The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15
PENSION POINTERS.
Inquiries Answered and Sugges:
tons Made.

]. j. L., Monona. Iowa.-The report Of
q Board Of Examining Surgeons in pen
sion case is considered only by the Med.
ical Division OF the Pension Bureau, I'M
der the supervision CT the Medical Referee
and Assistant Medical Referee. II the
medical examination Is the last evidence
required in the case, final action is had
generally within q month or so after the
Examining Surgeons report is considered
BY the Medical Division. 1t is frequently
six months or longer before case is acted
on after medical examination. The an.
davit Of the claimants family physician,
or of neighbors and friends, as to his
present condition, may often be useful
where it is sought to obtain certain rat
ing. as the rate Of $50 for total inability
to perform any manual labor. Ordinarily
such evidence is not given much attention
unless 1t Is entirely in accord with the re-
port Of the Examining Surgeons. The
present Commissioner Of Pensions has ap-
pointed a new Medical Referee and new
Assistant Medical Referee. The Com
missioner Of Pensions always neces-
sarily gives more or less Of personal
attention to individual pension cases
that are brought to his notice
through some unusual facts or conditions
AZ SouhSSeAOn kACASWASAs LAG frequently
directs that the case be allowed. or he
may suggest what additional evidence
should be obtained, or direct other action.
A claimant is notified direct Of the allow.
ancs Of his claim. Commonly. however,
he hears from the U. S. Pension Agent
before be hears from the Pension Bureau.
T. A., Pittsburg. Pa.-Senate bill No.
1850. proposing an increase of the general
law rates for loss Of limbs or total disa.
bility of the same. and also proposing Q
rating Of $50 In certain cases under the
Senate having disagreed to the act of 1890
feature put on the bill by the House.
G. W. w.. Mahaffey. Pa.-Unless Q
soldier can get q discharge under some Of
the general provisions which have besa
made for soldiers Of the war of the rebel.
lion that quit their organizations without
the Formally of a discharge, there Ii ne
way to get the arrears of pay up to the
time II the alleged desertion. Discharges
authorized by special act Of Congress are
usually coupled with the condition that ne
pay, etc.. is to be allowed thereon.
Old Subscriber. Marion Center, Pa.-If
the widow can furnish the necessary
proofs to satisfactorily establish the sol
and paid to her. II he died Of disabil-
ity which can be established as due to the
service, she can obtain a widows general
law pension, and if the soldier bore the
rank Of Captain when his death-cause
originated, her pension rate would be $50
per month.
j. d. G.. Hardy, Ark.-The widow not
having been married to the soldier till
after June %. 1890. she cannot obtain
pension unless his dearh-cause can be sat
isfactorily proven to have originated in
service and in line of duty II the PEN
sion Bureau is satisfied That the widow ID
not entitled to pension under the general
law. she being unable TO prove death
cause due to the service. pension under
the act Of June q, 1890. would be al
lowed the children under 10, the whole
amount per month being S12 If there are
two children. The pension would COM
mence from date of application and ter.
inmate when the children became 16.
l. A. NJ, Salem, n. Yin claims for
invalid pension under the act of June q,
1890. many diseases claimed on and found
on medical examination and so reported
to the Pension Bureau are nevertheless
not taken into consideration in fixing the
rate. because it is not considered that they
enter materially into the claimants. ina.
bility ito earn support by manual
labor"
]. j., National Military Home. Ohio
The military pay-rolls Of the war of the
rebellion are on file in the Office Of the
Auditor for the War Department. Wash
ington. D. c." No information can be
obtained with respect to what they show
in a particular case unless formal appliea-
ton Is made for some amount believed to
be due and unpaid.
e. D. A., Noroton flights. Gonna
pension of any amount may be stopped
lnx in do ME
the act of Dec 81. 1893 or course. this
action may not be taken arbitrarily. but
must rest upon apparently lawful grounds,
as evidence of fraud. mistake Of fact. and.
in some instances, mistake of law. The
National Tribune Soldiers Handbook con-
tains this and other pension laws. Price.
% cents.
p. D., Brookhaven. Miss.-U. g. pen
sioners going abroad. whether to visit or
to live, do not forfeit their pensions. The
same amount as before will be paid. and
at the same intervals.
G. II. F., Corning. N. Y.-If a widow
was pensioned by special act on the
ground that the evidence showed the sol
diers death to be due to the service and
line of duty. she would very likely be en-
titled to restoration Of her pension in &C.
cordance with the provisions of the act Of
March 8, 1901, her pension having been
heretofore terminated by reason of her re-
marriage. and she being again widowed.
j. r. s.. St. Louis. Mo.-If yen are
pensioned under the general law. and not
under the act Of June q. 1890. you Ger.
tainly can obtain more than $12 per month
If your disablement from pensiOned causes
;ustifies q higher rating.
4 Subscriber. FL Reno, Okla.-As to
the bill to increase the pension of those
pensioned for total deafness under the
general law. see Congressional News Of
this issue.