The National tribune., 1901-11-28
aFALsE MISREPRESENTATION. >

In his report the Commissioner OF Pen,
sions makes this astonishing statement
which reveals to US the source from which
50 much stuff in the papers about false
impersonatien has been inspired:
'.The weakness OF the system of pen
sioning IS nowhere so strongly emphasized
as in its insufficient means TO prevent
false persona ton or to establish the iden-
tity of claimants as TO persons who rem
dered the alleged service in the Army OF
Navy, or OF their dependents.
Under the practice tnat had long pre-
vailed in the Bureau no proof of identity
was usually required of claimants except
the formal certificate in the declaration OF
two witnesses, whose knowledge of the
applicant did not, as q rule, extend back
to the period Of the soldiers service.
There was nothing to prevent anyone
from personating a deceased soldier, OF
even a living soldier if he bad not ap-
| piled for pension, and presenting a claim
for pension on account of the service rem
dered By said soldier, and, if found dis
abled, from receiving pension"
Tie Commissioner goes on for a page
or 1aore in this strain. He says there
is nothing to prevent It"
0f course, it is always dangerous to
assume that the Commissioner knows any
law, except that Of his own wishes, but
it seems strange that he should overlook
and be ignorant Of Section 5435, Of the
Revised Statutes. which reads:
"Sec. 5435. Every person who falsely
personates any true and lawful holder of
any share or sum in the public stock OF
debt of the United States, or any perSon
entitled TO any annuity, dividend, pension
| prize-money, wages, or other debt due
from the United States, and, under color
Of such false personation, transfers or en-
deavors TO transfer such public stock, OF
any part thereof or receives or endeavors
to receive the money of such true and
lawful holder thereof, or the money Of
any person OF such true and lawful holder
thereof, or the money of any person really
entitled to receive such annuity, dividend
pension, priZe-m0ney, wages, or other
debt, shall be punished by a fine OF not
mort than fifty thousand dollars and By
imprisonment at hard labor not more than
ten years"
Now, as the average pension to be OBJ,
tanned only averages 81 a week. every
sensible man knows that there are very
few so reckless as to incur the terrible
penalty Of imprisonment for 10 years at
hard labor, and fine Of $1,000. by com.
hitting such a crime.
/ They find burglary, highway robbery
and grand larceny much safer, easier and
more profitable.
Furthermore, according to Section 543S
Revised Statutes, any man who aids and
abets in the presentation Of any sucf
false claim is liable to be imprisoned al
I hard labor not less than one nor more
than i've years, and to fine Of not les.
than 1000 nor more than $1,000. 1hi,
is very diseouraging to false witnesses anC
pension sharks"
! Stig further, according to Section $40
4 Revised Statutes, il any two persons en-
ter into conspiracy to do this thing the,
are each liable to q 6ne of not less thar
Il 81, 600 nor more than $4,000, and to b
imprisoned at hard labor not more thai
two years. This is rough on would-b,
sharks"
:. The banks, express and telegraph com
panies, and other institutions OF the coun
try, pay out every year billions of dollar
with far less safeguards than the law ha
thrown around the Pension Bureau in tn
matter OF false impersonation.
] When we look ut the report Of the Law
Il Division for the result Of all this wailin,
OF the Commissioner over the terrible eyi
Of false impersonations we find but fiv
convictions for the offense to show 70
the 100000 spent In Special Examiner
who covered the whole country with thei
activity.