The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-09
THE FIGHT ON RAUM.
Pension Agent Lemon Denies
Charges POint-Blank.
NO FAvoRITlsM WAS SHOWN.
Commissioner Refuses to Show Private
Books-There Is Conspiracy to
Ruin Him, He Says.

WASHINGTON CITY, Sept. s.-The Raum
investigation was resumed today, and
Lemon was called to the stand. He read q
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 re-
ferred to himself, he said he had
known General Raum twenty-five
years. His financial standing was high
and his indorsers we're men of reputation.
So when he wanted money TO open up his
mining property, witness had Endorsed two
of his notes, one for $4,000 and one for
$4,000 which were subsequently extended.
Respecting the charge that witness had
secured an undue advantage from the COM
pleted files order, he said the completed
files order was not novel in principle, but
that the practice of the office for years to-
ward the end of the fiscal year had been to
pick ont such completed cases and dis
pose of them. That had been done
by Commissioner Black. 1t was
the practice. The charge that Commits
sioner Raum had given him any undue
advantage in the completed files order was
an unqualified falsehood. 1t was impos-
sible for the com missioner to favor
him. Witness had never asked any,
thing from Commissioner Raum or any
other commissioners to which he was not
entitled as an attorney. Unfair as Cooper
had been, he had invited him to come to
his office any day and examine everything
bearing upon the case and every employee.
He wanted him to come in by the front
door like man, and not hunt up dis
charged clerks. That would obviate the
necessity for making baseless charges.
Cooper cross-examined the witness He
asked what witness future was, to which
witness replied promptly, That is none of
your business. and returned the same an
swer to the next question as to the amount
of his annual income.
Cooper then returned to the attack by
asking if he had not been charged with
forging Mr.. Colfax's name to a certificate.
Witness replied that he had not. If the
committee desired to go on in that way he
wished to be allowed witnesses, as it re-
lated to the transactions of twenty two
years. General Raum had first spoken to
witness about money matters in January,
before he had become commits
sioner. When witness proposition to
make an order like the complete files order
was under discussion, Deputy Commits
be to turn all of the forces of the Office upon
witnesses case, but that was wrong be-
lief. The complete files order was dated
January 6, and witnesses order was dated
January Z. He did not know that the order
had then been issued.
Lemons testimony having been con-
cluded, Cooper renewed his request for
the production of the books for the refrig-
t1r =, \
show that the refrigerator company was a
fraud, and that the commissioner had been
manipulating from the pension office q
fraudulent scheme.
Commissioner Raum said he was present
to answer the charges, and had done so
completely. The committee had seen the
stock book OF the company. He denied
that the refrigerator company was
fraud. Cooper knew he had
sold no stocks to pension Office employees.
There was a conspiracy in this city, and
Cooper was being used as tool to break
down his (Raum's) credit Cooper
knew the charges were dis
NAL failure, and could not be
sustained, and he wished to draw in other
thinge, so as, by hook or crook, to injure
him (Raum). He should rest on his legal
rights to refuse to have his private business
dragged out by Cooper.
Cooper insisted on the necessity for the
production of the books as the best proof
of the stockholders
The committee after a private consulta-
ton, reserved its decision upon this point
until an opportunity was given to ascertain
the extent of its power to compel the pro-
duction of private papers. Adjourned.