, 1891-05-20
SOLD SITUATIONS.
Son Does a Rushing
Business in That Line.
He is Also Accused of Taking
Government Money.
The Young Man Allowed to
Resign His Position.

WASHINGTON, Mag l9.-Ihe details
of a very unsavory scandal we're made
public the other day when Gen. Bussey,
assistant secretary OF the interior, ac-
cepted the resignation Of Green B.
Raum, Jr., assistant chief clerk of the
pension bureau aud son of Gen. Raum,
the commissioner of pensi ms, An iu-
vestigation OF the official conduct of the
young man developed the fact that he
has for some months past made a bust
ness Of selling for cash appointments aud
promotions in the pension bureau, and
that IN addition he had purloined money
belonging to the treasury of the United
States. Secretary Noble, instead of
promptly Diminishing young Mr.. Raum
when his crime became known, allowed
him to resign after investigating the case,
and the resignation was not accepted un-
til after the borrowed money had been
replaced. But for the l%eniency of Secre-
tary Noble and Assistant Secretaries
Bussey and Chandler, young Raum
would probably have been arrested on
NAN AALAha Nha VI GulptLLitlltIA
Ever since Gen. Raum was made COM
missioner of pensions the actions of his
son nave been the source OF much adverse
criticism, and during the investigation of
the commissioner by a house committee
last winter some unpleasant facts were
brought to light about the young mans
habit of using pension office employees to
attend to his private affairs.
The fact has often been published, too,
that Young Raum was the manager of a
pension claim bureau, aud that he used
his fathers name and public office a. an
advertisement to drum up business.
Many like charges were made against the
commissioner son from time to time,
but none of them was serious enough IN
the eye OF the father to prevent him from
appointing the son to a responsible place
IN the pension bureau and keeping him
in it. The result Of this ~callousness on
the part Of the commissioner is the pres
ent scandal.
1t has been 2 matter Of general COM
ment among the clerks in the down. town
departments for some months that ap-
pointments aud promotions were made to
order in the pension bureau on application
to the proper person, and that person. 1t
soon became known, was Assistant Chief
Clerk Green b. Raum, Jr son of the
commissioner. These rumors became so
numerous and persistent that Secretary
Noble was at last obliged to tako official
notice OF them. Explicit charges were
made that Mr.. Raum had appointed per
sons to the bureau IN return for financial
benefits received or promised, aud one of
the cases was laid before the secretary.
The story told to Gen. Noble was that a
South Carolinian advertised in one of the
local newspapers for a government office
which would pay him not less than $50
per month, and in that same advertise
ment the office seeker declared his willing
ness to reward the one who could get him
a place with the sum OF 5000 cash.
The advertisement was replied to by
a colored man who is employed in the
TREASURY department and who had
been connected in a domestic capacity
with the Raum family. This man in
formed the advertiser of his ability to
secure him the coveted place. The first
stepswas to introduce the South Caroliniau
to Assistant Chief Clerk Raum. That
was done by the colored man, and in a
short time the recommendation for the
Southerner's appointment went through
the regular channels, and the appoint
ment was made. In some way or other
the commission got INTO the hands of the
treasury employe, and he met the
apD0lntee near the interior department
An exchange was affected, the colored
man getting his 5000, while the gentle
man from South Carolina walked away
with the precious document. The colored
man testified that he had paid the greater
portion OF his money to Mr.. Raum, but
Raum denied this statement
Before these matters became known the
case developed still further. The South
Carolinian wanted a promotion. He
needed II 81, 200 salary and was willing to
pay for 1t. A job was put up by which a
clerk in the pension office personated
Smith, for that was the South Carolinian's
name, before the civil service commission.
The substitute passed a good examination
and when Smiths name was drawn from
the eligible list Smith himself put in al
appearance. The photograph of Mr..
jackson, who was the pension Office
clerk, not being on the papers. there was
no way in which to identify Smith, so he
go' ne appointment.
q soon as Secretary Noble was aware
OF these things he promptly discharged
Smith, Jackson and a clerk in the Indian
bureau, who was in some manner con.
cerned in the affair. Then the secretary
called upon Green B, Raum. Jr., to brinl
forth his resignation. To this Mr.. Raun
demurred, but the secretary was obduratt
and the resignation was finally torthcom
ing. Before it was accepted. however
which was not until this afternoon, the
facts as to the stolen money were dis
covered. These facts show that abou
three months ago the sum of $72 was re
ceived by the pension office from a pen
! sioner who claimed to have received tina