Class: Provided, That such appointments shall not increase the clerical force of said Bureau." By the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, the salary of the Commissioner of Pensions was increased to $4,000 per annum. [NOTE.-In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, but $3,000 is appropriated for the salary of the Commissioner of Pensions, and no mention of the reduction is made in the deficiency appropriation bill for that year.] In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, and approved August 15, 1876, $3,600 is appropriated for the salary of the Commissioner of Pensions; $2,250 for the salary of the Deputy Commissioner; $2,000 for the salary of the chief clerk, and $2,250 for the salary of the medical referee. No appropriation was made in the appropriation bills of 1879 and 1880 for the office of Deputy Commissioner. That office was vacant from July 1, 1877, to June 30, 1879, inclusive. In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880, salaries of the officers of the Pension Office were provided for as follows: Commissioner... Deputy Commissioner (said office to continue for one year only). $3,600 2,400 Chief clerk 2,000 Medical referee... 2,250 In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, there was appropriated: $4,000 2,400 2,000 2,250 For the salary of the Commissioner For the salary of the Deputy Commissioner In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, the salary of the Commissioner of Pensions was increased to $5,000 per annum. An additional Deputy Commissioner was provided at a salary of $2,400 per annum, and the salary of the First Deputy Commissioner was increased to $3,600. This bill also provided for the appointment of twenty examiners at $2,000 each. In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, the following provisions were made: In the appropriation bill for the year ending June 30, 1884, no change was made, except that but two (instead of four) qualified surgeons at $2,000 each were provided for. In the appropriation bill for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the officers and salaries provided for remained the same, except the salary of the medical referee was increased to $3,000 per annum and the review board was increased by the addition of ten principal examiners at $2,000 each. In the act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, no change in the number of officers or in the amounts of their salaries was made, above the grade of fourth-class clerkships. [NOTE. In this act provision was made for eighteen medical examiners at an annual salary of $1,800 each, who while not strictly fourth-class clerks, received the same salary.] DIGEST OF THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES RELATING TO SPECIAL EXAMINERS EMPLOYED UNDER THE DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF THE COMMISIONER OF PENSIONS. Act of July 14, 1862: "SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, that the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint a special agent for the Pension Office to assist in the detection of frauds against the pension laws, to cause persons committing such frauds to be prosecuted, and to discharge such other duties as said Secretary may require him to perform; which said agent shall receive for his services an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, and his actual traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties shall be paid by the Government." [U. S. Stat utes at Large, vol. 12, p. 569.] By an act approved July 4, 1864, the foregoing enactment was repealed and, in lieu thereof, the following was enacted: "Section twelve of the act to grant pensions, approved July 14, 1862, is hereby repealed; and the Commissioner of Pensions is authorized and empowered to detail, from time to time, clerks in his office to investigate suspected attempts at fraud on the Government through the Pension Office, and to aid in prosecuting any persons so offending, with such additional compensation as is customary in cases of special service." [U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. 13, p. 387; Brightly's Digest, vol. 2, p. 360.] Act of March 3, 1873: "SEC. 30. That the Commissioner of Pensions is hereby authorized and empowered to detail, from time to time, clerks in his office to inves tigate suspected attempts at fraud on the Government of the United States, through and by virtue of the provisions of this or any other act of Congress providing for pensions, and to aid in prosecuting any per sons so offending, with such additional compensation as is customary in cases of special service; and that any person so detailed shall have the power to administer oaths and take affidavits in the course of any such investigation." [Sec. 4744, R. S.] Act of March 3, 1875: "[PAR. 3.] That the additional compensation authorized by section four thousand seven hundred and forty-four of the Revised Statutes 11 to be paid to clerks detailed to investigate suspected attempts at fraud upon the Government through and by virtue of the pension laws, shall be the actual necessary expenses of transportation, and a per diem allowance, in lieu of subsistence, not exceeding four dollars per diem.” [Supplement to Revised Statutes U. S., vol. 1, p. 157.] In an act approved July 25, 1882, the following was adopted as an amendment to section 4744, R. S., before referred to: "The Commissioner of Pensions is authorized to detail, from time to time, clerks or persons employed in his office to make special examinations into the merits of such pension or bounty-land claims whether pending or adjudicated, as he may deem proper, and to aid in the prosecution of any party appearing on such examinations to be guilty of fraud, either in the presentation or in procuring the allowance of such claims; and any person so detailed shall have power to administer oaths and take affidavits and depositions in the course of such examinations, and to orally examine witnesses, and may employ a stenographer when deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Pensions, in important cases, such stenographer to be paid by such clerk or person, and the amount so paid to be allowed in his accounts." [U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. 22, p. 175.] In the act approved July 7, 1884, making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the following was adopted: # "For an additional force of one hundred and fifty special examiners, for one year, at a salary of one thousand six hundred dollars each, two hundred and forty thousand dollars; and no person so appointed shall be employed in the State from which he is appointed: Provided, That all of said appointments shall be temporary and on probation." In the act approved March 3, 1885, making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, the following was adopted: "For an additional force of one hundred and fifty special examiners, for one year, at a salary of one thousand four hundred dollars each, two hundred and ten thousand dollars; and no person so appointed shall be employed in the State from which he is appointed; and any of those now employed in the Pension Office or as special examiners may be reappointed if they are found to be qualified." |