Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-08
THE psNsioN-oFfIce INQUIRY.
Com missioner Raum Offers Evidence
Against q Prosecutors Clerk.


Against q Prosecutors Clerk.
fCorrespondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, ID. c., April The in
yestigation of the conduct of the Pension
Bureau by the House Committee, OF which
General Wheeler is chairman. to-day de-
yeloped q matter of unusual interest.
Commissioner Kaum was on the stand,
and Mir. Enloe, of Tennessee Democrat),
was conducting the examination.
TO Mr.. Enioe the witness said that the
Pension Office refused 10 permit attorneys
and claimants to examine pension papers
TO ascertain what evidence was needed to
make good their claims. As q courtesy to
members of the House and Senate, under
q fong-standipg practice OF the ONCE, the
private secretaries of Representatives and
Senators were given that privilege.
MIR. Enloe: As the attorney himself can
mt obtain the information, which might
be very valuable, could he not afford TO
nav menber'b clerk for 1t?
Ex-Congressman Payson, of Illinois,
(Raum's COUNSEL: On the face OF 1t that
isa matter ofinference, and your judgment
is as good rs MIR. Raum's.
Mr.. Enloe retorted that he proposed TO
show It was more than On inference. and
then asked: do you know about any
clerk of member of Congress or an attor-
INC il to pension attorneys throughout
the country and receiving pay tor it"
This question, TO the surprise OF the
whole committee. sprang decided sensa-
ton. The Commissioner evidently had
been preparing for Just such an inquiry,
for be had on the table near him a large
bundle OF papers in the form of afiidavits
letters, and reports. Replying to Mr.. En-
loe's question, he said he knew of such q
case. and the man was Samuel Il. Hersey
private secretary to Representative Cooper
Of Indiana Democratj, one of the prose-
cutors in the present case. There were
perhaps 900 pension cases all over ths
Northwest in which Hersey was involved
Mr.. Payson said that 1t was on this mat
ter that DIR. Lineaweayer, one OF Mr.
kaum's clerks, whose absence has beer
frequently inquired about, had been en-
gagged.
offered in evidence by Mr.. Raum, but have
not yet been admitted in evidence, the
committee desiring to examine them anc
pass upon the matter
The substance of them Is covered in |
letter from the Commissioner to the Secre
tary of the interior, dated April 10Th, re
commenting Hersey's disbarment.
After Mr.. Raum had stated something a
to what was in these papers (they no
having Dteu ISdu w tuc COuiuit'coii So'e
raj questions were asked about them. ant
Mr.. Enloe inquired If Hersey repre-
sented himself to be the employee OF an.
member Of Congress besides Mr.. Cooper
The Commissioner said yes, that Her
sey also said he was the private secre
tary of Mr.. Brookshire, OF Indiana demo
craft, and MIR. Gantz, of OHIO Democrat
Mr.. Enloe asked next how it was tina
the examiner had looked into only tn
matter Of the cases of Mr.. Cooper, one 81
the prosecutors of the investigation.
The Commissioner said his attention ha'
been specially called to MIR. Coopers slip
by Mr.. Wnittineill and x-Representativ
Williams. He had received no evidenc
such as he had in Mr.. Cooper's case, tina
Hersey was using the slips of Messrs
brookshire and Gantz in an improper way
Nh. Raum admitted that he had hear
OF Hersey's doings some time ago. bu
said he had only recently secured all til
evidence.
Chairman Wheeler, after to-day's hear
ing. said be thought the investigation
would have one good effect IL doing ava
with congressional interference with tn
pension Office work. He thought Cor
Rress was responsible during the sessio
Tor an expense Of about 1000 day i
running the pension ONCE.