The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-12-14
BECOMES
SARCASTIC in REPORT
Justice, as Administered to Ne,
braska Cattle Barons, Does T 7
Not Satisfy Him.
FoR PENSION REFORM
Secretary of the Interior Says Presen
System of Examining Old Soldiers
for Disability Should Be
Revised.

Washington, Dec. 12.-In his an
nual report to congress, Secretary
Hitchcock today ook occasion to in
dulges in sarcastic comment regarding
the sentence imposed by an Omaha
judge against western Nebraska cattle
men for violating the a~nti-fencing laws.
His statement as to the size OF the
sentence was printed in italics with
double exclamation points following.
He suggests ar important change in the
pension laws. In part his report fol-
lows:
"The report of the COMMISSIONS Of
pensions shows thai during the fiscal
year ended June so, 1905, the total num-
Der of pensioners on the roll was l,046,-
S27, and the number remaining on the
roll at the end OF the year was 9sS,441,
q net gain Of 1878 over the previous
year.
y The pension roll at the close OF the
year contained the names of T7,15S SOL
diers and sailors, 2S0,6S0 widows and
dependents, and COB army nurses.
Pays Out $f41, 6d8,760 Pensions.
1.-THE appropriation for the payment
p pensions for the fiscal year was
1141, 5f0,600; repayments to h appro-
priation made the amount available for
payment of pensions $l41, 513, 560,7S. The
disbursements for army and navy pen
sions durfng the year., including the
mount disbursed by treasury settle
Ments, were $141, 142,S61.3.
1.-The present system Of examining
applicants for pension Is a most un-
certain, expensive. and unsatisfactory
method, the system being liable to out
side control and political dfctation, n
generating an enormous amount OF po-
itical friction.
"As a substitute for the existing sys-
tenn, the commissioner again suggests
q division of the country into districts
Or circuits, the appointment under civil
service rules of medical experts, to be
organized into boards to serve outside
of the states Of their domiciles and to
&C from place to place Within their re-
spective circuits on fixed days, making
examinations and taking testimony re-
garding the condition of the applicants
for pension.
South Dakota Prosecutions.
Proceedings are under way to coln-
pei the remova of unlawful Enclosures
in South Dakota embracing about 5000
acres, for which the following persons
nre under Indictment: Floyd D. Head
lee, H. A. Scovel, Henry Schact, Charles
Smith, George d. Porch, Oscar F.. Law
renee, Fred III. Sears, r. w. Mathieson,
Ernest w. Thode, Cyrus II. M~olyneauX,
John Meeker, John Il. White, and
George B. Mcpherson.
To perjury in connection with home
tead entries, under section 1892, United
States revised statutes, indictments are
pending as follows: Abram d. Catlin,
Henry GIoth, Pearlie r. Stiles, John
A. Hilgcndorf, and James Meehan.
Form of "Justice" in Nebraska.
"Unlawful Enclosures of the public
domain in the state of Nebraska have
+ been numerous and extensive. Many
persons in the western part Of the state
seem to consider that they possess an
implied license to fence public lands.
The offenders are often prominent citi-
zons and the cOurtS are reluctant to
punish them for an oITenSe that is SO
general.
''lTor perjury in connection with home
TT is reported that parties maintain
ing unlawful Enclosures often hire old
soldiers, soldiers widows, and any 9TH
or persons who car be procured. for
a money consideration ranging from Sc
to $IaG. to file on lands within their in
closures, and by means of such entries
defraud the government of title to the
Enclosed lands.
"Criminal proceedings against John
aaG Herman Krause, of Nebraska, ole
and persistent offenders, have resulted
in conviction. Numerous other arrests
1lave been made.
after some years of effort and ar
expenditure OF several thousand dol.
lars Bartlett Richards and William G
Comstock, who. through the Nebraska
Land and Feeding company. il is al
legged maintained AZ unlawful Enclosure
OF more than a quarter of a million
acres Of public land, were indicted anc
brought before the court recently fol
trial. They pleaded guilty, and after
consideration of the matter the cour
imposed q fine in each case of $500 ant
sentenced the defendants TO the custody
of the marshal for six hours!