Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 30, 1891, Page 16

e THE OMAHA DAILY BEE; SUNDAY AUGUST 30, 1891. TG BEE" BUREAL OF CLAIMS, Pension, Be Favor to or Claims and Indian Depredation, Land, Mining, Patent and Postal Prosecuted Without Fear at othe Least Possible Expense. NEBRASKA, I0OWA, KANSAS AND SOUTH DAKOT Offices Opened the Work of Recognition in Omaha and Securing in Washington to Facilitate Speedy for All Patrons. There Are Thousands of Veterans Entitled to Pensions Who Have Never Secured Them and These Should Write for In- formation. There Are Thousands of Pensioners Who Are Entitled to an Increase and These Should Also Learn What is Due Them. The Bee Bureau Will Exclusively Handle All the Busines Originating in the Territory Referred To and Old Soldiers Should Remember It. Abont three months ago a new departure was inaugurated by the San Francisco Kx- aminer, now the leading paper on the coast. [ts proprictor, Mr. Hearst, son of the late Senator Hearst of California, who has a very largo fortune at his command, “onceived tho den of establishing a bureau of claims at Washington, manned by the ablest lawyers and specialists conversant with the routine work 1n the various departments ana bureaus of the governmrat. When the announcement of this new de- parture was made negotiations werc at once entered 1nto between Tie Bre and tho pro- prietor of the Examiner to foln hands and mutually share i the enterprise. Theso arrangements have been perfected and agree- ments entered into by which Tk Bee is to > all claims arising in tho terriory i BEE enjoys s oxtensive a sub- Inguu patronage,. Ulider this mangoment, all applications ) for cluims, either tor pensions, Indian_dep odations, land or minlug claims, patent or postal claims in the states of loia, Kansas . South Dakota and Nebraska, will ‘b taken | haud by Tne Bee Buresu oF CLamis in Jmaba and through it forwardea to nead- quarters at Washington where they will bo prosecuted to a final and speedy conclusion, Tk Bre takes pleasuzo in offering to all its patrons and all othars, tho services of its now bureau which, we have no doubt, will provo great advantage to them, both in prosecuting new claims to a successful issuo and inexpuditing all old claims entrusted to Tz Ber bureau. Titk: B Bukisu oF CLATYS has frequently been referred to in these columns, butup to the present time, no reference has becn made to the manner in which its important work is porformed. ‘This is one of the most interost- {og features connected with the enterprise, The Bureau's Counsel. To bogin with, the services of three most eminen councilors have been retained, These aro A. L. Hughes, O. E. Weller and P. J. Butler. “They aro 'denominated ‘“gen- eral counsel.” ' They are men of mature years and learned in tho law. They have mado n . specialty of practising in tho United States supreme, circuit. and district courts, the United States court of claims aud boforo all the dopartments and bureaus of the government. They aro quaiified to pass upon the goneral merits of any claim, as 5000 85 it is presented. This saves a groat deal of timo, bocaus,e when a claim has been passed upon by thom, it is generally one which 15 entitled to ' standing in court. When a cla m is rejected by them, it means that it is cither outlawed or that it lacks cer- tain elemonts whioh would lead to its final aporoval, Examiners and Experts. ™\ Besides theso gentlemen there aro also a practising attornoy, an exawiner and expert u each department in which Tue BEE pro- poses to prosecute claims, namely, those of atents, ponsions, postal and land ciaims and udian depredations, in fact in any depart- ment In which a cia{m'may ariso against the federal government. Theso attorneys pre- pure tho potitions aud tend to the clains be- oro the soveral courts, while the examiners and experts make a specialty of searching he records and arranging the the evidence necessary to strengthon the claim. \ . ‘The gentloman charged with this duty re- garding Indian depredations has beon the as- sistant chiof examiner of these claims in the Indian bureau of tho interior department for many years. His comprehensive knowledge of détails, facts, status of and evidence in the cases heretofore filed or the outbreaks out of which others yot to be filed have l:;mun, renders his services extremely valu, le. ‘Then t*ore is a general manager, John Wedderburn., For years he was private sec- retary W Senator Hearst, the fathor of Hon. William Hearst, the projector of the present enterpriso. e has also been for yoars the Washiveton correspondent of the San_Fran- c1sco Examiner, with which Ts Ber is new co-operating. Heisa man of universal in- formation and is especially adapted to the re- spousible nosition he now holds, Thun this force none more capable could be found iu tho country. [ts services have been retained at groat expense by the bureau, the salaries alono reaching at tho present tiwe §1,500 per month. A3 has boen stated, the San Francisco Ex- aminer fnaugurated the euterp and through it Tus Bre was allowed to establish 1ts bureau for the accommodution of claim- ants in South Dakota, Iows, Nebraska and Kansas, This privilogo was first, of all_the papers in the country, extended to ik Bk, ecauso of its known pluck, enterprise and enorgy. The undertaking. however, has attracted %0 much attoution throughout the country ~and boen so greatly appreciated by old “$0ldicrs, Indian victims, and defraudod gov- ernment claimants, that leading papers else- where have usked 1o be admitted to enjoy the privileges of the bureau. Among those papers thore is ag leading one 1n Miunosota And others in Boston, Cieinonti, St. Louis Atlanta and New Orleans. It is thought that Mr. Hoarst, the proprietor of The Examiner, and tho ontleman who inaugurated the sys- tem, will grant the application, Claims Coming In. Tk Bik Crait BUikAu has not been in existouco long, aud yet it has listod Iudian dopredation claims, aggregating $150,000 and tho amount is being constantly added to. This is & remarkuble showing, and vet it is but a {raction of the claims that rewmain