The Washington herald., 1908-05-26

Slei+A i5leDeIs CdplldllSt, and owner Ol
villa sites on the Eastern Branch, whC
is drawing pension of $50 a month from
the District government for disability in
CURED while performing his duties Of fir,
marshal in 1904, viii, within the next thir
ty days. it is said, probably have his in.
come from that source cut OF.
1t is said that by June Is Bieber viii
have ceased to be a government pen
sioner
This action is the result Of an amend
ment to the District appropriation bill
which states that within thirty day.
after the passage Of the bill and ever,
two years thereafter. persons on III,
pension rolls in the District Of Columbia
for disabilities incurred while in tn,
service Of the police or FIRE department.
shall undergo medical examinations. anC
as a result the Commissioners shall de
termine whether the pension being uait
in each case shall continue in whole or ir
part.
=" VI ne he-cNamtned.
When tie Commissioners were asket
yesterday what action they would tax.
in the matter they said the entire lis
OF pensioners would be re-examined. ane
that any pensioner found 70 be PHYSICAL,
able to perform the ordinary duties o.
either fireman or policeman would hav,
ais peRs!cs. stopped.
Commissioner Macfarland said:
Personally. I would not think Il right
II were a fireman or a policeman Il
draw pension from the District OF Co
lumoia. unless We're both PHYSICAL,
disabled and financially dependent in
whole or in part upon the pension. bu
under the law as II now stands, polio,
or fire pensioner cannot be removed from
the rolls because he is no longer physf
cally disabled. but the new legislation
carried in the District Of Columbia ap.
preparation bin provides for a physt
cal re-examination Of all District polio,
and fire pensioners. and authorizes tn,
Commissioners TO determine. as a ne.
suit Of such examination. whether ths
pension shall continue TO be paid IL
whole or in part. We shall execute thai
law. Nothing is said in that or an,
other law governing the matter about tn,
financial condition Of the pensioners
Presumably. the pensioners need theii
pensions. but if they do not the Law
seems still to entitle them 10 receiv,
those pensions"
When Commissioner West was asked
whether he thought a capitalist of Mr.
B.eber's standing was entitled TO a pen
sion. he said:
The question whether Mr.. 'BiebeI
ought to take his pension is one which
Is for him 10 decide. The question
whether he is entitled 10 his pension &:
one for the Commissioners to decide, ant
this question must be answered under
the law within the next thirty DAYS
When that question comes to me for de
cision, together with the cases of ali tht
pensioners on the police and fire lepart
ment rolls, I shall decide. so far as an
concerned, according to my best judg,
ment. 1 might add that I never voted tC
give Mr.. Bieber a pension"
AZ the Baltimore Fire.
At the great Baltimore fire. in 1904. Sid
ney Bieber received the first severe SHOCK
20 his health. With promptness that wa.
second only TO that OF Chief Belt. Biebei
went to the scene cf the confiagratior
with fire apparatus from Washington
and proceeded to perform a duty thai
was regarded as little short of heroic
He worked without sleep and stood II
water ankle-deep, and generously gave
to the suffering city the best service thai
was In him He contracted a cold thai
promised to develop into something seri
Gus.
Soon after the fire he resigned hfs Do
sition as fire marshal. and was pensioned
and became beneficiary under the pensio-
system to the amount of $50 month. Al
about this time he went to the great
Southwest. it is said, for his health
When he returned he was not entirely
well. but he began 10 improve, and to-
day he Is as fine a specimen of health as
f- -,