Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-09-11
.A90a a srHn.
IIis FaSOrILe Pension Attorney IA
FOrgrr-- Ehe commissioning Un-
ninety EOH,9,

His FaVOrlIe Pension Attorney II
FOrgrr-- Ehe COMMISSIONER Un-
tiRtetY TOai1. M
WAsHINeros. sept. "a new \ sa-
tou WAS developed in tue Baum inv, IL
CATION yesterday. George L. Lemon tbs
millionaire pension attorney, from whom
Raum borrowed $12 900 after his induc-
tion into otsiCe, confessed upon the witness
stand that be had been di8hRrEed from
practice before tho surgeon generals Of
flee years ago for forging the name of
Schuyler Coifsx, of Indiana, This ad-
mission was wrung from Mr.. Lennon after
several attempted evasions on his part
were cleverly checked by Congressman
Cooper, through whose efforts all the
disgracsful facts in relation to General
Raum's administration Of the office have
been made public.
Mr.. Lemon has proved an admirable
witness for the prosecution and it was an
unfortunate day for General Raum when
h. n'aoed him upon the stand. He had
taken the precaution to reduce his testi-
mony to writing, and this the committee
allowed him TO read when he appeared
before them this morning. In concluding
his statement Mr.. Lemon took occasion
to indulge in little self-glorihoation.
| lie referred to his honorable SOL
dier record, to his long and promi-
nent professional career as an at
torney in Washington, to hia excel
lent standing before tine departments.
| and no doubt excited the oupidity of some
| OF his auditors by the declaration that in
the course of the past Is years he had
| received presents from his appreciative
0 tents amounting to upward of 81 ,OO0,-
900 oil of which he had cOnscientiously
returned.
The witness further raised q question
of veraeity between himself and General
Raum regarding the adoption of the
present system of completed files. Gen.
Raum, some days ago, asserted that the
| plan was his own inception without a
hint or suggs stion from any one. Mr..
Lemon, who as the largest practitioner
before the office, is most deeply Inter
ested in the matter, testified to-day that
i he himself WAS the first to propose 1t to
the pension commissioner.
General Raum, the witness went on,
declined at first to accept the suggestion,
but finally did so, and on the It day oil
asst January issued an order putting il
into effect. The next day he sent for Mr..
Lemon. He took him up into his private
office, and after telling him what he had
done said that he wished to borrow
$4,000. Mr.. Lemon willingly consented
and the debt still remGins unpaid.
A more disgrscetul chapter of official
IMPROPERLY has not been presented Ia
the public during the past twenty years
than that which Speaker Reeds kepubii.
cap investigating committee has IN
earthed in the present case. The spec-
taole OF the commissioner of pension:
placing him7eif under pecuaiary oblIga.
tions to an attorney practicing before his
office, and that, too, on the day following
tue issuance OF an order obviously to the
lattsr's benefit, is one happily rare in
public life.
1t is believed that if General Harrison
entertains a proper regard for the good
name OF his administration he vii
speedily find successor to Genera
Raum, and this belief, l might add, j
quite as generally entertained by self
respecting Republicans IS it is by those
of the opposite party, who expect sooi
TO see this epitaph on General Raum'
desk, "Gone to meet Tanner"