Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-09
PAY DIRT STRUCK
IN THE INVESTIGATION OF PENSION
OFFICE PECULIARlTIES.

How Big Money Is Being Made-Attorneys
Who Have the Run of the Office Fatten
Fast-They Also Turn a Penny by Being
Clerks to Congressman.
WASHINGTON, April 8. 8.-Representative
Brookshire voluntarily took the stand this
morning in the Pension Office investigation.
He testified that he at first attempted to
attend to all the business himself. but he
had scrivener's paralysis. and while he did
considerable of the work himself, he en-
ployed MI. Hersey to look after his pension
business If anything had occurred which
has resulted in the abuse by his secretary OF
the courtesies extended to members of Con-
gress he was free to say he was very sorry
and knew nothing of it. He never had any
knowledge that Hersey was using his name
for his personal ends, and never authorized
him to so use it.
Representative N. X. Gants of Ohio, tes-
titled that he had employed Hersey to look
after his pension claims because he under
stood Hersey to be very efficient in that
work. Witness did not know Hersey had
misused his name.
Samuel R Hersey, the pension attorney
who was charged with calling up cases on
Congressional slips and furnishing informa-
tion to attorneys for pay, was then examin-
ed. He testified that he also worked for
Representatives Durburrow of Illinois, and
Perkins of Iowa. In the last Congress, in
addition to the members named, he worked
for Messrs. Martin and Struble, of Iowa
No Understanding With His Employers.
Witness had no understanding with the
Congressman, except to render them good
service, and none of them knew witness was
receiving pay from attorneys. he knew
that other clerks to Senators and members
called up cases, signing their employer s
name, and he believed they received pay for
information furnished.
Hersey said he had sold the information
he got as Cooper's secretary, and had also
used the slips of Brookshire, and (he
thought) of Mr.. Perkins, of Iowa Had
not used Mr.. Gantz's slip. Senator Plumb's
private secretary, B. F. Flenniken, was one
of the Senators clerks who witness be-
lieved called up cases for attorneys for COM
pensation.
Witness said he knew two men who
worked for members who sold information
to pension attorneys. After good deal of
pressing, Mr. Payson learned that the two
members clerks were Mr.. Maddox, who
worked for Representatives Cochran, Eng
lish and Harter, and Mr.. Mcclellan, who
worked for his father, Representative
Mcclellan, and Mr.. Martin, of Indiana
Some Things Easily Forgotten.
With reference to the visit of Mr. Nor
gan, of Indiana, to witness Office, Mr. Her.
sey testified that Mr.. Cooper had introduced
Morgan as being in the same business. Thev
talked about pension matters. If MI.
Cooper had said: 'If you have anything
worth paying for, Hersey will attend to it
for you," witness certainly had not heard
it. Did not remember to have replied that
he would be glad to assist Morgan.
Mr.. Cooper showed witness letter in which
Mr.. Morgan had sent him (Mr. Cooper) $25.
and said he did not understand it. Witness
said to Mr.. Cooper he presumed it was pay
for some expert examination he had
made for Morgan. Mr.. Cooper re-
piled that pay could not be
taken for any such work, and
said he would return it. Witness testified
that he had been discharged from the PEN
sion Office by Commissioner Raum about
two years ago, but for what reason he could
never learn. He said that If there were any
moral obliquity or turpitude involved in his
acts, no member of Congress was RESPONSE
ble
H. f. Lineaweaver, a confidential clerk to
Commissioner Raum, testified that Green B.
Raum. Jr., and not the Commissioner, had
brought Examiner Sproesser here to watch
Fleming; and recently witness had heard
the Commissioner ask "what Sproesser was
doing here"
This is in contradiction of the Comm1s-
sioner's own statement that he brought
Sproesser here,