The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-12
.titution I'll III o"o oo(SIONERS ARE
he he ImlJPPED FROM ROLLS
slate Had Been Paying $40,3O0 An
nually to Ineligibles, 149 of Whom
Were Deserters From Army,
According to the Report
Nv J.. s. RETTY

Montgomery, December n.-(Speclal)
More than $4,000 annually will be saved
by the state as the result of purging the
pension rolls, according to the report of
the state board of pension examiners,
submitted to the governor today.
The report sets forth at length the re-
suit of the recent Investigations of the
board, in which 16 counties of the state
were examined and $40 pensioners dropped
from the rolls. These pensioners stricken
from the rolls had been receiving from
the state the aggregate sum of $4,000 an
nually. Should the further investigation
of the board result in proportionate
number being dropped from the rolls of
the remaining counties of the state. the
sum saved annually will aggregate $2bl,-
800, according to the report.
The board makes it clear in its report
that the state has the right to regulate
the pensioners and the laws governing
them. THE pension law now in force
in Alabama bases it's first qualification
for a pension on faithful and merltorious
service in the army or navy of the Con-
federate States of America, or, in some
instances, to the state of Alabama during
the war between the states, and prescribes
how, and in what manner, that service
shall be proved" says the board.
Most of the recent investigation of the
pension rolls has been conducted by GEN
eral Fred S. Ferguson, special master,
and by Examiner of Public Accounts IL.
Y. Brooke who has spent much time in
Washington looking up the records of
persons on the pension rolls. This in
vestigation resulted in 80 pensioners be-
ing stricken from the rolls. OF the
.tffgI AaCa atst9. fRn,
the army, and 419 Were found to be in
eligible because their military records
had not been, and could not be estab-
lished according to the law of the state
Boards Report
The report in full is as follows
In compliance with the call of your ex-
cellency, the state board of pension e,.-
aminers met in special session al the cap
itol in Montgomery on Monday, December
j. 1913, and at once proceeded to take
up, consider and decide upon the reports
.af it's committee concerning the charges
as to ineigibllity of certain pensioners.
This work was prosecuted from day to day
until 739 of these reports were finally de-
cided, and a number of others continued
until the next session of the board for
good and sufficient reasons. OF the 739
cases decided, $40 We're stricken from the
roll, and 100 retained thereon. OF the SIS
who were stricken from the roll, 149 were
deserters from the army or navy of the
Sederate states, and 419 were found to
20 1eligible because their military records
not been, and could not be, estab-
I'd according to the law of the state.
A160 pensioners retained furnished sat
<dtory evidence by which their defec-
tive records We're perfected. The oppor-
tunity to do this was given to all.
Before proceeding to try and decide
these cases the committee of this board
gave written motive to each of the pen
sioners charged with inelgibiity, stating
the ground of the charge and allowing
him % days in which to answer and de-
fend against the charge, This limitation
of time in which to answer was merely
directory, and in no case was it made alb
solute The committee received. filed and
considered all matters of evidence offered
by the accused pensioners UP to the
meeting of the board, and some during its
session. In a few instances these de-
layed defenses had the effect to change
an adverse to a favorable report of the