Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-11
FINES FROM Pensions
Basis of Complaint by SOL
diers' Home inmates.
EXPLANATION OF THE LAW
Statement Made Today by the Pen.
sion Bureau.
THREE CLASSES OF HOMES
Act Relating to Payments Applies
to State Institutions-Gen.
Hawkins Views.
EXPLANATION OF THE LAW
THREE CLASSES OF HOMES

The pension office this afternoon issued
statement anent published charge that
the governor of the Soldiers Home vio'
lates the law by deducting fines from the
pensions of veteran soldiers who are in.
mates of the home.
Some of the inmates to the number OF
about 100 aver that under the law OF
1a0S the governor has not the right to
touch their money, it being prescribed
that the pensions shall be paid to pension
ers direct. Cnder a former law the PEN
sions were paid to the treasurer OF the
Soldiers Home and men who violated the
rules of the institution had their pension
money held back BY tho authorities of the
home until such time as the inmates in
question left the home.
Three Glasses of Homes.
The statement issued by the pension
bureau. giving the laws on the subject.
is as follows:
There are practically three classes
of soldiers homes.
First. the home here in Washington.
The pensions are paid to that home I'm
accordance with the act of March :,
1888.
second national homes located I'm
different states throughout the country.
Pensions for inmates thereof are paid
to the treasurers of the homes as di-
rected by the act of August {. 1882.
which provides That all pensions and
arrears Of pensions payable or to be
paid to pensioners who are or may be
come inmates of the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers shall be
paid to the treasurers of said home,
etc.
Third, state homes maintained by the
states In which they are located. The
inmates thereof are paid under the pro-
visions of the act of May IS, 1908.
Authority for Washington Home.
THE act OF March 5, 1883. entitled An
act prescribing regulations for the Sol
diers' Home located in Washington, in
the District Of Columbia, and for other
purposes contains the following pro-
vision:
That anv inmate Of the home who is
receiving pension from the government
and who has child, wife or parent liv-
ing shall be entitled, by filing with the
pension agent from whom he receives his
money d written direction to that effect,
to have his pension, or any part of It
paid to such child. wife or parent. The
pensions Of all who now are or shall
hereafter become inmates of the homo,
said. shall be paid to the treasurer oi
the home. The money thus derived shall
not become part Of the funds of the
home. but shall be held by the treas
It would otherwise have been paid. and
such part Of 1t as shall not sooner have
been paid to him shall be paid to hin,
on his discharge from the institution. The
board Of Commissioners may from time
to time pay over to any inmate .rlch
part of his pension money as they think
best for his interest and consistent with
the discipline and good order of the
home. but such pensioner shall not be
entitled to demand or have the same SD
long as he remains an inmate of the
home
Pension Clause.
1.-THE proviso in the act approved May
%. 1905 relative to the payment Of the
pensions OF soldiers and sailors homes
refers exclusively to the soldiers and sail
ors' homes maintained by the different
states. or what is known as state homes.
and has no application to the payment OF
pensions of inmates of the national homes
or the Soldiers Home located in the Dis
trict of Columbia. Payments of pensions
Of the different branches of the nationa
soldiers homes are made to the treasurers
of the homes, in accordance with the act
approved August Z. 1882.
Section a147. No sum of money due
or to become due to any pensioner shall
be liable to attachment. levy or seizure
by or under any legal or equitable process
whatever, whether the same remains with
the pension Office. or any officer or agent
thereof. or is in course Of transmission to
the pen Toner entitled thereto. but shall
inure wholly t. the benefit of such PEN
Siuner.
Gen. Hawkins Makes Statement.
Brig. Gen Hamilton S. Hawkins. l.. S
a. retired, governor of the Soldiers
Home, said today:
LAS a matter of fact pensioners have
no right to claim any part OF their pen
sion as long as they remain inmates of
this home But the board of commits
sioners is authorized to pay him such
portion OF the amount as it may please.
As d matter OF discipline the commits
sionerS allow the pensioner to have
every penny of his pension but if he
misbeh2ves he is not allowed TO draw .,
penny of it. When he takes his dis
charge from the home he Is allowed to
draw all the retained money that may
have accrued. Should the pension .r
seek readmittance to the home he is
required to deposit the amount that was
retained when he took his DISCHARGE
from that institution"
Gen. Hawkins said he was not aware
of the existence of the so-calied law Of
1908. II there is such a law in force, he
added. the pension Office would not
continue 70 nav the ne nStOnS ~ in mat q :.