The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1890-10-10
The Charges Against Pension Conf.
missioner Raum.

missioner Raum.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-The minor
ity of the special house committee ap-
pointed to investigate the charges
made against Commissioner of PEN
slons Raum, have prepared a state
ment based on the evidence taken by
the committee. The report reviews
the organization of the Universal re-
~1rigerator company for investigating
the charge that the stock had been
sold to employees of the pension Office.
From the testimony it appears that,
although General Raum testified that
a list exhibited by him contained the
names of all the stockholders but two,
there We're others whose names the
minority deemed it important to OBJ
tain. The minority regretted that the
bills of the company were not sub
mitted to the committee for this pur-
pose. Both General Raum and his
private secretary, Bradley Tanner, the
report says, repeatedly stated before
the committee that no employee of the
pension Office owned directly or indi-
rectly any stock in the refrigerator
company, yet it was developed
almost at the close of the in
vestigation that q local company
had been organized to do business
under the patent of the old company
and that of this company, Tanner was
Il stakeholder and the secretary as
well. A part of Tanners work az sec
rotary of this company was performed
in Office hours. He has endeavored to
enlist persons attached to the pension
office in the business, in the enterprise,
and he has exhibited the patent press
in the rooms of the commissioner dur
ing business hours. He received no
pay from tie corporation. but was pro-
NOTED by General Raum with increased
salary without new duties. The mi
nority express regret that testimony to
prove the refrigerator impracticable
and worthless was excluded, and ac-
cuse General Raum of invoking the
fine technicalities of criminal law to
screen himself from proper investiga-
ton. The report reviews at length
the action of the commissioners in de-
clining to establish the completed
files" system at the solicitation of Mr..
Lemon Gan attorney having one-sev-
enth OF the entire pension business be-
fore the office) and calls attention to
the fact that while the commissioner
based his refusal on a report and re-
commentator of Deputy Commissioner
Lincoln, he afterward established the
system, without consulting MIR.
Lincoln, at the urgent request of
Mr.. Lemon. The report also directs
attention to the fact that on the day
following the establishment of this
order Mr.. Lemon became Mr.. Raum's
security on a note of 81, coo. Quoting
Mr.. Lemons testimony that he placed
no value upon the security he had Civ
en- him, the report asks: Would Mr..
Lemon, a good business man, risk $12,-
900 upon one who is afraid to have his
solvency inquired into; can it rest in
the fact that Mr.. Lemon expects large
results under the system he has in
duced General Raum to establish?
Criticising the completed files sys-
tenn, the report says hat it is to the
advantage of the pension attorney and
entirely against the soldier. In con-
%clusion the report says that the COM
missioner has not properly esteemed
the delicate duties and serious respon-
sibilities of his great Office. That a
place hallowed as Is the pension Office
should have been used for stock Job
bling or speculation is a degradation of
strongly condemned. The investiga-
tion will continue probably at the next
session of congress. The majority of
the committee will submit no report
until hat time.