un- recorded und Lupaid in the states controlled by Tuk Hie Bukeau or CLaivs, nams) South Dakota, Nebraska, lowa aud Kan, On March 8, of this year, un act for tho paymont of Indian deprodations claims was approved. To this act it i3 necessary to di- roct the attention of every claimant who has suffered at the hauds of ‘the Indians. This rofers to thuso victims whoso claims have al- roady boen filed as well as to those who still contomplate filng them. Up to the date in uestion, thousands of sufferers had filed their clais with attorueys iu all parts of the country and in most cases were charged ex- cessive foos, Many of the claims, too, had been pending for years. Satistied that, in many cases the olaimants had contracted with the attorneys in question, and without fear of Prosceution for annulment, oould not trausfor heir claims to othor agents or sttorneys who might expedite the collection, congress un- dertook to afford the desired velief. This it did du the act in question. To Recover for indin Deproda tions ¢ Parties desirlug to avail themselves o fthe beneiits of the act in question regarding the ¥ vy of cluims growing outofl lndian Jesivduilons should forward toj Tux Bes Buuny or Crasts power of attornoy grant- ing authority to appear in their case in the court of claims, They should also furnish a detailod statomont of tho loss, including each specific articlo lost, its value, date, county and state, band or tribe of Indians commit- ung depredations, names and prosent ad- dresses of witnesées whose testimony thoy expect to usé in_substantiating thoir claim, and such other information bearing upon the caso us thoy may possess. Upon receipt of tuis simple_information, Tt Beg Bureav oF CLaivs will immediate- ly attend tothe more intricate or difficult portions of the preparation. ‘'ho claims must not be based on depreda- tions extending back boyond 18 Readers of Tie Beg or those who may file claims for collection, are respectfully re- ted to furnish Tue Bre BUREAU OF A1ys with the names and addresses of any other parties who bavesuffered similar losscs at the hands of Indians, Many peoplo are as vet unaware of the recent favorable legis- Iation by whict theso claims can now if, properly propared and presented be collacted, But Indian depredation claims are not tho only ones waich Tup Bre BUREAU OF CLAIMS proposes to handle. In brief, it will look after any claim which any citizen has against the government or any department of the government. It will be specially service- able to soldiers of the late war. Pensions for Aged Soldie rs Straoge as it may appear, there aro thou- sands of veterans of the rebellion, who are old, weary, infirm and beyond the skill of physician or surgeon to restore to healtn Many of theso are incapacitated because of exposure or injuries sustained in the lato war aud yet, many of these are unprovided with pensions, Pensions for InfirmSol liers. There are thousands of poor fellows who are permanently disabled, having served at least ninety davs in the war. Thoy were also honorably discharged. These are entitied to a pension even though the inlirmity from which they suffer was not the result of ex- posure in the war. The only condition is that their prostration is not the result of vicious habits, Pensions for Soldiers’ Widows. There are thousands of soldiers’ and sail- ors’ widows in this country who do not know that they are entitled to pensions. And yet, by writing Tue Bg BUrs U o CLAINS, when their caso is just, they will be able to secure those pensions. 'All that is required is that each widow show that she is without other means of support than her daily labor and that her husband served at least ninety days in the army and was honorably discharged; that she married the soldier prior to June 27 15%0. Proof of bis death mvst also be ad vanced, but his demise nced not have been the result of army service. Securing i1 v There are thousands of inventive men and women iv this country who have inventions which are known oaly to their friends. Yet iu those inventions there are sometimes for- wunes to be found. Yet comparatively speak- ing, but few of these inventors ever seck a atent. They do not know how to do_it. Chey fear the cost and the delay. Tue Bek Bureav or Craivs has reduced ~ these almost to & minimum Appeals From Local Land Offices. These appoals are frequently most annoy 1ng to both parties. ‘I'ne local attorney can not personally prosecuto the case in Wash- ington. It would cost to support him there. Inequently more than the land in - question is worth, to say nothing of his foes, which, as has beon shown, are generally as high ' as may be collected. Hels, thorefore, compelled to trust the claim into the hands 'of a man whom ho does uot know, whose first move is t0 bleed the claimant andthe attorney who refers the claim to him. Between these men the appellant haugs in_uncertainty until the final adjudication has been made, Tn Tuk Bek Bureau oF Cranys these would be placed in the hands of well known and re- sponsible people, pushed with the greatest energy and at the minimum of cost. Tur Bei: BUkEAU oF CLAINS therefore is the med- ium through which these appeal cases should be prosecuted. Mining and Postal Claims, The same 1s true of mining and postal claims, These would geimmediately to com- potent hands. They would not be delayed. If uuworthy, they would never be filed in court, but the claimant would be notificd of the fact. He would thus be relioved of all anxioty within a fow months, whereas, as it is now, he does not know ' what kind of & claim lie has until after it has boon passed upon by the courts or the departments, T 3unkAU can tell a good claim from a bad claim. It never presonts the latter. It does not wish to rob the treasury. It colleots ouly olaims that are just Pensions for Soldiers' Parents. Thero aro thousands of soldiers' parents who are also ignorant of tho fact that they aro entitled to pensions. ‘Phese must prove that their son died from a wound, injucy or disease which, under prior laws, would bave given hum o pension; that be left no wife or winor child: