The National tribune., 1902-02-27
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges'
ti0ns Made.

7. n. n, Macon, Mo.-Write 10 the
Hon. Boies Penrose, U. s. Senate. for a
COPY of his pension bill that you refer to
1t is hardly probable that there will be any
general pension legislation of this char
acter in the present Congress. Under
decision rendered May 26, 1900 (reported
at page 49,, Vol. 10, Pension DecislonSl'
il is held that all claims for children
pensions under the general law must be
filed before the bcneficiaries become 10,
unless they applied before July l, lSS0,
or unless they were under 16 on June ~.
1880, if application was made since that
date.
w. A. P, Olathe Kan.-Ordinarily the
settlement of a claim for increase OF pen
sion on pensOned disability should be
made in not more than SIX months after
the medical examination. The same is
true of claims for invalid pension under
the act of June 81, 1890, if all the proofs
are complete. Special Examiners of the
Pension Bureau are supposed to nolly
claimants whose cases are under mvcStl-
CATION as to the probable date when they
will be able to take up the cases
NJ. A p, Marion, Ohio.-It is custo-
mary to add to a general law certificate
any disability that has been established
even through the disablement theretrom
is not sufficient to increase the rate of pen
sion. In your case it is held, evidently,
that your combined disabilities are not
sufficient to entitle yOu to the next higher
rate. S24 for disability equivalent to the
loss of hand or foot" and therefore your
rate remains at SD, to which your deaf
ness alone entities you. The disabilities
recently added to your certificate will
doubtless prove of service in securing an
increase later on.
w. H. F.. Soldiers Home. D. C.-There
is no law providing bounty for the war OF
the rebellion service of Regulars who had
enlisted before July l, 1861. For enlist
ments or re-enlistments after July ]. 1861,
Regulars were allowed substantially the
same bounties as volunteers.
P. D., National Military Home, Wis.,
Under the act of March 3, 1899, the Home
authorities are authorized and directed to
withhold one-half of the pension of every
inmate and pay it to his wife or children
under 16. 1t is impossible to advise you
how to secure more of your pension than
is now allowed you by the Home authori-
ties under the established rules and regu-
lations.
J. McY., New Waverly, TeX.-Some-
times the payment of the pension Is de.
layed for several weeks after notice OF
the allowance of the claim. There seems
to be no unusual delay in your case. Very
likely you have received your money by
this time.
o. S. NJ, National Military Home. ILL.,
By act of March 3, 1899, the widow, or
children under 16, of any invalid pen
sioner may obtain half his pension if he
has deserted them. The wife must be of
good moral character and in necessitous
circumstances. Desertion contemplates
that the pensioner is absent without the
wish and consent of his wife. OF course,
If he is willing to live with her and sup
port her so far as he can, but she refuses
to permit him to do so, she has no claim
upon his pension under this or any other
law. 1t does not matter how long the
pensioner has been absent, if his absence
has been for a period of six months or
more His absence for a period which
would entitle his wife to a divorce, if she
cared to obtain such, does not protect
him.
d. R., Devils Lake, N DIT is be-
lieyed that a decision of the Supreme
Court in 1879 entities all officers resign
ing on Surgeons certificate of disability
to travel pay, if they did not receive
transportation and subsistence of any kind
to place of entering the service. 1t seems
that this allowance is denied if the off,
GERS resignation was accepted while he
was at home, it being held that he left
the service at the place where he was
when his resignation was accepted.
]. G., Glen Rock, Pa.-After a special
examination is completed and the Special
Examiner has sent in his report, the case
should ordinarily be passed upon within
q month or six weeks.
E. II. W.-There is no law forbidding
any person in the Civil Service of the
United States from drawing pension un-
der the pension laws at the same time he
is receiving q salary.
]. B., Bainbridge, Pa.-The provision
in the act of June q, 1890, for the PEN
sioning of insane, idiotic or otherwise per-
manently helpless children beyond the age
of 16 is held TO apply under the general
law only TO children who were under 16
when the soldier died, and if application
Is made under the act of 1890. the chill
dren must also be under 16. at the date of
filing application. 1t Is possible that in
extreme cases not coming under the gen.
eral provision of the act Of 1890 a special
act of Congress could be secured.
J. B. S., Kirksville, Ky.-If you en-
listed for three years before July %, 1861,
you are entitled to 500 bounty under the
act Of July 20, 1888, notwithstanding that
you were discharged before two years
service. If you enlisted either before or
after July %, 1861, and were discharged
for wound OF injury incurred in line of
duty you would be entitled to 500 bounty
under an act of March 3, 1865. The term
VI sOul StlNlNt NOulu Dt NIeNlltu Uu lHe
five years residence required under the
homestead laws in perfecting title TO home
stead on the public lands. For full in
formation address the Commissioner of
The General Land Office, Washington, ID.
c." No bountT-land warrants have ever
been provided for service in the war of the
rebellion.
$. s., Wynant, Ohio.-Under Section
4766, Revised Statutes, the pension of any
invalid pensOner imprisoned as punish
ment for oifenses against the laws may
be claimed by his wife Gf Of good char
acter and dependent on the pensioner) or
by the guardian Of his children under 16.
BY the act of March 3, 1899. one-half of
the pension Of invalid pensioners who are
inmates OF Soldiers Homes may be paid
10 the wife or children under 16.
]. w. T., PaOla, Kan.-There is no law
increasing the rate of pension Of widows
drawing under the Mexican war service
pension act OF 1887 and amendments.
Mexican War Pension Bill.
In the report of the proceedings of the