Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-03

but it took eight witnesses to do 1t. and
they had to be found by the govern
ment at the cost Of both time and
money.
Another type equally as familiar to
the bureau staff is the camp follower,
of which the ensuing is but single
one of many other cases as striking.
A boy, seventeen when the civil war
opened, asked permission of his father
to enlist, and was refused. So, running
away. he Joined a regiment he was
caught however. and for his offense
sent to live with an uncle in the coun-
try. But it so happened that here, too,
a regiment was being formed: and
when it left the boy followed.
He had not enlisted, and at no time
did he carry a musket or see active
service, but by simply keeping with the
comuany throughout its existence be-
came what was known as camp fol-
lower" With the close of the war he
returned home, soldier honoraply
mustered out"
knowing full well the entire history
of the company in question he was able
to give glowing accounts OF the FORCED
marches, scouting parties ana encouA-
he said, taken part He was soon a
hero among the group OF soldiers in
his home town, and when the G. A. r.
was formed became prominent mem
Then, one time. the question Of GER
ti5cates of honorable discharge was
brought up. Where was his? Un-
fortunately, he had lost it, he said, and
Went on TO recite just how it had
occurred. His comrades advised getting
a duplicate from the War Department
He finally agreed to obtain one
So. writing to the department. he set
ceipt of the treasured paper which
moved his honorable discharge. But
II was not in his name. fact, however.
soon explained by stating that he had
name. due to parental disapproval.
About this time, too, he applied Tor
pension. having been wounded. II was
Granted. For two years after that he
Received each quarter voucher from
the United States government for
money due him as pensloner he
might he doing SO yet but ut for ad a mis-,
to the man whose name appeared in his
certificate of honorable discharge. and
also on his pension papers. but was sent
to another man Of similar name living
elsewhere.
Inquiry followed the receipt of the
letter. and. upon the heels of that, in
vestigation. It'rhen developed that the
man who received the letter was draw
ing a pension, and for the same service
claimed by the man to whom the letter
had been intended. The hero" and &c.
A. r. veteran" when confronted with
his guilt confessed to having taken TINS
other mans name because he knew of
his record and could therefore. safely
impersonate him.
There is one case on record of a man
having drawn four pensions at one and
the same time. while his wife yet drew
another. The man, a negro janitor in
Philadelphia, had seen service in the
army and was therefore entitled to
one Two Of the other pensions were
being drawn for dead men. while the
rightful recipient Of the fourth resided
in an almshouse.
With this couple lived man and his
wife, the former receiving pension.
Upon his DEATH his widow received
from the government But
when she died. nobody notified the
bureau Instead the vouchers were
signed each quarter by the janitor's
wife.
Hardly less active in their attempts
to wrest money from the government
are certain women whom war has sup
posedly deprived Of q means of support.
widows by the hundreds apply each
with this part of the bureaus work is
a sidelight both amusing and tragic, ac-
cording to the viewpoint Among the
files of the office are instances. sufficient
to make them fairy commonplace. of
women who have applied for a widows
pension, believing absolutely in the JUS