Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-12-18
NEW SYSTEM.
Pensioners Now Receive Their Checks
Direct from Washington.

Pensioners Now Receive Their Checks
Direct from Washington.
The following slip was sent out from the
Augusta pension agency with every check
this month:
The check herewith inclosed is issued in
conformity to the act OF Congress dated Au-
gust II, 1919, and particular attention is in
yited to the following requirements:
~ The check must be Endorsed, in ink, by
the pensioner in the presence of two respon-
sibie witnesses, who must sign the certificate
on the back OF the check at the same time In
case the pepsioner signs by mark no adj
ditional witnesses will be required. The SER
vices of a notary public or other magistrate
win not be necessary. Witnesses need not
accompany pensioner to bank or other places
where check is to be cashed unless it is re-
quired by party cashing the check for the
purpose of Identification.
(2) The pension certificate must be ex-
hibited by the pepsioner 30 the witnesses at
the time of indorsing each check, whether 1t
be in payment of original, increase or
quarterly pension. The number on the PEN
sion certificate must be compared with the
certificate number appearing the face Of
the check, and in the event that they do not
agree the check must be returned for correc-
tion before indorsing.
(s) In order that pensioners may receive
their checks promptly it is absolutely neces-
sary that the discussing officer be notified at
once of any change in postoffice address. All
communications relating to pension checks
and to changes in postoffice address should,
after January 81, 1913 be addressed to the
Discussing Clerk, Bureau of Pensions, Wash
ington, ID. c., giving pane Of pensioner in
full, certificate number, and name of agency
where formerly paid.
Section of the act of August II, 1912, pro-
vides as follows:
''That whoever shall forge the endorsement
of the person TO whose order any pension
check shall be drawn, whoever with the
knowledge that such endorsement is forged
| shall utter such checks, or whoever, by
falsely personating such person, shall receive
from any person, firm, corporation, officer
or employee of the United States the whole or
any portion of the amount represented by
such check, shall upon conviction be pun
ished by fine of not more than one thous-
and dollars or be imprisoned not more than
FIVE years or both"
The sending out of this slip marks
the Inauguration of the new system of
paying all persons on the federal pension
rolls direct from Washington, instead OF
through the eighteen pension agencies, in
Guiding the one in Augusta, which will be
abolished, Jan. 81, 1913.
The new plan provides for the paying of
| pension without the formaliry OF vouch-
ers. The checks are being sent out to all
pensioners on the roll, except those who
are paid by other parties, such as guar
dians. The checks themselves serve the
same purpose as vouchers by a require
ment that the person receiving the check
indorses it in the presence OF two wit
nesses and also shows to the witnesses his
| pension certificate, the number of which
must tally with the certificate number on
the check.