Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1883 — PENSIONS. [ARTICLE]

PENSIONS.

.The Methods of Unprincipled AttorneysJudge Ferris, Second Auditor of the Treasury, in his annual report, exposes the methods by which the soldiers of the late war and the Government are being swindled by unprincipled attorneys and agents. He says not one in ten applications for arrears of pay and bounty possess any merit, and not one in twenty of all these claims is filed upon suggestion or by voluntary action of claimant. The attorney seeks a client and represents to the uninformed, more generally colored soldiers or their heirs, that they have not been paid all that is justly due them; that some new law or new construe tion of existing law entitles them to more bounty or further pay. A small fee in advance is required, generally $2 or $3, sometimes more; in fact, all that can he got witl promise no more will be demanded unless the claim be allowed. The fee is paid, the ap plication filed and in the end rejected. Tht attorney rarely looks after claims;, it doei not pay.-fie. -has, fee, and it pays better to hunt up more vic tims. Soldiers are swindled, and, after theii claims are rejected, frequently do nounce the Government and its officers, who simply administer the law as they find it. Another class ol worthless claims is constantly increasing namely, claims for boun ies already paid. It many of these cases denials of former pay ments are made under oath, when the record: of this office, authenticared in the highes: manner known to law and tije courts, show conclusively payments were made years ago Perjury is sometimes added to forgery, anc the lapse of time since the war increases th< chances of success to the forgers and per jurers. Should these records be destroyed and such a calamity is not beyond a possi bility, the Government certainly would b< defrauded out of millions of money.