The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-08-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks D0ingS at The Ma
iiOnal Capital
INVESTIGATING COMMISSIONER RAuu.

Democratic Representative from tho Fifth Dis
trict 81 Indiana, Illuminated a lot Of charges
against Commissioner Eaum. lie formulated
these with loose recklossness, EatheTngin every
Tumor that jealousy, partisan luminosity, and
personal spite had set aiuat. The OBJECT OF
preicrring the charges did not appear 10 be
any real intention OF having the Commissioner
investigated but rather TO make a sensation,
call attention 20 Mr.. Cooper, and furnish text
1Or attacking the Administration. Bat when
"a Representative in his place in The House aC-
CuSes prominent official of grave uIsdCWoau-
ors and SO manages 10 reach the public through
the press. ii is incumbent upon the House TO
investigate the matter. sud the s,aiied Official
p 20 demand an investigation. This was done.
The Crav5men Of Mr.. Cooper's charges was
]. 1ha, Gen. Raum had used his position as
Commissioner to work OF a lot 81 stock in 2 re-
1rigcratiug company o. which he is President,
upon The clerks in the Pension Bureau, and
THAI purchase of shares of this stock WAS "a rec
ommenistiou Of the purchaser 20 the Commits
sIoner for retention or promotion.
.. That he had uuduly favored his son. by
throwing pension business into his hands.
3. That being at the time IN financial straits,
Capt George J.. Lemon had Endorsed his notes
10 the amount Of $4,000, and that in return
the Commissioner had made ruling very
favorable TO Lemon and had given the latter
great advantages over his competitors.
Mr.. CoepcT's charges were referred TO the
animation, reported to tic House that
The Committee had ua testimony except that Of
iii. Coos 81. aud copies Uf documents produced by
hsm. and they called uo other Witnesses because
Dir Cooper q. cIlUca Go give the names q persons,
who, he said, had personal knowledge Of the trans
actions charged, although requested 10 do 50. lie
assumed az a Representative, the charges made
HEalt.si lle commissions. and assured ltc COM
utiHo ttti he would furnish fan and satisfactory
proof % establish them before any committee
vhic.l tiia House should establish 10 conduc, Tie
The Committee deem IL proper TO state that
nearly sll a. iir CsseIit. statements Of Nh Cooper
are leH--y. and Hls conc U-51us c8uiCCluFai. They
dc mot SNOW whether trey are true or false but
" ErtlU= true Tt~c. fie committee believe Ihat
an investigation should Ee lad TO the end that the
iFala may fe a-esr;aiHcd- l.'e puo.lcsgryce must
Dot even rest under -u>p iCion. and tac character
q pEtIs officials must Re- go clean aud their admin
2-lfatIHb So honorable aud straightforward H- 10
command tIC public con .i4tacc, aud Withstand ii.e
Iu~ careful scrutiny. I-vrry public Dilica. should
lyfir 1ll most careful cation %! lis public
aud official acts. and ihe committee believe that
Ssa EsEU whose public and private character has
been heIeioi"re without FAINT or suspicion, viii
gladly promote ihc invest cation.
4 Committee OF Investigation was appointed.
consisting of representatives Morrill, lkan.),
Sawyer \. " Smyser co. Goodnight KY
and Lewis Miss. The first three are Eepub.
licaHs and the other two Democrats.
The Committee, az IFS first meeting, decided
% ID y examine every point contained u the
charges, though many Of these were outside Of
the strict scope Of such an iuycstigat iou. Com
missioner Eaum desired that this should be so.
MT Cooper appeared before the Committee as
Prosecution de produced no proof Of any Of
his charges, but insisted that if be were allowed
free access 20 Commissioner Raum's private
BOOKS and papers be could do so.
Naturally the committee refused 10 enter
tala sura prrpostlr0us proposition for am in
staHt il Is the duty Of the aCCuser 10 furnish
proofs 20 sustain bis accusation. Never in any
court was such thing heard Of a. an accuser
making bare assertion ot a charge and then
demanding that the accused furnish the proof
70 couFlct himself AgF would any c0aTt Of
justice Ia the world allow an accuser 10 run q
dfaE-Hct through a mans books and papers. to
Eee d se could not find something there 10
damage him. The Committee, three If whom
are abc lawyers, refused this permission 70
Ar Cooper, who went. % I'D a hui bat saw the
folly o. such acti5n and rcapplaTed the next
day.
