The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-04
AFTER PENSION FRAUDS
GOVERNMENT DENIES SLAVE
 ASSOCIATION" USE OF MAILS.
circular Letter From Department at Washington Declares That
 Freedman's. Pension Bill
 Has no Chance of Pass a1a.

The Montgomery Postoface has been advised that "fraud orders" have been issued by the Department at Washing ton against certain ''ex-slave associa- ktons'' which are said to have been using Rl1e mails for fraudulent purposes.
 The following circular letter received by Postmaster c. W. Buckley explains atseif:
 ssoface of the Assistant Attorney Gener-
 al for the Postoffice Department
 Washington. D. c.
 pCircular No. 260:
 ssrhss ofice has received numerous in- uuiries concerning the operations in the Eonthern States of so-called associations, orGanized ostensibly for the purpose or axitating the question of pensions for ex- slaves and their descendants. and or in- f7uencing Congress to enact iegisia.lon grs.nting pensions to such persons. For the information of those interested. the following is furnishes& |,
 ssFreuuent complaints having reached fhe Postoffice Department in regard 10 aasociations bearing various names ana claiming to have been organized ana 10 he working to obtain pensions Tor ex- slaves, investigation was instituted. Thorough examination of the methods and operations of the 'ex-Slave Petition CTS Association Madison. Arkansas; the sex-slave Mutual Benefit, Bounty and Pension Association and Vaughans National ex-Slave Pension Club Associa- fion.s Nashville, Tenn, developed that all these concerns were operating througn n the mails systematic schemes to defraud. Under the pretense of working to ootaln IeQasiation in behalf of ex-slavee and their descendants, contributions were so- jicited from such persons. and such con- xrabutions when received were turned to the use of the so-called officers and members of their families employed in clerical capacities. In the promotion or this design copies of a bill introduced by request in both branches of the F1fty- fifth Congress, Second session, entitled. "A bill to provide pensions for freedmen were freely circulated. It does not ap- naar that any effort whatever was made hy any of these associations to procure sI1a enactment of this bill into law. but sn order to further the plan Of obtain sux contributions from ex-slaves. 1t was shrewdly stated that the bill had passed two readings This fact, of course, had no significance whatever. and there has never been the least prospect that the biil would become law.
 ssThe schemes of these so-called asso- citations, assemblies. etc. are operated solely for the benefit of the officers and others connected with them. Contribu- fd0ng made and assessments palQ to them result in no possible good to the con- krabutors or persons paying such assess Kneuts, but go to the officers in the way of salaries, expenses. etc. for their per- Bonal use.
 ssThese schemes are fragrant frauds, and should not be countenanced in any man. ner. They can be of no possible benefit 10 people of the colored race. but on the other hand, are used simply as means of mxtortfng money from the untutored and Inexperienced.
 s-On August Il, 1899. a fraud order was i. Rssued by this department against the Xx-gIave Petitioners Assembly, which aupears to have been conducted by Isaac h, Walton and others, Madison. Ark; and on Sept. 20, 1899. a similar order was saslaed against the ex-Slave Mutual Ben e.flk. Bounty and Pension Association. op- erafed S% I. H. Dickerson and others TgaahyfIle, Tenn. EvidSnce before this AAuaxtment also clearly showed the wcheme operated by Vaughan's National ax-slaye Pension Club Association NaahvilIe. Tenn, to be fraudulent, but n view of the fact that it is alleged that ehaa association discontinued business rorne time ago, and is receiving no mail ~ conseouence. a further investigation Naa been ordered to determine whether @gaa sssuance of a fraud order in this case is now necessary.
 saThe effect of these fraud orders is tr ..,.chjh,t the delivery of all mail arriv snr at the postoff1ces at Madison, Ark. and Nashville, Tenn, addressed to thu concerns against which they are issued