Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-27
TRUSTED TOO MUCH.
Alleged Facts from the Pension
Inquiry Report.
TANNER ENTIRELY TOO TKUsTFUL.

squires Responsible for Much of the Ir-
regular Re-Rating Charged-The Case
of Deputy Commissioner smith-An In
vestigator's views-The Corporai's Com
ments-He Stands by the Justice of His
Own Action In Increasing Pensions.
WASHINGTON CITY, Sept 27-The Even
ing Capital publishes the following: The
report Of Messrs Ewing, Campbell, and
Bruce, the commission that Investigated the
pension Office, though closely guarded by in
terror department officials, is gradually be-
coming known. Printed copies of this re-
port are now and have been for some time
in the hands of all the members of the cabi-
net Commissioner Tanner has one, as also
has Maj. Warner and Col Dudley. By de-
grees its contents are being divulged 1t is
known that the report takes up each re-
rating case separately, and each case is an
exhibit in itself.
Deputy Commissioner Smith.
Stress is laid upon the fact that Deputy
Commissioner Hiram Smith, Jr., received
over $4,000 as a re-rating This action of his
comes in for severe criticism in the report
or not the report does not state. Secretary
Noble, in view OF the report Of the commits
sion, has himself Questioned Mr. NTH as to
the facts attending the re-rating 1t is not
known whether Mr.. Smith's certificate
Of re-rating is signed by himself
rs acting commissioner, or 10y Com
missioner Tanner. The papers in regard to
his case went through during Mr. Tanners
absence from the pc Ision Off
Tanners Confidence Abused.
The report also condemns Mr. Squires in
round terms, especially for his action in
making cases special. Ii states that Mr.
Squires possessed thu stamp of Mr.. Tanner
as commissioner, AMI affixed it to papers
without the commissioners kno Wedge The
number of such cases-a very large number
is given, and Commissioner Tanner criti-
cised for his gross careessness in thus en-
trusting his official prerogative to a mere
private secretary, who violated the conf
dence reposed in him.
More Decapitations Probable.
The names OF the pension office officials
who caused themselves to be re-ratsd form
conspicuous part of the report Several
were discharged at the time by Secretary
Noble, and they now point to fact that the
one who received the largest amount of all
Deputy Commissioner Smiths still in
office. Said a member of the board who
made the Investigation: @There was but one
OF two things for the president to do in view
of our report, either to dismiss every one Of
us from the service as unworthy of belief
or else relieve Mr. Tanner from office" The
same member intimated that the chief cul-
prits were still IN position, but would soor
fellow Mr.. Tanner into private life.
Tanner on the Re- Ratings
With reference to the re-rating of Deputy
Commissioner Smith, MIR. Tanner SAYS
'The re-rating cases that came before m.
were in batch. Among them was that Of
Deputy Commissioner Smith. His cass wa.
not made special. There were nine Other
cases where the disabilities were about OF
the same character, nsmely-ths loss Of an
arm or a leg. 1t was May when these cases
came before me- There were photographs
Of each subject including some very bad
cases, While the question of re-rating thest
pensioners was under discussion there were
present in my office Gen. Lew Wallace
Gen. Barnum (of New York., and more thai
a dozen newspaper men. There was not tn,
slightest criticism TO the justice of re- rat
ing these pensioners 1t was generally in
dorsed by the press, including papers whicl
have generally been opposed TO me. As
said before, the case Of the deputy commits
sioner went along with the others. / do moi
recall whether / signed the certificate subse
quently OF not II 1 did, il was done with a
| rubber stamp, the way in which the sigma
ture of the commissioner ami secretary OF
the interior is usually attached to the certif
| Gates. IL / did sign it, IN was in that man.
ner. II MIR. Smith signed it, his own sigma
ture will appear on the certificate"