouS rehabilitation (violation act
of August Z. 1850. thirty-three widows
were dropped for non-dependence and TWEEN
ty-seven were found to be drawing pen
sions after remarriage, and sixty-nine
cases were submitted for criminal prosecu-
ton. II that is not record of fraud and
crime. let me state some more facts. In
1894 (see report OF pension commissioner
page I'd there were made by pension ex-
aminers 4,764 criminal reports Though the
number of criminal reports made each year
since Is not stated in the reports of the
commissioner of pensions. 1t is safe to say
that during no year have they been less
than four thousand.
The Crime Record.
| There were in 1892 lat criminal prosecu-
tons and go cases for criminal examina-
ton In 1898 las persons were indicted
In 1894 there were 464 indictments for VIC
lation Of pension penal laws and, as stated,
4,764 criminal cases reported. In 1895 there
were sos indictments and 507 cases submit
ted by the pension bureau for criminal
prosecution (see commissioner of pensions
report, 1895. page %. In 1896 there were
339 indictments and 400 cases for criminal
prosecution. In 1897. PAS indictments: in
1893 1886 criminal cases reported and 2oS
indictments report OF Commissioner Evans,
page 46). At present 327 criminal cases are