that the mother or father s at present dependent unon his or her own man- ual labor or the cont.ibutions of others not legally bouad for his or her suppe Besides these claims, Tue Brr Bumrau will prosecute land clalms growing out of disputes or appeals from local lond ofices to the genaral land office of the United States. Encouraging Inventors. Thore are u great many inventors who be- lieve the moment thoy place the secrot of tueir discovery In the hands of any other person, from that moment an intrigue is rmed to dispossess them of their discovery, Tne Bee Bukgau or CLaivs takes occasion 10 58y 10 this worthy but unrequited class of its patrons that it will treat all such business intrusted to its care in the most confidential manner, thus assuring to all who may wish 10 secure a patent on their inventions the utmost secreoy, from tho beginuing to the eud of the transaction, Purties desiring to avail themselves of Tuz Ber Bukeau or CLaiMs in the matter of so- curing patent rights, trado marks, print lavels avd copyrghts, should make known their wants in_this direotion, when written instructions will be furnished'as to the mode of procedure required under the patent laws. Patont Rights a Specialty, Tur Bureau oF CLaes anuounces that it will make this branch of its work a specialty and ono that can be relied upon as beiug beyond the power of experts even to criti cise. This announcement is made because- the fact has already been oficially promult gated by the United States patent otice that the territory ombraced in tne states of South Dakota, Nebraska, lowa and Kansas enjoy, a world:wide reputation as possessing more inventive genfus, strange as {t' may appea than any similar’ exteat of territory in the Unitod States at the present time, Applicants for patents should understand that Tur Brr Bureau or CLaivs lays groat stress upon the tact that itean advise its patrons, almost at the outset, whether their invention is new and patentable, thus saving them the exorbitant fee charged by the or- dinary patent attorney. These claims will be prosecuted not as a means of raaking money, but simply as an accommodation to claimants living in tho states above enumeratod. The work will bo dono at about what it costs Tug Brk BUREAU or CrLaivs, so that claimants needa bave no fonr of exhorbitant rates or the bleeding dolays to which they have horetofore been subjected, Address all letters to MANAGER Brk BUREAU 0F CLAIMS, OMAIA, NEB, The Terms. The terms under which claims will be prosecuted will depond entirely upon the amount of service rendered in each case, We can safely assuro all patrons of the bureau that the charges will bo very much lower than the rates charged by the regular ciaims lawyers and claims agents at Washington. 1t goos without saying that the Examiner and Tue Bre are in _position jointly to expe- dite business and do business ‘at moro liberat rates than any other medium for the prosecu- tion of claims. In the matter of feos and charges, Tie Bee desires only to clear expenses. The bureau is intended for the rolief of the people from the rapacity of legal sharks. In many cases fees allowed attorneys are irrevocably fixed by law, and in such the_question is decided. In other claims such a charge will be mado s scoms to cover the actual expenses in- volved in collection. We make no effort to solicit your patron- age, as does the ordinary agent who secks your claim for a fluanoial consideration. Such is not our purpose. Weoffer to onoand allthe services of a well-equipped bureau, whero a claim of any nature can be sent, or nformation in regard therota bo obtauied. 1f your claim is worthless or illegitimate you will be so notitied without fear or favor, ~ If tho claim is gonuine it will receive prompt attention and eflicient prosecution. 1f un- successful, no churge will e made; proviaed, however, that clamants must defray their own exponses in the preparation of afldayits, depositions, and other ovidenco outside of Washington. Wewill furnish the necessary legal papers and bear the Washington ex- expenses only in unsuccessful claims. When claims are allowed, a reasonablo fee will be charged to cover actual cost. All lotters will be promptly answered and all information concerning form of applica- tions for claims, terms, etc., will be given with as little doloy as practicable. No letter will be answercd unless tho seuder enolosos requisite stamps for reply. Adaress all letters rolating to claims to MANAGER OMAnA BEE BUREAU OF CLAINS, Omaha, Nob, Rules and Regulations. All pensions under the dependent_pension law will commence from the date of filing the the application (executed after passage of the act) in the ponsion bureau. No application or declaration will be good if executed before June 27, 1800 (date of the act), or if not in the form substantially pre- scrived by the secretary. Discharge certificate need not b filed until called for. The rates of this law are not affected by the rank of the soldier, This act provides tho following rates: For dependont father or mother, $12. ‘'he widow &, and $2 addi- tional for ‘each child of soldier’ under sixteen years: and if the widow dies, the child or children can draw such pension, The sol- dier is entitled to any rate from & to $12 ac- cording to inability to earn suppo; A pensioner under existing laws may apply under this one, or a pensioner under this one may apply under other laws, but can draw only one pension at tho same time. “This law requires in a soldier’s case: (1). An honorable dircharge. 