The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-08-02

-. p~lsreputabie way in which IL A.
HAIRS Are Conducted-
or an the discreditnble appoint
mcnts made BY President Harrison
ana their name Il legion-that OF tor-
poral Tanner TO the head Of the Pen
sion Bureau was perhaps the worst.
ranner Is d man Of no character or
capacity. His installation as head OF
The Pension Bureau was the signal for
the beginning Of a carnival o. proni-
gacy and extravaganza and corruption
In that department. amer ~ once
began reversing decisions made. not
only by his Democratic predecessor.
Black. but BY Republican commission
erx These ~reversals operated 70
break down safeguards against fraud
upon the Government. and opened the
doors 10 thousands ofimpropcr claims.
II soon developed that Lemon. head OF
tho pension agents ring at Washing
ton. and proprietor Of the National
Tribune. which did so much dirty
work last year in the interest OF ltar-
rison. had the ..inside track at the
Pension Bureau. All OF his cases
were preferred" and went through
without let or hindrance. As Lemon
and his clique one OF whom was Will
lam Wade Dudley had dictated Tan
ner's appointment. the thing was q
scandal. and when tho pension agents
made a row over it. Squires, the pri-
vate secretary OF Tanner. was made
the -capegoat for the latter. Squires.
so Tanner claimed. had betrayed his
confidence by prefc~ring Lemons
cases. and he was dismissed. 1t was
also assorted that Squircs had made in
sulting propositions TO n OF the
ladies in the Pension Bureau. Squires,
however. threatened TO expose Tan.
ncr's completely in the Lemon frauds.
and no was silenced by m appoint
ment as special timber agent in the
Interior Department. This Is the de-
partment to which the Pension Bureau
is attached. Squircs still holds thu
position. and will doubtless retain it,
unless he gets a better one-until the
end Of the administration.
After Squires' removal Tanner ap'
pointed his own daughter-a young
miss Just out Of school-to the private
secretaryship at a salary OF $l.so0
Tho position Is one that calls for bust
ness capacity and experience. and !
was grossly improper to bestow i
upon this young schoolgirl.
These. however. ara not the only
scandals that have come TO light in thu
Pension Bureau under Tanners man
agement. The institution seems 4
have become a perfect nest Of rotten
ness One OF the employees was a Eel
low named Van Brunt. lie abandoned
his wife in Brooklyn. and wen Il
Washington with another womal
whom he introduced as his wife. ans
who afterward became insane and wa
sent to an asylum. These things wer'
exposed. and Van Brunt was dismisses
from the Pension Office. He at ono
became an employee. in a confidential
capacity. OF Lemon. the very sam
pension shark who had between 500
and 10. 900 special cases expcdite'
during the first three months Of tn
Tanner regime. As Lemons assistant
Van Brunt still has the run Of the Pen
sion Bureau.
Tanner has run tho Pension Bureau
IN debt to the people OF the Cnise'
States. since he assumed charge Of II
about $4,000. 900. II he Is allowed :
keep on in his mad career he wi
bankrupt the National Treasury with
in the next Tour years
But Tanner will doubtless be r.
tanned. His appointment. It is undel
stood. was the result OF arrangement
made IN this city before the last cle'
ton with certain representative pei
sion agents. in consideration OF cue
material aid as they could bring I
the Dudley conspiracy. He was put
Office for their benefit. President Ha'
rison knew why the ring wanted hi
appointed. The ring Is 50 wealth
and powerful that the President wi
not dare offend it nov by rcmovin
him. Tanner will. we presume. sta
20 the Embellishments Sentinel.