The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-20

NNB ~ During most OF the
c. W. COOPER. { m Z Ii ers g y
worked for him attorneys could examine
their eases. Out-of-town attorneys, how
ever, had no method of learning the
status of their cases except by calling to
their aid a member OF congress or cor
responding with the bureau. Thousands
OF complaints had been received that the
letters of claimants and attorneys were
wholly ignored by the pension Office, and
he submitted letters complaining that the
whole system was being worked for the
benefit OF Washington attorneys. Re-
Gently he understood the order had been
modified SO as to prevent attorneys and
claimants from looking at their cases. He
had no excuse to make for any one who
abused the confidence of a congressman
TO supply for pay the demand for iniorma-
ton about cases, but the policy pur-
sued by Commissioner Raum to bank
up all this business in the hands
Of Washington attorneys, among whom
are his son and indorsers of his notes, ne
submitted, is much more OF crime and
more harmful debauchery of
the public service. Whatever Mr.. Hersey
had done in the way of selling pension
Information had been done without his
Mr.. Cooper's) knowledge or consent, as
had already been testified. The commits
sioner knew as early as September last
that Hersey was abusing witness conf
dence, and in January the commissioner
had asked witness il Hersey was author
led to sign witness name-a thing he
already kGew-and yet instead of telling
him (witnessl of his suspension he had
done everything in his power to have Her
sey bribed, and in the hope that he might
entrap witness had spread a net over two
or three states and called lis spies and
informers into requisition.
The first Information witness had that
Mr.. Hersey was receiving paw for work
done over his signature was when he re-
ceived the letter from Morgan inclosing
Els, which witness returned in letter,
telling Morgan that Hersey could not
take pay for work done as part of witness
congressional duties. 1t was untrue that
be had told Mr.. Morgan that Hersev would
work for him for pay, and witness desired
TO make the declaration that he had
never, directly or indirectly, asked or ac-
Of bis connection with public affairs. MIR.
Raum had introduced a great deal OF cor
FespOndence between Hersey and Mr..
Peet, ard charged that Peet was related to
witness Mr.. Cooper said Peet was
brother-in-law of his brother and an em-
plove OF Maring d Slussher, pension at
.orneys. Mr.. Peet had told him that he
Intended 10 90 into business in Kansas,
and wanted a partner. At Poets request
witness recommended Peet 10 Hersey.
lie believed an honorable partnership
was contemplated, and never afterward
thought or heard of the matter.
Mr.. Cooper then referred to the charge
that he had authorized Maring * Slusher
to print his signature on thousands of
imitation congressional call slips which
had been thrown in the waste basket by
Commissioners Black and Tanner. Mr.
Cooper said Maring had been mentioned
tor the republican nomination in his
(Cooper's) district, and when witness be-
came member of congress in 1899, Mr..
Maring. who had an extensive pension
business, came TO him and said he desired
10 use witness name IN calling up cases
Of 'the bows"
Witness knew nothing of pension laws
at the time, and on Mr. Maring's represen-
tations that it was q usual thing and the
exhibition of call signed by Senator
Iurpie, gave Maring consent, but with the
understanding that the privilege was to
be used only for soldiers in witness dis
Hlct- Witness afterward learned that
Maring was calling up claims all over the
country and then wrote to Commissioner
Tanner and told him that while he had
authorized the use OF his name he had
expressly limited that privilege to soldiers
OF his district. Commissioner Raum, for
purposes which would be perfectly plain,
had either destroyed or in some manner
suppressed the whole of this correspond
ence. III that letter and witness other
correspondence with Commissioner Tan
ner were produced Raum's criticism would
be answered in advance
The recklessness of Gen. Raum, Mr..
Cooper said, was shown in his submitting
an affidavit of David L. Gitt that Com
missioner Black had thrown 5000 of wit
ness congressional call slips into the
waste basket when the record showed
witness did not become a congressman
until Gen. Black went out. In his desire
10 lnJure witness. Commissioner Raum
had been guilty of deliberate falsehood
for he had called attention to Hersey's
having used witness name or call slips
and said he had made no discovery That
Hersey had used any other members
name than that OF witness when the very
papers he filed as exhibits showed five
cases IN which other members names