3 That ho served at least ninety days. (8). A permanent physical or meutal ina- bility to earn a support, but not due to vicious habits. (It need not have origmated in serv- ice). In caso of a widow: /1). That the soldier served at least niney (2). That he was honor-bly disch rged (3). Proof of death, but it need not have been the result of his army service. (4). That the widow is ‘“without other means of support than her daily 1abor.” (5). That sho married a soidier prior to June 27, 1800, date of this act. Ta dependent parents’ case : (1). Tnat the soldier died of a wound, in- jury “or disease, which, under prior laws, would have given him a pension, (2). That he left no wife or child. (3). That mother (or father) is at present dependent on her own manual labor, or the contributions of othors not legally bound for her (or his) support. The rules and rogulations of this dopart- ment will zovern applicants and attorneys. Tho foe shall in no case be greator than $10, and ouly as shall be agreed upon here- under between the climant and agent. GREEN B. Rav Commisstoner of Pensions. The foragoing rules and rogulations, with tho forms here following, ure adopted and approved. Joux W. NowLk, Secretary of the Interior. THE BUREAU'S AIM. It Intends to Secure a Just Hearing Kor Its Patrons. When the San Francisco kixaminer estab- lished its claim bureau it printed the fotlow- ing prospectus: “The Examiner has reccived so many com- plainis from its subscrivers in various lecali- ties on the coast of the delay, extortionate chaxges and unsatisfactory work performed for them by the various claim agents that it has docided to establish in Washington a bureau for the collection of all legitimate cluims against the government or-its various departmonts. This bureau will bo in chargo of its Washington correspondent, who has had much experience in the prosocution of claims against tho various departments of the government. Charges for services per- formod by this buroru will be nominal and designed to cover only the actual cost of the work and such legal services as may be noces- 0 in order to proper present claims to the heads of the varicus departments and the court of claims in the supreme court, THE BUKEAU AND FRAUDS. Shurks Indignant Because They Lose hiir Innocent Victims, During the pust month the Examiner Ber BureAv oF Crais has been in receipt of @ number of letters from clicuts enclosing threatening and argumentative circulars from attorneys formerly employed, and ask- 10g if the assertions therein made wers true, The said clionts are parties who have been previously robbed by claims agents, eagerly grasped the opportunity for relief by trans- forring thelr cases to this bureau when con- gress opened tho door by anvulliug previous contracts. The establishment of Tk Bee Breav or Crains has proven a God-send to the unfor- tunates who bave long had ciaims agaiust the general govern ment. Theso claims thoy hud odged with professional clmin agouts who havo hold them pigeonholed for yoars. With these agents, tho clients entered Tnto & con- tract which \was mado generally in tho inter- est of the sharks. Nothing could bo doue by tho agent and tho “cliont was at Intorvals compelled to keop the agent foed while the latter appeared to be taking little or no in- terest in the mati S0 many evils grew out of this custom that, at length, congress annulled tho contracts leaving clionts to again seek the collection of their claims in what manner soover thay saw fit.These clients come to Tur Bre Bureau ov Craivs and this fact has caused the iro of the agents to arise, Now, the aforesaid claim agent cormorants, ring they way b balked 1n the robbery of the prey they have so long entangled in thoir eshes, have begun to flood the country with circular lettors m which thev constantly barp ontwo themes, viz: That congress has 1o power to aunul privato contracts, and that their powers of attorney are irrevoeable be- cause coupled with an’ interest, namely, a on 8 ta We do not provose at the preseut timo to advertiso the names of thesenartics who now masquerade under the cognomen of attorneys though strongly tempted to give them the celebrity their quasi-litorary-legal endoavors 80 richly morit. Oue in particular deserves special recoguition, that of a maudiin com) wunication of eight pages in which he jum bles useleas facts with fanciful theories, gar- bles judiclal decisions, and 80 inexiricably eutungles his words that in many lustances pareat connection the beginning. To any one vorsed 1n the luw of the tand, such idiotic letters axe a matter only of ridi- culo and amusement, But when we consider that the average cln'lzint in the west is nec- the closing part M% sentonoes have no ap- essarily ignorant of “fhe law govering the proseoution of claiméiu the olty of Wash- [azton, we are proneta troat the mattor more seriousty. - The question of extint to which congross may go In its interforenice with private con- tracts, is undoubtedfy one on which some of tho most emianent legal minds have differod, and it were easy to WHto a volunio on oither sido. Howevor, the philosophical and po- litical arguments prodnd con are something with which we at peésent have no concern. We confine ourselvess the coid, hard logic of facts. That the LSt congress did specifi- cally eancel and annul all existing contracts between claimants and attorneys in the In dian depropation act of March 8, 1501, Is & fact which not oven squirming ¢laim agents deny, a8d which anyone interested may read for himself by applying to us fora copy of the law. Possibly the eminent constitutional lawyers and jurists in the sonate and houso of representatives should have consulted these obscure claim agents before passiog the ~act which S0 seriously cur- toiled their Shylock propensitios But we apprebond that more reliance was plioed upon thero cent ecision of the United States supreme court, case of Mitchell an clerk, reported in 110 Unitod States report, page 643, where in the highest tribunal in the land asserts “no provision of the constitution prohibits congress from interferiug with the validity of contracts,” The “second legal problom involved is that of revocation of powers of at torney. When and under what cir- cumstances the ciaimant can recall an existing power and employ another _ attorney! Our eight-page friend leads oft with duo solemnity by quoting JudgeStory: ‘*When an authority or powe 18 coupled with an interest it is from its own nature and character in contemplation of law irrevocable;” then proceeds to argue that tho retaining of an attorney on a contiagont feo 18 equivalent to coupling the power with an interest, This is avsolutely false from a legal