Commissioner Rauin went on the stand and
We examined at length. lie positively denied
uader OATH all the charges made against him
lie dcullC With the utmost emphasis that any
stock q the refrigerator company lad been
SOLD or Otherwise disposed Of 10 anyone IN the
Pension Bureau except himself H. uhmit-
ted the books % the company % the cIamiua-
Ton Of the committee 70 confirm this but prop-
cry refused 20 Jet them be examined bv Mr.
Cooper. lie, however. furnished Cgoper with
z llst q the stock holders Of thc company which
the committee had verified by the books lie
STOOD ready 10 answer any questions OF CoOper's
concerning the management Of the Pension Bu-
Eeau u anything directly connected herewith
but be did not propose 10 allow Cooper 70 rum
mage through the business Of the refrigerator
company 10 got al opportunity 10 niurc il, or
70 burt kaum's commercial credit His man
aEefntut 81 public Office was one thing his
conduct 81 hls private business interests some
Thing else and very distinct One WAS a lcaiti.
4 taft f.r.s
oi4tr not. Especially was this true when
cooper "as SEEING upon everything possible
y 1isto.t 10 the damage Of the Commissioner
te denied empbaiicaily that he had favored
capt. Lemon OF any other attorney III any
Wy. The ruling which be bad made. partly
~ tie request u Capt. Lemon and partlv "a the
Request 81 other attorneys, were right and lust
and he would stand by them Ho had bust.
ness relations with Capt Lemon, but they were
- q business man. and had nothing whatever
l. DO Elt8 The Bureau Of Pensions Or tie claim
tusiufss. lie had negotiated paper with the
bank 10 which Capt. Lemon is interested. and
Aa4 Efe#lFel loans aggEegaflug & 900 yf which
sa.r5S had already becH paid based On cgIiat-
eia.- ~ shares ia tAe best gypsum deposit in
TIE talied states, aud which would eertaiufv
pay LsNiceHls o. st.HgDypJ within "A wear or
Two Tie market vaiDe u tue stock deposited
10 secure Rae .gau was now about 5000
~ iai Cooper las FILTERED away The time If
cresifFEs which were always irrelevant and
frequently insulting. Ire has not produced
nc fafss d 2 single emp.gye Of the Pension
Bureau ~ whom eiTlgeEator stock was sold
10 any lt9Ci beyond newspaper clippings aud
De ~ assertions 10 sustain any u tie cargeg
"a aae.
THE EHD OF ~ EEEETFUL CAREER.
tomra1e John !. Gaines. " hose remains were
buried al Arlington aug j., was ia many
fe-pecLs p remarkable ILaH, aud bis career was
a. cFeniiul one. Born ia Cork ireland h,.
was brought ~ ibIs country ~ ana early age IN,
h-s parents, who settled IA Missouri Al the
breaking out II The war. when vouug Gaiuay
Wa scarcely ~ years ri age be enlisted ia tB,.
COL BIO. His father twice secured bis geI,ase
from military service because Of his minority.
buis nevertheless, true u patriotic impulses.
arc Tssa.uieiy determined o. become a soldier
"a defense Of tic country 81 biz adoption. when
tAs regiment marched - the field be- answered
81 EoIl eti aud bore himself as aitested BIZ his
oiLrar-r All through the fratricidal and blood,
tiI4.e iHat followed, with true MANLY cgursa.
Rio sallle-ly herois1a. lie Afterwards served
it.9 20 tie 10Th ~. S. Inf. from which n.
N.s i..tpI-bly discharged, and tic writer ftst
IoaS -...re. peIlarl y letter from Col Galu-ba
Penny packer. " that regiment. usw retired
sEHaE a I.Eh p4.u.eUt H. his courage and
1..--.i.E qualities. Subsequent 10 hi-1 i-rl,gra-
lTaH iIr military service be was ammo. nf,.5 =
il-l-iE by Col. 5AaggAHcssy then III, United
t.L~tes Marshal ioE Tie Southern District If
-4i5ai.1 iIi5 aud ln that capacity be rendered
'D--it 4yAa 1eTP.ce "a arErstIug the members
o.. and DO EUEEEcs-lEg that fsHr4ty,,t. ,...,..s