The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-29
PENSION GRAB
 IS UNEARTHED Drew Widows Money Af-
 ter Her Death. CREATED MILD SENSATION Collected By S0n-in-Law G.
 w. BatS0n. Examiner Sedberry Charges that Name of Dead Woman was Forged
 to Warrant-Money Returned to Judge of Probate.

For several days George F. Sedbcrry, Assistant State Examiner of Public Ac- counts. has been in Gilmore County .n- vestigating reported pension frani. fes- terday MT. Sedberry created mild sem satiop at the State Capitol when he | submitted report to Governor Jelks, showing that pension had been collect | ed by G. w. Batson ot Fillmore county, in the mama of Mrs. l.. A. Weldon, 1 bona fide pensioner, some time after Mrs. | Weldon had died.
 | According to the report of Examiner | Sedberry, Batson, endorsed the name of Mrs. Weldon upon the warrant drawn in | her name for $2127 as a peusioner anc | received the money.
 The full text of the report of Examiner Montgomery, January 2S.
 Hon. w. D. Jelks, Governor of Ala bama, Montgomery:
 Dear Sir-In obedience to instructions received from the Chief Executive office, | have examined the matter of the pay | mnt of pension warrants issued to Mrs. l.. A. Weldon and the collection there of by one G. w. Ratson and beg leave to submit the following report: T find that Mrs L. A. Weldon, form erly of Fillmore County, was in her life time the widow of Confederate soldier and as such widow her name appears on the pension rolls of the State. l further find that on or about the 31st day of July. 1900. Mrs Weldon died at the home of her son-in-law, Mir. G. w. Batson in Fillmore County. and further on the first day of October. 1900, and before her death had been reported to the Auditor of the State, a pension warrant for the sum or $21.27 was issued in her favor, which to- gether with other pension warrants was sent to the Judge of Probate of Fillmore County for distribution. On the End day of October. 1900. Judge of Probate. Hon. II. J. Lancaster, gave notice through the mail by postal card that thesa warrants dxy fnr. ri postal card was printed blank power or attorney as follows, to wit The Judge of Probate will please de- liver warrants aforesaid to - who Is hereby authorized to receive and receipt for same. This - day of -, 190O.'
 'On the 18th day of the same month MT. c. w. Batson presented to Judge
 Lancaster the postal card mailed to Mrs. ney and purporting to have been signed that day by Mrs. l.. A. Weldon author | izing MT. Batson to receive and receipt for said warrant.
 MT. Batson did receive and receipt for | said warrant and on the same day tOcto- | Der 15, l90O), he. according to his own statement made to me on the 18th of | January. 1902. did ,sign the name of Mrs. | l.. A. Weldon across the back of said | warrant and collect the money on same,
 amounting to s2l.27. MT. Batson says he | used this money to pay burial expenses | and bill for medical attention received during the last illness of the deceaSed | pensioner. MT. Batson further informed me, at the time he made the above state
 ment, on the 18th day of January, 1902, | that he had remitted to Probate Judge Lancaster the sum of $21.27. the amount | which he received on said warrant The original warrant. together with all other papers connected herewith
 have been by me delivered to the Audi tor.
 Respectfully submitted. e. F. Sedberry "Asslstant State Examiner of Public Ac- counts"
 Reports have come to the Governor and
 State Auditor from time to time of all legged irregularities in the securing of
 pensions from the State. and Governor Jelks said yesterday that it was his in-
 tention to have every case thoroughly sifted by the Examiners.
 It is probable the attention of the So.
 ncitor of the Elmore County Circuit Court will be called to the case reported
 by Examiner Sedberry.
 
 The 5000 in gold will be given away
 absolutely free. Your attendance is all that is required to entitle you to chance
 Attend the sale and get a chance.
 -adV.