standpoint, but it is an assertion well calcu- lated to mislead the ordinary reader. W hat is really meant by an “interest’1s an_inter- est or right in_the thing itself. Thus, if an estate Is conveyed to a trustee, with power to sell, this power cannot be revoked because the trustee has an_interest in the ostato itself; he holds the logal right to tho property. Again, if tho owner of a patont assigns one-tenth'of it to a_second party and gives him power of attorney in connection, said power of attorney cannot be revoked ve- causo the assignce has an interest n the patent itsetf. But ifa claimant gives a power of attornoy to an agent to prosecuto his claim for a contingent fee this power 1s not coupled with an interest and can bo revoked at the pleasure of the cloimant. When tho agent agrees to work for a contingont feo ho ac- cepts a very serious part of tho ‘‘con- tingency,” the possibility of having his power revoked. And a fee contingent on the successful prosecution of & claim can, 1n no way, bo construed as an “interest”'in tho claim which would render a power of attor- ney irrevocable. Destroyed by Indians, One of the most beneficent, acts passed by the last congress was that erabling citizens to coliect for losses sustained by Indian out breaks. This act provides for the speedy hearing and determining of all such claims, and allows at- torneys prasenting thew to charge from 15 to 20 per cent. It is beliaved that the work can bo done for from 5 per cent and upwards of the amount of the claims as allowed by the proper court, thus effecting a large saving to claimants who have in'the past paia from 33} t0 50 per cent for this'work. By the terms of this law all claims mist be prosecuted before the court of claims within three yers from tho date of its pussage or that they will for- over be barred; so thatit 18 desirable that persons who have suffered from Indian aep- redatiozs 1n the statés of Nebraska, iKansas, lowa and Soutn Dakota snould at once com- municate with Tue Bee Bureav or Craivs and have the matter putn_prover snapo and and presented to the court immediately. Claimants should take -notice that by the terms of tho law above alluded to, all con- tracts at prosent existing betwoen themselves and attorneys, wheraver located, are ren- dered null and void: therefore, it will be nec- essary for them to engage other attornoys or make other contracts \n accordance with the terms of the law. Tur Bre BUREAU OF Craivs undertakes the collection of any such claims on terms infinitely more favor- ablo than those offered by the attorneys and agents who have endeavored to make large profits from this class of business, as its desire is to benefit only a class of its readers who are illy able to afford to pay tho exorbitant fees for such services, which re- quire only honesty, intelligenco and_persist- ence in their prosentation to bring them to a successful issue. Cluims that are filed first under the new. law will naturally havo first atteution in the court of claims, and therefore it is desirablo to get them into the hands of the proper au- thorities as soon as possible, ndian epredation Claims. Bratnice, Neb., Aug. 7.—(Special to Tue Bee.|—Hon. L. W. Colby, assistant attornoy general of the United States, in charge of the Indian depredation claims department, has been in the west taiing depositions In cases before the court of claims for tho past two weeks. He was found by Tue Bre repro sentative and asked to give the status of tho suits that have been brought, and any other matters of general interest. Hesaid: *The uext session of the court of claims will be the most important in number of cases sinceits organization, In addition to claims under the French spoliation and Bow- man acts, the court now has the jurisdiction of claims brought for damages to citizens for Indian depredations, under the act of March 3, 1891." “Are there many claims on fie in tho de- partment ! ince the passage of the act, up to August 1,1 have docketed, in my office, 3,640 cases brought for Indian depredations in the court of claims, and under the law about five hun- dred of these are eutitled 1o priority of con- sideration, under the ‘provisions of the act, and will come up for hearing at the next term of court.” “What is the nature of the claims that the act takes special cognizance of “The terms of tho act provide for the ad- juaication andd payment of claims arising from depredations by Indians upon the prop- etty of citizens of the United States, and cou- fors tho power of settloment upon the court of claims. Rogular s§its have to be brought and petitions filed by Glaimants as fn ordin- ary cases.” o 1s the method of proeedure differont from the consideration of claims before any other of the national dopartuionts ““The ordiuary rules of o have been adopted for Indian dupredation cases, as far as upplicadle.” ts “Ii_appears that slarge number of cases have begun since tho puasago of the act. How ¢o you account for it “The laree numbdr of cases commencod sinco tho passaga of the act way be atuributed | to the clause which fo¥bis the exclusion of claims not previousiy presented to tho secre- tary of the interior, opsother department offi- cer, with the exception that no jurisdiction is granted in cases whero ciaims have accruod prior to July 1, 1865, '{nless disposed of or ending previous to e passage of the act, hefore congress, the searetary of the interior, orsome agent of commissionor authorized tg | \quire into such claims by the government, | 0 claimy, however, are p ted for dopre- ions committed after the passago of the act.” “When meett" *“I'ne court of claims convenes in October next, and at the rato of filing the uumber of cases of this class will veach five or six thou- sand by that time.” “What is tho average of amounts repr sented iu the claims now fled {" “The cases range in smount from fow hundred dollars to §250.000. The largest st yet brought 18 in_favor of the logul repre sentatives of Ben Halliday, the old overland stage man.' “What is tho limit of time that claimants | does tho court of claims again | have to present th “Claimants bave three vears from the | passage of tha act to present their claim, so there s plenty of time for every ono to have bis day in court.” “Are there auy special features of the law inyolving the government’s liability in these cases that are of general interest('’ ““The law involves muny new and impor- tant questions #s to the liability of the gov- ernment in special cases, and the rights of the parties, their heirs or assigns to the rem- edics provided for. The act s ono of un- usual internst and affects a large number of citizens in the states and territories wost of the Mississippl river, from Dakota to Texas, and including Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizons, California, Oregon, Washington and Moatana.’" Do not some of the claims date back & number of years!" “Yes. Most of tho claims dato vack twenty or thirty years, and some of them even forty yoars, The olaims in Nebraska, Kansas and the Dakotas are conlined mainly to between 1860 and 1870, and to the S orsome tribe of the great Sioux nation A Magnanimous Purpose. Hon. Bluger Herman,chairman of the com- mittee on claims, house of reprosentatives, D. C,, in communicating with W. R, Hoearst, editor and proprietor of the San Irancisco Sxaminer, and who is also at the head of the Examiner bureau of claims with which Tue Owmatnia Ber is associated, says “The claims aiready filed in the interior department aggregate $21,000,000, as per val- uation, and the groater proportion repre seut losses by poor people and by those of. our citizens who ventured their lives and their properties in the then wild and unde- veloped west. This session of con has now recognized the right of these claimants to indemnity from the government and to compensation for these losses in the earlier years by the hostile or depredating Indians But few of these people had a hope that th dey of compensation would ever come, as since 1859 but little positive assurauce was ever given them by congress of final pay- ment, In the meanwhile, many claim agents, taking advantage of the discovragement of these claimants, ensily porsuaded them to enter 1 ntracts and foe agreements whereby 83l and even 50 per cent was agreed to be paid in the event of the payment of the claim, thus enriching these agents and diminishing the payment of the claimant to this exvortionato and unjusti- fiable amount. This manifest injustice was apparent to congress, and it becamo our effort, while providing'a remedy of payment to the claimant, also to protect him against the Shylock attornevs nml claim agents, and to this end we vrovide in the new way, * “T'nat all sales, transfers or*ssignments of any such claims horetofore or hereafter made, oxcept such as_have ocourred in the due administration of decedent’s estatos; and all contracts herctofore made for fees and allowances to claimant’s attornoys are here- by declared void, and all warrants issued by the secretary of the treasury in payment of such judgments shall be made payable and delivered only to the claimant or his lawful heirs, oxecutors or administrators or tran o foreo under administrative proceedings, ex- copt so much thereof as shall be allowed the claimants’ attorneys, by tho court for prose- cuting said claim, which may be paid direct to such attorneys, and tho allowances to tho claimants’ attorneys shall be regulated and fixed by the court at the time of rendering udgmet in each case and_enterad on record s part of the findings thereof, but in no case shall the allowance exceed 15 per cent of the jndgment recovered, oxcept in claims of less than $500, or where unusual services havo been renderod or oxpenses incurred by the claimants’ attorneys, in which case not to ex- ceed 20 per cent of such judgment shall be llowed by the court.’ It will be observed that this is a maxi- mum limitation for tne court, and to know what will be a reasonable compensation for the attorne, within these limits the court will ascertain what ser- vices the attorney has rendered and mako the feo allowance acordingly. Now I loarn from your commuication that it is in contemplation by you to organize a speciul bureau in Washington city for the collection of these claims and to do so for a merely nominal cost to the claimant. This notice will give the first substantial hope to thous- ands of poor aud worthy claimants that it is possiblo that a cheaper remedy may be af- forded them than that heretofo: 1d out vy the unreasonable terms of e: claim ageats, “Your generous purnose will also havo a tendency to oblige these agents to recognizo & more just and more conscionable basis for compensation than at present adopted by them.” THOUSA NDS OF DEPENDENTS Whose Just Claims May Be Sccured Through The Bee Burcuu. Thero uro thousands of solaiers today in this country suffering perhaps for the necos- saries of lifo simply because ttoy donot know what the couniry has done to care for and render them comfortable. Tuk B is aware of this fact and has al- lied itself with tne San Francisco Examiner and established Tik Bee Bukeav or CLAINS, By this means, it proposes to secure for every. claimant just what he or she is ontitiod to from the government. In addition to claims for pensions, those for a variety of other causes will be prossed, and from tho effocts of losses occasionod by these claims hundreds are suffering in this part of the countrs It _you havo suffered from the destruction of property by Indians Tie Brr BUREAU OF Cramvs will Undertake to have you reim- bursed. 