The National tribune., 1892-05-19
PENSION BUREAU INVESTIGATION.


Against.
The Special Committee of the House investi-
eating the Pension Bureau resumed their scs-
sons last week. A. K. Hayward, clerk in the
Pension Office, testified that he was removed
from the classified service Oct 20. 1890. on
the ground, as far as he kdcw, because he would
not give the list of his tHayward's) indebted
ness to Green b. Raum, jr. Raum. jr.'s, rea-
son for knowing his creditors was because COM
plant had been made against witness. After
waiting for awhile, the witness fled papers
with Green Il. Raum. jr., for reinstatement
but the case was not attended to, and every
time witness called on youug Raum to see about
his case he found him absent from the Office
1t was a wellknown fact, the witness said, that
young Ranm haunted the pool-rooms AMI Inc
visited them and SAW young Raum there on
five occasions during office hours. He was
finally reinststed, after having seen Secretary
Noble in company with Gen. Patterson, Second
Auditor of the Treasury Department..
In answer to Chairman Wheeler as to what
other Pension Office employees he saw at the
pool-rooms he said that he had seen Special
Examiner Greenawalt. a man named Shannon,
Morris Ketcham, and Theodore Smith all there
during office hours.
J. A. Race a clerk in tbs Pension Bureau
testified that he had had a conversation with
Chief Clerk Webster, of the Civil Service Com
mission, about some one wanting pay for his
Races appointment to the Pension Bureau.
In support Of this he produced kilograms re-
ceived by him at Ardmore, l. T., from III. E
Quincy, in Washington, in ono of which Quincy
said that he could get place If he desired it.
The second telegram informed him that he had
been appointed to place in the Pension Office
When witness arrived in Washington he was
asked for money by Quincy, but refused TO give
him any. Witness could not tell how Quincy
got access to the certified list for appointments
and the committee decided to call Quincy if he
could be found.
By way Of variety che committee undertook
to investigate the New York Tribune and Maj
Clark, of that paper, was called rs a witness.
The Major was asked what had caused the
change of front OF the Tribune, which at one
time was vigorously attacking the Pension
bureau and Gen. Raum, and what pressure
had been brought to bear to stop the publica-
ton of matter inimical to Gen. Raum. To both
these questions Maj. Clark replied that he did
not know that the conrse of the Tribune was
being investigated, and until committee was
appointed for that purpose he must decline TO
answer the questions. The point was held By
the committee to be we'll taken.
Correspondent SeckendorR. of the New York
Tribune, said lIe did not know Of any CORE
spondence between Russell Harrison and
Whitelaw Reid looking to suppression of at
tacks upon the Pension Office by the Tribune.
He declined to answer Mr.. Enloe's question
whether or not Private Secretary Halford had
requested that the attacks on the Pension Office
be stopped.
Mr.. A. S. Taber, manager Of Capt. Lemons
claim business, in answer to questions touching
the matter, said that perhaps 20 former en-
ployes of Capt. Lemon had obtained positions
in the Pension Office, but that in each case they
had passed Civil Service examination.
The Ford case came up again in the testimony
Of S. s. Lincoln, now of the Treasury Depart
ment, who was formerly In the Pension Office.
He said that he had reported Ford TO Chief
Clerk Fisher, and thereupon Ford had him
assigned to work he could not do because of his
disability. This, he said, caused trouble DO
tween them.
Mrs Sloan, q clerk in the Pension Office,
testified that she loaned money to Ford, which
was overdue before it was paid. She denied
that Ford had treated her ungentlemanly, or
that any conversation had with him was re-
sponsible for her illness at the time the money
was due.
At the close Of this testimony Mr.. Enloe
stated there was great deal of evidence, largely
cumulative in It's character. relating to the
methods pursued in individual pension claims,
but he did not suppose the committee would be
willing to go into it. 1t is not probable that
this testimony will be heard. Mr. Brosius
congratulated the committee upon the fact that
tho tedious and protracted inquiry was nearing
an end.
Dr. J. W. Little. a member of the Board of
Surgeons OF the Pension Office, was before the
Pension Office Investigating Committee on
Thursday, May IL. In answer to Mr.. En!oe's
questions the witness reluctantly stated that
Green B. Raum, jr, asked him to iEdoFse a
note which he did not do. The witness made
trfing answers, and persisted in declining to
say whether he loaned young Raum any money
while both were in Office
Il oil Driu In,
the Pension Office, admitted that he borrowed
different sums of money from Donoghue at 10
per cent, but said that the latter perjured him.
self when he stated that he Kelly had SUBJ
scribed for stock in any company in which
Commissioner Raum was interested. The
witness, in reply to Chairman Wheeler, said
that he had nothing to conceal, not even his
poverty.
Dr. Ingram, g Medical Examiner in the PEN
sion Office, in answer to Dir. EnIoe, said that
there was no evidence to show that w. w.
Dudley had been examined prior to the in
crease in his pension. In Dudley's case
the amputation was practically at the knee
joint. and came within the meaning of an act
of Congress regulating such cases.
W. H. Scudder, a Principal Examiner, stated
that, with probably two or three exceptions.
no cases had been taken out of their order
and made special" These were cases show
ing extreme poverty and dependence on the
part of the claimant. The statement of MEN,
Der of Congress that the case was an exception
ally urgent one had been deemed sufficient
evidence.
r. A. Durham said so far as he knew no rec
ord was kept Of the absence of Chiefs of Divis-
ions, except when they We're absent a day or
more.
Dr. Ingram was recalled and stated with ref.
erence to the W. w. Dudley case that he had
learned that few days before the Dudley claim
was allowed Commissioner Tanner had made
ruling to the effect that an amputation very
near the knes:joint should be regarded as Eat
the knee" within tho meaning OF the act. No
other action could have been taken in the Dud-
ley case than was taken in view of this ruling,
provided the medical evidence as to the exact
location of the amputation had been furnished.
1t was in sense q rerating, but an increase
under the law.
W. B. Shaw, Chief Of the Finance Division,
said that after the act of Aug. 4, 1885, Commits
sioner Black had directed that cases coming
under the act be acted upon soon as possible.
He declined to approve the Dudley claim be-
cause he did not think it came within the scope
of the act. The papers were sent to Commits
sioner Tanner, and subsequently, returned with
a direction that the claim be allowed.
ARMY AND NAVY.
Secretary Tracy has ordered the Concord.