Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-17
THE RAUM CASE CLOSED.
After the Usual Tilt Today the Test.
mouy II Brought to an END.

GEO. =. fLEAINo OF TEE oIAND-AoW rNr0AHA-
rIox MAS sEounEp FoR Nh. coorgl-soxE
THfxos n yLEMrse's oAHRHR m. nAuM
WANTED TO Asx Asour-HR. cooPra TALKS
ABOUT GLASS HousEs
Geo. q. Fleming was tho flrst witness today
before the committee investigating the charges
against Pension Commissionsr Raum. When
he was called to the stand both sides
disclaimed having subponaed him and there
vas . little hitch about his examination,
but finally Mr.. Cooper conseuted:to examine
him at the request Of the committee. Mr..
Cooper asked II Butler Fitch had not told him
that Bradley Tanner had given the names of
six or seven Pension ONCE employees who held
refrigerator stock.
Witness replied that Fitch had said 60,
and he (witness) had told it to Mr.. Cooper, az
with the Chinese legation. Witness also heard
Fitch tell Mr.. Cooper that his cheek turned
''palc" when he read Tanners testimony.
HOW TIE fxyoaxATlox WAS sxcunxD.
To Commissioner RAum witness said that he
had brought Mr.. Cooper where he eould meet
Fitch. Before the resolution Of inquiry had
been prepared witness had assured Mr. Cooper
that the charges could be proved, but
had not mentioned Fitchs name wit
ness had written the articles on the sub
ject which appeared in the indianapolis
Sentinel and had supplied information
Six or seven good men besides Fitch had SUP.
Piled witness with information 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 saying that the evident purpose was
.to get even' with the employees.
The commissioner replied that be desired 10
bring those men before the committee.
Mr.. Cooper said that the men had said that
Bradley Tanner was stakeholder and that was
now proved.
Continuing, witness said that he had sent the
men to Tanner to talk with him and bring the
information to him (witness). He desired TO
use 1t III his newspaper business.
He had been an ernploye in the Office himself
and knew the men to be reliable. That was
last spring. His object was not particularly to
"put up case" ON the commissioner, but to
get ut the truth. Witness finally left the PEN
sion Office January % last. Never had any per-
sonal feeling against the commissioner, nor had
he said that he was going after the commissioner
because Of his discharge. Had said that he
would got even with the man who got him out,
Theodore Smith. and had done il. Had been
postmaster at Charlotte, Mich, and the post
Office had been robbed.
rSou1RIya INTO A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION.
The commissioner inquired whether witness
had not been involved in some shady real es-
tate transaction in Grand Rapids, but Mr..
Cooper objected to gong into those personal
matters.
The commissioner replied that no wanted to
prove that the witness was . rascal.
Mr.. Coopcr-H you 20 into that / want to
show that il is true of y "a. Men who live in
giase houses should not throw stones.
The COnmissi :ner-"I think your house is
40 CLASSY as anybody's."
Mr.. Coopcr-'.Well, defy you"
As the commissioner pressed the question
Mr.. Cooper exclaimed: "If can't show more
rottenness In his (Raum's) record than in that
OF any man in Washington will withdraw"
The witness said that if his record rs a post
master was challenged he would refer to ex-
Controller Lacey, who had been his bondsman.
THE POST OFFICE ROBBERY.
Reference having been again made by the
commissioner to the robbery Of the post Office,
Mr.. Cooper asked il the commissioner ex-
psated to show that the witness had robbed it.
The commissioner replied that Mr.. Cooper
had in his pocket letter from gentleman.
who stated that the witness was suspected of
the robbery.
1t this point the committee insisted on cut
ting Oh the examination into this matter, and
also refused to hear testimony as to whether
witness had been discharged because he was a
democrat
The witness Was then dismissed
NO NOTE OF THAT KIND.
To Mr.. Cooper the commissioner denied that
Mr.. Lemon had Endorsed note for him at the
Second National Bank in addition to the notes
held at the Bank of the Republic.
TEE CASE CLOSED.
The chairman having ascertained that there
were no more witnesses to be examined an
nounced that the case was closed The COM
mittee win at once begin the preparation of Its
report