The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-09-10
THE RAUM INvEs rIoATloN.
Testimony of Deputy Pension Commits
sioner Lincoln.

Testimony of Deputy Pension Commits
sioner Lincoln.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-Deputy Pension
Commissioner Charles T. Lincoln was to-
day before the Raum investigating COM
mittee. He testified that the completed
files system recommended by Lemon did
not commend itself TO his judgment.
Claimants without attorneys were placed
at q disadvantage by il. Probably
less than 5 per cent. of orig
inal claimants were without attor-
neys. An attorney might secure
considerable advantage in time OF adj
judication by certifying that claims were
complete when they were not so. Wit
ness did not think any particular attorney
had benefited by the order. Washing
ton attorneys as whole might have been
benefited for time, because of location.
He did not believe the slightest degree of
partially or favoritism had been shown
by an officer or employe of the pension
bureau towards any attorney. The new
order was giving more satisfaction TO the
country at large than the original plan
and had considerably expedited business,
although some injustice was worked per-
haps toward claimants without attorneys.
Rossback, mechanical engineer, started
IN to tell how he met i'm Memphis, several
years ago, Frank A. Smith, who he had
been told, was patentee Of the universal
refrigerator.
Commissioner Raum objected to the
line of inquiry.
Cooper insisted he would prove by the
witness that Smith was working on citi-
zens of Memphis; trying TO create n cor
poration, Just as has been done here; that
citizens of Memphis invested and the pat.
entee decamped, just as he had done in
California afterwards; that he next came
to the pension Office as the best place 10
work, and organized a scheme, with the
aid OF the head of the bureau, that was a
fraud.
Commissioner Raum interrupted to say
that Cooper took his refrigerator charges
from certain newspaper articles. The
men who wrote these articles knew they
were lies and Cooper to-day knew they
were false. He had not proven his charges
and now sought to throw out drag net to
bring in other things TO break down en-
| terprises in which he (Raum) was inter
ested. He did not propose TO have his pri
vate business subjected TO investigation
unless the house directed il.
Lewis argued for full and fair inves
| tigation. II the inventions were imprac
tcable and worthless the country ough
to know il. because he believed an office
of the United States should not use hi
official position TO boost any worthless
enterprise.
In answer To a question Cooper said h
did not know he could prove that Genera
Raum knew the invention was n fraud
He could prove he ought to know.
After further discussion the matte
went over and Smyser was recalled.
| Cooper asked If he had not told Levi
| Ia member of the committee) that he ha,
money interest in the stock. Smyser rs
piled that he told Lewis while the stocl
was entered in his name he did not owl
all of il, but represented some gentlemel
| in Ohio.
This brought Lewis 10 his feet and ther
was wordy war between himself an
Smyser for some time.
Lewis finally admitted he might hav
misunderstood him.
| Adinnrnpl