1f you wish to obtain & patent on an inven- tion of your own, Tii BEE BUREAU oF CLAINS will procure it for you. 12 you have land claims in which thera is justice, Tik Bt BUrEAU oF CLEINS will 8o care it for you. If you have cases rogarding mines, pro emptions and homesteads, Tug Bre Bureau oF Craiyis will prosecute them beforo the eral land office, department of tho interior and the supreme court. “There are thousands yot entitlod to pon- sions who should immediately muke applica- tion for thom, Thoro aro thousands of widows, minor chitdren, dopenden t mothers and fathors, and minor dépencent brothers and sisters, who are entitlod to peusions, and who to securo them have little moro w do than write for them. There are thousands of people who aro en titled to increase 1 pensions, and they shouli write infmeaately to Tiir: BE BUreau oF Ciatvs to ascertain really how much money thoy are losing every month, Hunting Guinea Eggs. Harper’s Young People: To find a guinew nest was the very poetry of egg- hunting, The creatures are half wild and feod far afield The bush pasture was their chosen haunt and had such store of hidden nooks, such clumps of brakeand brier, such stoep grassy banks, such tangle of sedge and dewborry and ,mnn thicket, that we would never have ound an egg but for the bird’s queer habit. When the hen goes to her nest her mate stands guard over her on the nearest bare spot and fills the air with his harsh buzzing ery. Foliowing the sound, we came upon the pair, Madame chooses her home daint- ily, and deeply hollows the clean dry earth of it. Flowers often nod above it, grass is sure to spring greenly above the edge. Overhead is always ' shelter of some sort, for the maker knows instinct- ively that sunshine will addle he precious eggs. Her small cousin, the partridge, so admires her taste then sometimes she decides to share the nest Sometimes, too, a hen of independent mind comes a-grasshopping into th bush pasture and puts her eggs into such shelter. Very often we found forty eggs to the nest. And when we took them out it was always with a silver spoon, Black mammy taught us, “Ef yer pull hun’in dar de guinea’ll smeli ity an’ quit de nes'.” Whatever the reason, the fact was none the less fact. - - Whittier's Tribute to Lowell. From purest wells of English undefilod Noue deeper drank thau he, the New Worla's Chily Who, In the language of taelr P wit and wisdom of New Eogland folk, Shamiug a MousLrous wroug; the world-wide laugh Provoked thereby might well have shake half The walls of slavery down ero yet the ball Aud wino of battle overthrow the mall F. H. Hooht of Lusiton out 240 ncres of grain this season with ons bindor, nud ne waats to know who can beat it. favm-fiolds PROTECTING THE CLIENTS Thay Oan No Longer Bs Robbed by Greedy Olaim Agents, THE BEE'S GREAT BUREAU OF CLAIMS, It Befriends Settlers, Patentees, Widows, Orphans and Soldiers and is Commended by the Highest Authority. Mon who have had claims against the gov- ernment and employed professional o reprosent thom beforo the departi Washington, toll strange storios of tr rascality to which they were subjectod at the hauds of theso morciloss creatures. There are of course, some honest mon among these agents; but there are so many that are noto- riously corrupt, tiat it is almost impossible fora claimant, unless he b directod by a well-informed individual,to find one in whom bo can place fmplielt confidonce. Tur Bre has recoived hundredsof com- plnuts from soldiers and others who had ad- vanced money when so dosired ‘aud who waftad-for yonrs and yot, failod o racolve any infopmation as ragards what thy sharks had dono with eithernoney er claly, Tug Bre has also been TeGuested to rocom- mend reliablo agents Ay has, in this way served togrotect the reople from fraud and robbery. B4t did no good to tho people who had fallen in% the hands of sharks. As rapidly as tho latier were shown up now ones with now tricks and rascality took their places. There was but one meavs left and that was to establish a great bureau of claims. This idea was suggested to a number of peoplo but was put into practice first by the San Fran- cisco Examiner. With the Examiner, Tie Ber has co-opor- ated in the grout work of affording relief to worthy clalmants “Tho Washington correspondent of tho Ex- aminor, Mr. John Weaderburn, who has also actod a3 private secretary to Senator Hoarst, was detailed to organize” and take charge of the bureau. His long service in Washington in both these capacitios had given him n large acquaintance with governmont oficials and government mothods. Knowing the mon and the proper proceduro to follow, he was chosen as well qualified to push claims through in tho shortest time if thoy were justly due, Thie best lawyors to b had wera thon en- gaged and a full clerical force putinto the bureau. In every instanco the men wero chosen for their knowledgeof the work to be done. Congress was not less' anxious to protect claimantsvfrom robbery. The same Kind of complaints had come to Tz Bk and gone to tho members of congress as well. The com- mittees that had the Indian depredations bill under consideration nvestigated tho opera- tions of tho claim agonts and attorneys in con- nection with the Indian depredations_claims. They found that the claim agents had do- manded 33'g to 5 per cent from the men hotding the claims, and in hundreds of casos hold coutracts at these fzures, While the bill was still in congress, with little apparent chance of passage, thoy were able, by methods dangerously uear the line of false protenses, to induce the claimauts to sign the exorbitant demands. Thoro appeared to be only ouo way to pro- toct tho claimants. That was to cancel all contracts by law and limit the foes that at- torneys might colleet. The claimants would thus b enabled to chioose another agent 1f tho one they had first engaged had attempted todefraud them, and the contracts could not demand more than the specified rate. Tho ninth section of tho bill was thus drawn to annul “all sales, transfers or as- signments of claims and “all contracts hore- tofore made.”” The maximum feo to be al- lowed was put at 15 per cent of tho amount collected oxcept in case of claims under £00 or where unusual work bad to be done, when 0 pec cont might b allowed. -""o amount_of business received imme- diately aftor the opening of the bureau isa proof of the confidenca in which the peoplo Botd. it and ‘of tho distrust whioh tho or- dinary claim agent has aroused. In the six weeks, from April 1 to May 15, claims to the amoun't of $4,905,341.65%¢ were ~filed with tho bureau on account of Indian depredation claims alone. All these go to the court of claims under the act and are in various stages of