Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-29
HOWARD HAS HIS SAY.
The Retiring Pension Bureau Exam
iner's Letter Received,
TWO REASONS FOR RESIGNING.
Every Attempt to Get Him to Change His
Mind Proves Abortive
OFFERED ANYTHING HE COULD ASK FOR
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. I

D
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-Great concern
was manifested to-day, at the Interior De-
partment, upon the receipt of the letter of
resignation of Captain Edward Howard,
the special examiner of the Pension Bureau
who has made serious charges against Com
missioner Raum, and which was forecast In
detail, exclusively, in these kilograms last
evening. No sooner was the letter received
than messengers were dispatched for Mr..
Howard.
Secretary Noble did not appear at his
office, and could not be found, but Mr..
Howard responded promptly to the sum-
mons, and had long talk with Assistant
Secretary Bussey. Every attempt was made
to dissuade Mr.. Howard from making his
resignation final. Assistant Secretary Bussey
and Mr.. Ryan, Secretary Mobiles private
secretary, implored him to reconsider
his purpose. Mr.. Bussey offered him the
utmost liberty of movement, withpay. He
said to him that if, on account of his ati-
davits inimical to Commissioner Raum, his
life in the bureau was made unpleasant, he
could remain away from the office and his
position would not be affected. Howard
was obdurate, however, and insisted that
his resignation be accepted or that he be
dismissed. He had had enough of 1t.
When Bussey remarked that he had been
told that Howard would lend assistance to
the Democrats in the New York crmpaign,
as described in THE DIsPATCH's Washing
ton specials last evening, Howard replied,
after the manner of Kipling, "That's an
other story" and refused to go into par
ticulars.
TWO REASONS FOR RESIGNING.
The letter of resignation, the substance of
which was given in THE DISPATCH this
morning, is given to the press verbatim this
evening, and is as follows:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 1891.
SIR-I have the honor to forward you my
resignation as clerk of the Pension Bureau,
for the following reasons:
First. Over one month ago /, at your sug-
gestion, made certain statements, under the
form of affidavits in which l made grave
charges against the administration of the
Pension Bureau, and offered positive and
official proof of the truth of those charges.
have patiently waited to be called upon
for that proof-have been ready to produce
it any moment-but so far, have had no in
timation whatever as to when said charges
would be investigated, if ever.
Second, Since the filing OF said charges l
have been subjected, in many ways, to a
series of petty insults ana prosecutions.
fused me, though granted to others. General
Raum has openly boasted that he had the
favor and confidence of the PresidenE and
yourself, and that he had insisted upon my
dismissal. The Acting Chief Clerk, the
chief of my division and other members of
the pension ring, inside and outside OF the
Office, have been SO open in their hostility as
to impair my health and to render me IN
able to attend to the duties of my position.
1 therefore ask your prompG acceptance of
my resignation, or, if you see fit to dismiss
action. At the same time, repeat my offer
to prodsice absolute proof of the charges
made by me, i. g., the official record.
am, sir, very respectfully,
To Hon. J. W. Noble. Secretary of the In
terror.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS.
Mr.. Howard will remain in New York,
probably till after the election, and then re-
Join Mrs. Howard iu England, but he will
be subject at all times to recall by cable to
appear before the Congressional Committee
which will certainly be appointed to over
haul Raum and the Pension Bureau, and
will thus tell vastly more than he will
probably divulge in New York before the |
elections-that is, if the Democrats are not
so sure of SUCCESS as to be indifferent to the
Pension Office scandal.
One incident in the life of Captain |
Howard is of peculiar interest to Pennsyl- |
vanians. In the sixties he was Captain of |
the Soldiers Home at Philadelphia, and |
was citizen of the Second Congressional |
District, then, as now, represented |
by Charles O'Neill A bill had been in |
troduced in Congress to furnish artificial |
legs and arms free to armless and legless |
veterans once in five years, or, in lieu of |
them, $75 in money. Captain Howard |
called on O'Neill and asked his support of |
the bill, but was refused. He called on |
Hon. w. D. Kelley, then at home, and |
Kelley at once took train for Washington,
secured a.suspension of the rules, called |
up the bill and had it passed by the House.
On the evening following the refusal of |
O'NeiIl meeting of old soldiers was held |
in the Second district. Captain Clary, an |
old soldier, was nominated to run against |
O'Neill. The Democrats were dissuaded |
from making nomination, and Clary was |
elected over O'Neill by about GOO ma
iority.
; A RECORD UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
Every effort is being made to discover |
against the character of Howard |
to counteract what it is expected he will say |
now or before Congressional committee. |
His soldier record is being scanned from be-
ginning to end, and his private life is being |
examined with a microscope. He welcomes |
such investigation. His soldier record may
be judged from the fact that he lost leg /
and is wounded in four or five places on his |
body. He was promoted, when corporal, |
on the field Of battle for conspicuous |
and is not ashamed of it.
Altogether, the Pension Bureau scandals |
do not down, though they have been
quiescent for a week or two, and if Howard |
does not grow tired of his contract much |
more will be heard of them in the very near
future.
The PenusYlHania,s Business.