Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-20
GET MONEY WHEN DEAD
Certificates of Teachers Signed
Sworn to and Collected After
Death.

Richmond, April 20.-Some bene-
fciaries Of the Virginia school teach
ers' pension system have drawn their
pensions after their death. The facts
have come to light in the Office of
public instruction, and the proof is
ample. While there have been fire.
quent charges Of fraud in reference
to the national military pension rolls,
it is probable without precedent in
Virginia, certainly as far as the teach
ers' relief system is concerned.
Not only has this practice been re-
veaIed in at least two instances, but
the affidavit Of the beneficiary has
been sworn to before an officer en-
powered to administer oaths. The
the notary public or justice Of the
peace has in each case certified that
the person receiving the money,
"whos name is signed to the foregoing
receipt, and who is personally known
to me, this day appeared before me
in my county Cor city, afore said and
made oath that-7-- is the person
who is entitled to the above mentioned
pension and to the payment of the
same at this time" This when the
pensioner was dead.
AS result the names of the JUS
tices or notaries who signed the GER
tificates have been transmitted to the
Attorney General, in order that they
may be prosecuted for violating heir
oaths Of office and papers for con-
spring to defraud the state which fur
nished part Of the fund
One of these cases happened in
Buckingham county, the pensioner be-
ing man. In the other instance, oc-
curing in Accomaq, the retired teach
err who was paid a pension after death
was woman.
In Buckingham the pensioner died
on October 81, 1911. He drew his per
sion on January Is, 1912. The affi-
davit is sworn to by justice of the
peace of Buckingham, who will now
be called upon to explain. The Ac-
comac case is somewhat older, where
the pensioner died on December %,
1909, the pension certificate being
signed and sworn to three days later
-on January l, 1910.
The supposition is of course, that
the pensioners would not have taken
part in any legal act if alive. And
officials of the department of public
instruction are inclined to take the
charitable view OF the action of any
relative using the certificate, think
ing it may have been done innocent
ly and in good faith.
But no excuse can be imagined in
the department for notaries and JUS
tees Of the peace who would take an
acknowledgement looking to the pay
ment Of money to person who is
dead. This is especially true in ref
erencc to what is practically a public
fund.
1t is impossible that the money can
be collected without the aid of an Of
ficer COMPETENT to take oaths. All
the proceedings are OH one warrant,
addressed to the second auditor of
Virginia, who is the custodian of the
fund. The auditor instructs that Of
fcer to pay the pension when the Ger
tificates and receipts hereto attached
have been properly executed" The
division superintendent of schools
certifies to the qualification of the
pensioners and the beneficiary signs
the receipt, and then. swears to the
affidavit. The voucher is then COM
plete and has the value Of check or
draft.
No one can tell how prevalent this
practice has been. 1t may not be wide
spread, but if officers of the common
wealth, think Superintendent Eggles-
ton and Secretary Stearnes are to be
concerned in such irregularities, it is
time for prosecutions. The evidence
is in the hands of the Attorney-Gen-
eral for tranSmittal to the attorneys
for the commonwealth.