Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-08
MR. LEMON EXAMINED.
His Testimony Before the Raum Investl
eating Committee.

PLHrKD FILES ORDER Is GAN UNQUALIFIED
FALsEHooD"-xR. COOPER cRoss-KxAxrxEa
There we're four members Of the special
House committee investigating the charges
against Commissioner Raum present at the
meeting this morning. Mr.. Goodnight was de-
tanned In Kentucky by sickness in his family.
Judge Wilson said that he was ready to pro-
coed with the examination Of Mr. Cooper.
Mr.. COOPER RESENTED IT.
Mr.. Cooper resented this statement and pro-
tested against the diversion of the investiga-
ton. He said he had been diligently trying to
procure testimony and was surprised to see
that in his absence Mr.. Wilson had attacked
him and tried to convey the impression that he
He did not propose to turn the investi sAtion
over to Judge Wilson He appealed to the
committee as gentlemen Of honor to say IL that
was straightforward or fair.
Judge Wilson replied that he proposed to
learn exactly what it was that Mr.. Cooper
charged against his client Mr.. Lemon, He did
not press the matter, however.
Mr.. LEMON WAS CALLED TO THE STAND
and read prepared statement, which was to
the effect that as the first charge did not con-
Germ him he had nothing to say. As to the
second charge. which referred to himself. he
said that he had known Gen. Raum for twenty
hve years. His financial standing was high
and his endorsers were men OF reputation. So
when ne wanted money to open up his mining
property witness endorsed two of his notes,
one for $4,000 and one for 90, 900, which were
subsequently extended.
THE INDIANAPOLIS INTERVIEW.
Respecting the charge that witness secured
undue advantage from the complete files
order. as recited In an interview published in
an Indianapolis newspaper on the authority of
Mr.. Cooper, witness called attention to the
statement that Il, 900 of hi, cases had been ad-
yanced and that he made s240,0O0 in fees from
them in a short time. He asked il the inter-
view was authentic
Mr.. Cooper replied that IL was substantially
correct and went on to explain how he had ar
rived at his conclusions
Mr.. LEMON Defends THE COMPLETED FILES
ORDER.
Continuing his statement, Mr.. Lemon said
that the completed files order was not novel in
principle. but that it had been the practice of
the Office for years toward the end Of o fiscal
year to pick out such completed cases and dis
pose OF them; That had been done by Com
missioner Black. 1t was a wise prac-
tice, and If witness had been instru-
mental in having it continued through
the whole year he was very glad, as he felt that
the soldiers and the country had been bene-
flied. He produced table to show the num-
sioner Black had in seven months allowed Loaf
OF his cases, and that Commissioner Raum had
in like time allowed $3.50. Gen. Black had
allowed the largest number of Witnesses claims
he had ever had allowed in any one month.
The charge that Commissioner Raum had
given any undue advantage in the completed
files order was
AN UNQUALIFIED FALsEHooD.
And, furthermore, it would be an absolute
impossibility for the commissioner to favor
him. He could not do it il he would. He
Iemon) denied in the broadcast terms that the
order was asked for or intended to apply in
his cases, or in any manner to favor him over
other attorneys. 1t was general rule against
which nothing could be said except from ig.
norance or malice. II but onc-half or one
third Of these cases in the completed files were
allowed the order was amply justified by the
results. In view of the fact that he had
had transferred to the completed files
but 5,473 cases since September l, 1889,
per "0 orr sS Bs he that had Mr. ;. Coco
S24o, 900 in fees from such cases was inaccurate.
Witness had never asked anything from Com
missioner Raum or any other commissioner to
which he was not entitled as any attorney.
Unfair as Mr.. Cooper had been he invited him
to come to his Office any day
employe. He wanted him to come in the front
door hike man and not hunt UP discharged
clerks. That would obviate the necessity for
making baseless charges
'NoNK OF YoUE BUSINESS"
At the conclusion of the reading Of the paper
Mr.. Cooper or oss-examined the witness. He
asked what witness fortune was, to which wit
ness promptly replied: THAT 10 none of your
business, and returned the same answer to the
next question as to the amount Of his annual
income.
Mr.. Cooper then returned to the attack by
asking il witness had not been charged with
forging Mr.. Colfax's name to a certificate.
Witness replied that he had not. If the COM
mittce desired TO go into that he wished to be
allowed to call witnesses, as it related to o
transaction twenty-five years ago.
MR.. COOPER ASKED
If witness had not induced himself, or through
his clerk, George B. Squares, a private secre-
tary Of the last administration. to stamp PEN
sion cases over night ant. put them on the ex-
anainer's desk.
Witness said be had no knowledge Of such
practice. II his clerk, Mr.. Taber, had given
wine suppers to Pension Office employees he had
not authorized it nor paid the bills. He knew
that Mr.. Taber had been discharged from
the Pension Office. but didn't now re-
call the reason. Mr.. Taber could answer
on that point Mr.. Raum had FIRST spoken to
witness about money matters in January, before
he became commissioner. When witness pro-
position to make an order like the completed
files orde: was under discussion Deputy CON-
missioner Lincoln had objected that its effect
would be to turn all of the force of the Office
upon witness cases, but that was a wrong
belief. Recess.
AFTER RECESS.
After the recess Mr.. Cooper resumed the
cross-examina ton Of Mr.. Lemon. He asked if
witness saw anything indicate in going upon
the commissioners note considering the rela-
tons he bore to the department The witness
replied that he did not or he would not have
done ii.
Mr.. Cooper asked il witness did not know
that President Arthur had removed Judge
Hoover OF Arizona becauss he had borrowed
money of litigant before his court
Witness replied that he did not.
AS TO THE ISDoRsEMENr OF RAuM's NOTE.
To Mr.. Lewis, witness said he had no recol-
lection that before their talk about indorsing
his note the commissioner had requested
him to indorse paper. The commissioner vol
unteered to give him 1000 shares Of stock as
security.
Witness had in other cases indorsed notes
for men without security. He reported the
stock as valuable because the commissioner
had said it was. The completed files order
was made January and witness Endorsed the
note January 2. Did not then know that
the order had been issued The order was not
a subject Of conversation between himself and
the commissioner when the Endorsement was
made. The effect Of the order upon cases in
the ordinary files was beneficial, no il reduced
the files in number and encouraged effort to
complete cases. Probably witness had not
more than $500 cases among the 81, 900 cases
selected by the Pension ONCE for the COM
pIeted iles.