The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-30
THE wHrrnwAsnna OF RAum.

One Of the most noisome of the many
scandals that have marked the Harrison
adpinistration \ that involving Pension
C6m185 sionSs Raum, who is now under
going ksleomining process at the
hands Of q partisan committee, which
was selected by Speaker Reed solely for
it's whitswashine' ability. 1t will be re-
membered that the charges against
Raum were publicly made in the house
Of representatives by Mr.. Cooper, Of
Indiana, anfmost seriously affected his
honor as q man and integrity as an
official Speakss Reed, Of course, left
Mr.. Cooper Of the investigating commit
tee and Mr.. Cooper was obliged to appear
as prosecutor before Q committee as
deaf to all evidence and justice as
Montana state canvassing board. Mr..
Cooper charged among other things that
Raum, q bankrupt, had obtained the
endorsement Of George e. Lemon, a
rich pension shark, on note for s25,OOO,
on which he obtained the money at q
bank, and that in return for this favor
he advanced pension claims filed by
Lemon. As soon as Mr.. Cooper got
Raum in close quarters with his search
ing questions tho committee shut of
the inquiry and the purpose OF the re-
publican members was 20 clear that Mr..
Cooper retired from the room in disgust.
In public statement since made, he
says: ssNearly Ill the important testi-
mony which sustains the charges has
been ruled out. I think I have shown
to the satisfaction Of every unprecedented
person the insolvency Of Commissioner
Raum at the time Lemon went on his
notes. asked Mr.. Raum if Lemon had
ever gone on his note before he became
commissioner of pensions. Raum
answered in the negative. When
asked if anybody except Lemon had
ever gone on his note since he had been
in Washington, Raum declined tc
answer. The committee sustained hin
by a vote of three to two, and this testi
mony was ruled out. was prepared te
show that Raum was insolvent; that a
the time Lemon Endorsed the notes
Raum owned no property except hi
house, which was appraised at $4,000
with a mortgage on it of $1,000, ant
that he was heavily indebted and unabl,
to pay his numerous creditors except il
worthless stock"
"Mr. Raum ID visionary man, as the
testimony shows. / asked Mr.. Raun
if he had not invested large sums o
money in the Scandal Mining company
of Denver, the stock of which wa
worthless. He replied that he had. HI
admitted that he had invested larg
sums Of money in the Slate Mining com
pany, another wildcat concern. l asked
if he had not invested heavily in tn
smokeless powder scheme. At thi
point objection was made by the con
mittee. On the 23d of November, Len
on requested the order for the complete
files. Ten days after the receipt {
Lemons request. Deputy Commissions
Lincoln wrote letter which was er
dorsed by Raum, refusing to make tn
ruling asked Tor by Lemon. In tn
meantime, Raum had become intereste
in the refrigerator patents, and entere
il to negotiations for the purchase Of ii
same, He needed the money. but d
not know where to obtain it. On Il
9th Of January, this year, Raum mad
the ruling Of completed files, as reques
ed by Lemon, and on the next day, Il
7th Of January, the Raum note, q
dorssd BY Lemon, was discounted, q
" proceeds deposited In bank