preparation and prosceution. Be- sides tho claims under tho Indian depreda- tion act thero had been filed at that dato treasury claims to the amount of 23,6043 French spoilation_claims to the amount of §255,583; lund claims, $280,330; and patent and other claims to o largo amount. Siace that date some $2,000,000 of claims have been filed with the buvean, and it is now atter.d- ing over $,000,000 of clatms. "Tho need for the bureau may well be seen by the fact that it now hason hand more claims than all of the claim attorneys of Washington combined Tho efforts of congress and_the cstablish ment of the bureau was not appreciated by- the claim ngents. Thoy wanted to continue to thrivo i their business of floacing the ueedy claimant. They accordingly de- nounced tho government and tho bureau. Thoy held that the formor could not eancol the contracts they bad made with their vie- tims. But the cancellation wus mado in the interest and namo of tho people. And it need mot bo doubted that the eminent constitational law- yers who framed the act in question did not @0 0 without knowing what thoy wero do- ing, Tho threats of the sharks undoubtedly had an effect upon some men who desired to make new contracts and socuro tho services of some other uttorney, but this offect will so0n be destroyed and the emancipation of the claimant from the tyranny of the shurk will be complete. The amount of money that will bo saved to the poople by this work of Tik Ber Buieu oF Craiys, may not bo calculated. It will certainly Do vory great. The work will bo done us noar actual cost as possible. Some of it will not cost moro than 5 por cent, whils much of it can bo doue within the 1 and 20 per cont atlowed by law. In some cases tho 20 per cent may bo required. It is tho inten- tion, howover, to give tho clalmant the bono- fit of the lowest charges that will cover the expensos of tho servico. ‘P Bee Bureav will prosocuto claims in the supreme court of the United States, tho court of claims, the several courts of the Dis- | trict of Columbia, boforo the committees of congress and the executive depart nts, It will seenre tho payment of just Indian dopro- dation claims, land claims, pension claims, mining. pre-emption and homestead cases and obtaiu patonts at minimum cost and tho greatest despaten® o nre thousands yot who aro entitled to sions, These should writo immedi- ately to tho bureau. Thero are thousands of heirs, widows, mior children, dopendent futlicrs, and miuor devendents, brothers and sisters who are entitled to pen- sions and should writo to Tne Brg bureau concerning them. Under recont logislation aliberal incroase in pensions has been al- lowed and thoso who are entitled to this should write to Titk Bix BUREAU CLAIM Ase SOCLATION, All letters will bo promptly answered and. | all information conceruing form of applica- | tions for claums, terms, ote., will be iiven with littlo delay us practicablo. 0 letter | will be answered uulessthe sender oncloses | requisite stamps for reply Partivs desiving information should ad dress Tur Bee Bukeiv op Craivs, Beo building, Omaha, Neb., the manager of which 1s Edward . Roggen LS nsioned After Death. In the_report of peusions granted Wednes duy the Nebraska list is headod by tho uan of Richard Melady of Stuart, Holt co, In this case the pension comes too late to bo of any benelit to the man who carned it by suffering for his country on the battlo field. Meludy was tho man whose dcath in the Omaba medical institute led to the ofcial 1n vestigation of thetplace and the arrest of | its manay vly lust month, A brother of | the deceased is w nember of the city counail | at St Paul,Miun, - Joho Stanck of North Bend filed cowplaint agaiust Jobn Flater for lariating bis cow on the stroets in violation of the city ordinance, sud the judge fined bim 82 and costs. Flater then tiied complaint agains! anock on the sawme ground aud the judge served him the same way. Tho oosts in cach case, with the flae, wmounted to$0.53. PENSIONS. EXAMINER Bureau of Claims, OMAHA,NEB. Washington office, situated a few doors from the Pension Bureau, organized to ‘“Justice to Veterans,” Prose- cutes Soldiers’ Claims of all kinds in a most efficient manner and with the least to the claimant. secura expense Pensions under the new law for soldiers, widows, and children. Pensions under the old law. Increase of pension and additional pension under the old law and the new law. Officers’ accounts adjusted, cor- rection of muster secured and difference of pay collected. Pay, bounty, prize money, extra pay and commutation of rations col- lected. Honorable discharge se- cured and charge of desertion removed. WHAT WILL SECURE PENSION. SOLDIERS who served ninety days or more in the late war and are now dis- abled wholly or in part can get pension under the new law at from $6 to $12 per month. Pen- sion is given under the new law for the following disabilities, whether contracted in the sa>r- vice or not: Il health from chronie diarrhcea, rheumatism, disease of the heart, disease of kidneys orliver, pneumonia, ma- laria, chills and fever, disease of the lungs, and all other diseases and ailments; also for piles, ra p- ture, partial deafness in one or both ears, partial loss of sight, results of measles, results of blood poisoning, disease of eyes and all injuries and wounds. If you have any disability men- tioned here and are not drawing pension for it, write us at once. WIDOWS Under the new law, entitled to pension at $8 per month with $2 additional for each child under the age of sixteen years, provided the widow has no income suffi- cient for her support other than her dailylabor, To getthis pen- sion have to prove that death was due to his service in the army. CHILDREN Under years of age at soldier’s death entitled to pension widow does not soldier’s sixteen | under the new law, All claims entrusted to this Bu- reau are thoroughly an 1 ously prosecuted and No Hees Charged in any ease until sucesssful, All letters of inquiry, or for ad- vicewill be promptly answered No charge for advice Address, BEE; BUREAU of CLAIMS Bee Building, Omaha, Neb vigor=