The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-27
Bussey's Conduct in the Interior
Department Will Be Thoroughly
0verhauled.
His Share in the Scandals of the
Pension Office Under
Raum.
Despite Rose Colored Interviews Treasury
Oniciais Worried by tho state OF
the Cash Box.

WASHINGTON. May 26.-Cyrus W. Bussey,
who is the assistant secretary of the in
terror, having in charge all pension matters,
is the next man on the list of Office holders
under the present administration whose
corrupt methods and dishonest dealings
will be ventilated by the newspapers until
no is forced to retire to that oblivion from
which John w. Noble dragged him. Bussey
is out in an interview in the New York
Tribune in which he asserts young Ranm' 4
innocence and in which he attempts to ex-
plain away the ugly things which now stand
against Kaum, ST., and the pension Office.
He does all this in spite of the fact that
there are several copies of the evidence
taken in the case of Raum, DR., in ex-
istence, showing positively that he
committed the worst kind of breach
and in fact was really guilty of
criminal practices in the disposition of Of
fees of the pension bureau. Bussay states
that there WAS little or nothing to condem n
in him. The matter ls being investigated
and unless the administration determines
to cover up the scandal and corruptness of
the pension bureau criminal prosecution
will be brought against young Raum. There
is good reason to believe, and in fact it is
stated upon the best of authority, that the
Smith-Strawn case was only sample case
in the list Of which young Raum was guilty.
The number of offices he has sold out to
people for greater or less sums is said to be
as high as one-third of the offices outside of
the qualified service appointed since he be-
came assistant chief of the bureau.
Bussey wanted Tanners place. He
schemed in every way to injure the poor
corporal, who was more of fool than a
knave, and he was very much disappointed
when it was found that he could not be put
in charge of the pension office as commits
sioner. He was Tanners most bitter enc
my, but he is friendly to the Raums. Que
reason why he was not appointed commits
sloner was because of reports that he had
been unfriendly to Tanner, and because
having schemed to secure Tanners removal,
1T would be said that he had done SO be-
cause he wanted the place, and that the re-
ward of bouncing the corporal would be his
appointment to more lucrative and
money making position than that which he
occupied, for the commissionership of
the pension bu!eau has come to be
regarded as pretty fat office if in
the hands of an adroit aud skillfol per-
son who knows how to make the most of it.
Bussey has tried q different tack with
Raum-seemlng to be convinced that old
Raum must go-and willis he is doing the
friendly act he is still candidate for the
place as much as he was when Corporal
Tanner was bounced in Difference TO the
demand of public opinion. But Bussey
himself is the next on the list of pension
Office corruptionists who must walk the
plank. Nothing will save either Raum or
Bussey but the interference of the admins
tration in behalf of the men it has created.
1t Ia hard to tell inst why RnGaav 10 trvipu
to cover up the Kaum scandal, unless, al
has been intimated. he is afraid that an in
vestigation will reflect seriously upon his
own career and may lead to disclosures
which will place him as deeply in the mire
as the Raums.