Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-26
GEN. NOBLE A WITNESS.
The Secretary Appears Before the House
. Pension once Investigating Committee.


The Secretary Appears Before the House
Pension once Investigating COMMITTEES.
he WANTS IT UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WENT vol
UNFAIRLY AND NOT IN oBEDIEScK TO Sun
MoSs-HE TELLS WHY YOUNG RAUM WAS ASKED
10 hEs1oN HIS PosIT1oN.s
Secretary Noble was examined today by the
special House committee appointed to investi-
gaze the management OF the pension Office.
Inc secretary said that at the outset he
wisned to make statement A messenger
from the committee had called on him and he
said that he would attend, but the messenger
had insisted on reading the summons to him
Notwithstanding he (the Secretary had said it
was not necessary. He took this to mean that
there was some doubt as to whether or not he
would attend and that If be did not he would
be compelled to do So
Mr.. Enioe said he could explain that The
messenger had been told to read the summons
to another witness and probably took il for
granted that that course was necessary with
every one.
Secretary Noble snid no referred to that for
two reasons. First the President had init
mated In his message that q free investigate
OF any OF the departments would be welcomed
and he, OF course, was in entire harmony with
that wish.
Secretary Noble said he wanted Congress to
examine his department and he and his officers
would give any information they could.
In the second place, for the benefit of his
successor, he wanted to protest that the head
OF an executive department was not subject to
without limit Of time. 81 came here voluntar-
lily" added the Secretary, land without any
force Of WRIT"
THE REMOVAL OF YOUNG RAUM.
Mr.. Enloe then inquired about the removal
of young Green B. Raum.
The Secretary wanted the facts, now we'll
known, of how Civil Service Commissioner Ly-
man called on him in May, 1891, with paper
making charges against young Raum of recciv-
ing money either directly or indirectly through
a colored man in tine Treasury Department for
the appointment OF man named Smith. an
other man named johnson personatng Smith
in the necessary civil service examination.
The Secretary said it had never been his
pratice TO wait very long under suct circum-
stances and he Immediately required young
Raums resignation. He did not examine into
the matter beyond the report Of the civil serv-
ice commission. Young Raum was the son Of
the commissioner and he gave him time to
find something else to do before his resigna-
ton should take effect. He treated young
Raum mildly, as he thought the circumstances
required he should do SO, because of the young
uau EeltuOHsAIp 10 the ComulhrlOfeI
Mr.. Little On. Y. asked ii ii were customary
to give men whose designations were demanded
thirty days leave.
The Secretary said there was no rule on the
subject. He had expected there would be some
criticism OF his action, but the man being
young he would rather let him 60 out under
| such circumstances than to shirk the response
bility and criticism.
DIDN'T ASK ANT DEFENSE.
D. \ "a
an opportunity had been given young Raum to
defend himself from the charges made.
The Secretary replied: mo, because
ing the service SO deeply, because the charges
were brought to me by an officer Of gov.
eminent bureau which had inyesti.
gated the matter and because they
made statements so apparently truthful de.
termined to rid myself Of it at once. j thought
the good Of the service demanded that be
| should go and sent him."
The Secretary said he had dom. nothing with
reference to the fraud on the civil service
commission, for the commission looked to him
to take care Of young Raum and it would take
care Of the offense against it.
THE CHARGES OF HOWARD AND ENGLE.
Mr.. Enloe then asked the Secretary about
the filing of charges against young
Raum by Messrs. Howard and Engle.
clerks in the pension Office. charging
Raum with demanding money from them.
He told Mr.. Bussey to call the commission
er's attention to this matter and request him to
see to it. The commissioner said the charges
were circulated to injure him and filed counter
charges, with a demand for the removal
of these men and Special Examiner Taylor. who
was suspected by the commissioner of being
| connected with the matter. The Secretary told
MIR. Enioe that he thought the charges
| about balanced each other. Young Raum
was out of the service and he
refused to remove Howard and Engle Tay.
ior he had asked to resign because
he CMr Noble) had previously come to the
conclusion that it would advance the govern.
ments interests. The commissioner and Mr.
| Taylor were not getting along well together.
There was a conflict of authority between them
and he thought the commissioner should be
sustained rather than Mr.. Taylor.
NO REMovALs WITHOUT CAUSE
Mr.. Enloe proceeded to question the Secre
| tary as to the removal of persons without
| cause. Mr.. Noble said all removals were TO,
cause. He could not recall instances but the
| records of the Office were unimpalred and
| would show the cause for each removal
1t was his rule that cause must be assigned
for all removals. He did not remember that
| in 1889 he had removed large force Of specia
examiners
Mr. Payson said he would show that the MGR
we're not removed, but merely called in from
| the field because the funds were practically ex
hausted.
Mr.. Enloe said he would show by some of the
men themselves that they were removed.
Naval Oraers.
Commander Yates Stirling has been ordered
as member OF the naval examining and re-
| firing boards. Boatswain A. McCone, or.
\