Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-18
ALL CALLING NAMES.
Another Decidedly Lively Session of
the Pension Investigating
Committee.
A FORMER CLERK on THE STAND.
he Testifes Rather Directly Against Com
missioner Raum, Who Then
lnsinuates That
A FORMER CLERK ON THE STAND.
THE WITNESS ROBBED A POsTOFFICE.
RstOrt That People Living in Glass HOUSES Should Not
Throw Stones

WASHINGTON, September 1.-George B.
Fleming was the first witness to-day before
the committee investigating charges against
Pension Commissioner Raum. When he
was called to the stand both sides disclaimed
having subpenaed him, and there was q
little hitch about his examination, but
finally Mr.. Cooper consented to examine
him at the request of the committee. Mr..
Cooper asked if Butler Fitch had not told
him that Bradley Tanner had given the
names of six or seven pension office en-
ployes who held refrigerator stock.
Witness replied that Fitch had said so,
and he (witness) had told it to Mr.. Cooper,
as we'll as what Fitch had told him about
deal with the Chinese legation. Witness
also heard Fitch tell Mr.. Cooper that his
cheek turned "pale" when he read Tanners
testimony.
CHARGES COULD BE PROVED.
To Commissioner Raum, witness said ne
had brought Mr.. Cooper where he could
meet Fitch. Before the resolution of in
quiry had been prepared, witness had
assured Mr.. Cooper that the charges could
be proved, but had not mentioned Fitch's
name. Witness had written the articles on
the subject. Six or seven good men besides
Fitch had supplied witness with informa-
tion about the refrigerator company. Four
of them were pension office employees. The
Commissioner sought to get their names,
but Mr.. Cooper and Mr.. Lewis protested
against the question, the former saving that
the evident purpose was ''to get even" with
the employees.
The Commissioner replied that he desired
to bring these men before the committee.
Mr.. Cooper said that the men had said
that Bradley Tanner was a stockholder, and
that was now proved. Continuing, witness
said he had sent the men to Tanner to talk
with him and bring the information to him
(witness). He desired to use it in his news
paper business He had been an employe of
the Office himself, and knew the men to be
reliable. That was last spring.
TO GET AT THE TRUTH.
His object was not particularly to "put
up a case" on the Commissioner, but to get
at the truth. Witness finally lett the pen
sion Office January % last Never had any
personal feeling against the Commissioner,
nor had he said that he was going after the
Commissioner becauseof his discharge. Had
said that he would get even with the man
who got him out-Theodore Smith-and had
done It, Had been Postmaster at Charlotte
Mich, and the postoffice had been robbed.
The Commissioner inquired whether wit
ness had not been involved in some shady
real estate transaction in Grand Rapids, but
Mr.. Cooper objected to going into these per-
sonal matters.
The Commissioner replied that he wanted
to prove that witness was rascal.
Mr.. Cooper-1f you go into that, 1 want
10 show that it is true OF you. Men who
ia H., -.
The Commissioner-I think your house is
as liable as anybody's.
Mr.. Cooper-Well, defv you
Commissioned pressed the question.
RAUM'S RECORD.
Mr.. Cooper exclaimed: eli can't show
more rotteuness in his (Raum's) record
than in that of any man in Washington 1
will withdraw"
The witness said that if his record as post
master was challenged he would refer to ex-
Controller Lacey, who had been his bonds
man. Reference having again been made 0y
the Commissioner TO the robbery of the post
office, Mr.. Cooper asked if the Commissioner
expected to show that the witness had
robbed ii. The Commissioner replied that
Mr.. Cooper had in his pocket a letter from
gentleman who stated that the witness was
suspected of the robbery.
AT this point the committee insisted on
cutting off the examination into this matter
and also refused to hear testimony as to
whether witness had been discharged be-
cause he was a Democrat. The witness was
then dismissed.
The Commissioner then denied that Mr..
Lemon had indorsed a note for him at the
Second National Bank in addition to the
notes held at the Bank of the Republic.
The Chairman having ascertsined that
there were no more witnesses to be examined
announced that the case was closed, and the
committee will at once begin the prepara-
tiOu OF its report.