The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-27
NEWS OF WASHINGTON.
The House Committee Looking Over
the Pension Office,
SECRETARY NOBLE TfSTIFlES.
The Charge Left no Chance for Defence
The Question of Young Raum's Res
frnation-The Business OF Congress
Indian Land Titles Disputed.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-Secretary Noble
was examined by the Special House Com
mittee appointed to investigate the man
agement Of the Pension Office. Referring
TO the removal Of young Green b. Raum,
the Secretary narrated the facts, now well
known. OF how Civil Service Commits
sioner Lyman called on him in May, 1891,
with paper making charges against
young Raum OF receiving money either
directly or indirectly, through a colored
man in the Treasury Department, for the
appointment of a man named Smith,
another man named Johnson personating
Smith in the necessary civil service exam
nation.
The Secretary said It had never been his
practice TO wait very long under such cir
cumstances, and he immed lately required
young Raum's resignation. He did not
examine into the matter beyond the re-
mort of the Civil Service Commission.
Young Raum was the son Of the Commits
sioner, 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 circum-
stances required that he should do SO, be-
cause OF the young mans relationship TO
the Commissioner.
Mr.. Little of New York, asked IL ii were
customary TO give men whose resignation
was 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 rath-
er let him go out under such circumstan-
COS than 10 shirk the responsibility and
criticism.
Asked if an opportunity had been given
Young Raum TO defend fhimsel from the
charges made, the secretary replied: "No,
because / thought the charge of such a
character, affected the service so deeply;
because the charges were brought to me
by an officer of government bureau
which had investigated the matter and
because they made statements so appaE-
emily truthful, determined to rid my
self OF il at once. / thought the good of
the service demanded that he should CO."
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 for them.
The Secretary said he told Mr.. Hussey TO
call the commissioners attention TO this
matter and request him to see TO il. The
commissioner said the charges were cir
culated TO injure him and filed counter
charges with demand for the removal Of
these men and filed counter charges with
a demand for a removal of these men and
Special Examiner Taylor who was sus-
pected by the Commissioner of being con-
nected with the matter. The Secretary
added that he thought that the charges
about balanced each other.
Young Raum was out of the service and
he refused To remove Howard and Engle.
Taylor he had asked TO resign because he
(Mr. Noble) had previously come to the
conclusion that IL would advance the
Governments interests. The Commits
sioner and Mr.. Taylor were not getting
along together. There was a conflict OF
authority between them and he thought
the committee should be sustained rather
than Mr.. Taylor. Mr.. Noble said all re-
movals were for cause. He could not re-
call instances, but the records of the Of
fee were unimpaired and would show the
cause for each removal.
Ii was his rule that cause must be as
signed for all removals. He did not re-
member that in 1889 he had removed a
large force of special examiners.
Mr.. Payson said he would show that
the men were not removed, but merely
called in from the field because the funds
were practically exhausted.
Mr.. Enloe said he would show by some
OF the men themselves that they were re-
moved,