Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-17
PENSION ..RUNNERS.'
4 New Feature Of Pension Attorney Bushes,
Develops at 'Fri:co.

New York, May Ca new phase of
the pension attorney business has been
created since the volunteers began TO
come home, says a Washington dis
patch to the Times. San Francisco has
become the scene Of such active bust
ness competition among pension attor-
n,ys. that within . few months the
business has become organized and
systcmatizcd on a large scale. A mum
Der of people get good pay as profess
sioncl runners. A new occupation,
known as grating" but not having
the same meaning that attaches 10 that
word in general, has come into exis-
tenCc.
Commissions are paid for claims,
with regular scale of prices, ana the
competition has become so fierce that
the pension attorneys have begun TO
war on ore another and one has been
arrested for eXagserating the dement's
OF his nelghbors. Pamphlets contain
ms libclouS statements about other
firms have been issued by some of the
attorneys
Tho business had its growth from
small beginnings. but Ii grew up in al
most no time. When the volunteers
began to come home a firm Of San
Francisco pension attorneys sent IN
employe 10 meet them and see II any
OF the circulars sent out while the rcgi-
mcnts wcrc IN the Philippines had TAX
en- effect. Az line soldiers were anx-
ious enough TO find out where they
could get pensions. they took advan-
tacc Of the presence of this cmrloye.
"a - "A - t.Fg
employers The firm found 1t profit
able to keep him there. The other at-
torncys. finding that this firm was
getting all the trade. were forced I"
send men to see IL they could not get
their names before the soldiers.
The almost instant result Of this was
the organization of q system Of com
petition which has now reached trc-
mcndous proportions.
Every firm keeps in its employ q
band Or runners" These runners are
called "Eraftcrs' in san Francisco.
one firm has fivc ~ them. covering
every point along the line where q sol
died can ho captured aftrr his arrival
in san Francisco. The main points are
the places where hc If paid on. and ~"
runners cover these points with com
pIctc fidelity Tho moment Il soldier
appears. the contendiug ''graftvrs'
start for him. IL many cases the sol
der IL literally seized ana pulled in
different directions hy rival runners.
and in some cases the g enc has ended
in fist fight between the runners be
fore the sclijer could announce his
preference.
To 80 great a height has the compcti-
ton risen that Col. Rawlcs. the com
mandant 1T the IRE =itio. Ea= boon
forced tn establish a provost guard fur
the specific purpose OF watching for
runners ana seeing that they arr driven
off the premises. TEa same rule has
been adopted by COL. Gjrard. con-
mandaut at the general hospital. Tho
runners have their business down SO
fine that in spite of NJ these prccau-
lions they frequently Gct in.
Pay claims arc taken on the r.cailio
grounds. Tho scale of commissions
ranges from 81 IN tl $3.50 Tho attor-
neys pay S2.5o for 4 EunS,ot wound
case. ana s. for Il straight disability
case. based or a surgeons certificate.
Many Of the runners, or "graftcrs'
arc cN-sollicrs.
The business finally reached such
point that {. :. Howe. pension attor-
rcy. was arrested for criminally libel
ling the pension firm Of Charles & VII
liam L. King Of Washington. Tho
Kings have branch Office in San
Francisco. Howe. who is the son Of a
Washington man. is charged with hay
ing published a circular purporting to-
come from the Red Cross. in which the
Kings We're denounced. The Red
Cross. il is said. rcpudiated the cirCu-
lar. and the Kings instituted proceed
ings against Howe. ne went to san
jose. whore he YVES captured and talk
O. back /" s;"n Francisco
This ir"idcnt Illustrates the intensity
IF the fight and the next move is
c-gr!ly awaited.