Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-10
THE BAUM INVESTIGATION.
4 sharp and Acrimonious COlloquy De
tween Lawyer Cooper and
General Sawyer.
by telegraph to the Dispatch

fBy telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
WAsr1xgrov. September 9.-lu the Raum
investigation TO-DAY one of the witnesses
placed on the stand 10 testify IN regard 20
Raum's Refrigerator Company was Ii.
ROssbach. a citizen OF Washington aud
mechanical engineer who had exhaustive
lv investigated the subject Of mechanical
refrigeration. The production OF cold by
mixture Of salts and liquids was not new
dicoverv. but had been known for forty
wears. While erecting an EGGPLANT IN Mem
phis several years ago he had met Frank \:
Smith. whom he had since met here, ana
had been told was pateutee OF the lnlVer-
sal refrigerator. At this point the Com
missioner objected % the line OF inquiry.
Mr.. Cooper said that bee would prove by
the witness that at Memphis he first met
the patentee OF this scheme; that he was
working upon the citizens OF Memphis;
that an effort was made there 70 create a
corporation Just as bad been done here;
TINT the citizens OF Memphis had invested
in II. and that the patentee bad decamped
lust as ne had done IN California after
wards that be next came 10 the Pension
Onice'as the best place 10 work-the place
dedicated 10 the soldiers of the country.
and organized a scheme with the aid OF
the head Of the bureau. and that the
scheme was a fraud.
Said he: "Can Won, dare YOU, gentle
men. suppress that testimony"
Mr. Sawyer: If il depends upon my
vote | shall"
Mr.. Cooper: If you do suppress this
testimony and close this case ! will carry
the question 10 the House Of Representa-
tives and TO the people Of the Cnited
States. and ii will not be settled by ttl5
little c01-ie here.
Sir. SAWYER: think IL is unbecoming 20
officers. acting as court. 10 tell them
what they dare do and what they dare
not do. II Is no work OF courage or brains
for man 20 soy that If somebody don't
act in accordance with his judgment he
will carry u somewhere else.
Mr.. Cooper: ] have just "a much re-
spect for your opinion as II deserves. AZ
this point Commissioner Raum interrupted
20 say that some weeks ago he had pro-
tested against going into his private busl-
ness relations and discrediting him.
Mr.. Cooper had charged that he had
prosututed his Office.
Cooper breaking in: Yes. made II a
huckstering--tand for patent rights.
Raum continued 70 protest against what
ne called dragging N bis private Affairs
that had no connection whatever with the
charges under investigation.
Lewis argued for a full and fair in
vestigati0n without recourse to legal prac-
tees and limitations. II the invention
was impracticable and worthless the coun.
try ought 10 know II, because he believed
that an officer Of the United States
charged with duties such as kaum was
should not use his official position TO
boost any worthless enterprise.
In answer 10 Flick, Cooper said that be
/ did not know that he could prove that
| Raum knew that the invention was a
/ fraud. He could prove that he ought 10
know.
Flick could not see how that could do
any good except 10 AID some corporation
/ IN discreditlng this patent. After further
I discussion the matter went over for set
I Element afterwards, aud Smyser was re-
/ called.
Cooper asked If he had not told Lewis ia
member OF the committed that he had no
/ money interest in the stock.
Smyser replied that he did not tell nlm
ANYTHING of the kind. He told Lewis that
| while the stock was entered in his lSmy-
ser's) name he did not own all Of L, but
represented some gentlemen connected
/ with him in Ohio.
Lewis disputed the correctness OF this
statement. and the two gentlemen became
so heated IA their cOlloquy that the con-
mittee interviewed, and after listening q
an explanation from Smyser, Lewis adj
mitted that he might have misunderstood
HIM or have gotten the wrong impression.