Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-02-27
SECRETARY NOBLE
On the Stand in the Pension Bureau In.
yestigatioD.

WARRINGTON, Feb. 26-Secretsry No.
BILE was examined by the special House
committee appointed to investigate the man.
agement Of the pension Office
Little Of New York asked if was custom =
ary to give men. whose resignation has
been demanded, 80 days leave. The secre-
tary said there vas 10 rule on the sub
ject.
He exps scted there vould be some critic
ism Of bis action, but the man bsiag young,
he would rather let him go out under such
circumstances thsn shiik the responsibility
and criticism.
He asked if the opportunity had been
given young Rsum to defend himself from
the charges made; the secretary replied,
mo, beeaute though, the charge Of such
| a character, affecting the service so deep
| Iy, that because the charges we're broush,
to me By an officer 0: the government bu-
| reau which investigated the matter and be.
cause they made statements so apparently
truthful that | determined to rid myself OF
it at once. thought the good of the ser.
| vice demardad that he should go.'
Enloe then asked the secretary about the
| fling Of charges sgsinst young Rsum By
| Howard and Eogle. clerks in the pension
office, charging Rsum with demanding
money from them.
The secretary sAid be told Mr.. Bussey to
call the commissioners attention to the
matter and request him to see to it.
The commissioner said the charges were
cifculsted to il jare him. and filed counter
charges with demand for the removal Of
these men.
Special Examiner Taylor vas suspected
by the commissioner Of being CONNECTED
~ilh the matter. The secretary added tha
he thought the chsrges about balanced
each other. Young Raum was out of ser
vice, ard he refused to remove Howard ant
Engle.
TAYLOR he bad asked to resign because
he Noble had previously come TO th'
conclusion that il would advance the gov
| ernmen.'s interests. The ecDm.ssioDe
and Tsy lor were not getliug along together
| There was corfict Of authority between
them and be thought the commissione e
.oould be sustained rather than Taylor.
ar. y oble said all removals were TO
csuss. He could not recall instances. bu
the records of the Office were unimpsire'
AID would show the cause for escn re
movsl, As i. Was his rule that cause mus
be assigned for all removals.
He did nat Remember that in 1889 he re
moved \ large force Of special examiners
Mr. Psysou said he would show the mel
were not removed, but merely called il
from the field because the funds were prsc
t;esliy exhausted.
3Enloe said thst be would show BY SOM
OF the men themselves ,hst they we're re
moved.
The secretary vas next asked about re
rang. He said the responsibility ofigir
ally rested On Commissioned Black, bu
vhes he found Commissioner Tanner va
proceeding to carry into effect his preds
cessors ruling to degree highly injuriou
to the government, he promptly nopps
il.
He thought it insolsrsble that employe
should undertake to re rate themselves, ~
. made them feel the weight Of Ais authority
. Those re.ratings we're not for larz
. amounts each month. but vent back Ion
time, the aggregate being considerable.
! Sir. Noble said be thought Commissions