The National tribune., 1892-04-07
PENSION BUREAU INVESTIGATION.
Continuation OF the Proceedings-Gen. Raum and
Other Witnesses Testify.

Continuation OF the Proceedings-Gen. Raum and
| Other Witnesses Testify.
The Special Committee of the House investi-
eating the workings, of the Pension Bureau
held several sessions during the past week. It.
N. Lock wood, patent attorney of Washington,
formerly Chief Clerk Of the Interior Depart.
ment. told of request that Gen. Raum made
to him for loan of money for few days to
help him out. He could not loan the Commits
sioner the money himself, but took him to Mr..
Thompson, the President of the National
Metropolitan Bank. who he thought might ac-
commodate him. Mr.. Thompson refused to ac-
commodate the Commissioner because Of some
personal feeling against him (the Commissioner
on account of the latter's refusal to promote a
clerk in the Pension Office that Mr. Thompson
and other persons had asked him to promote.
Mr.. Thompson agreed subsequently to lead the
money to Mr.. Lockwood, who in turn loaned
it to the Commissioner The loan was subse-
quently paid. In reply to Mr. Payson the wit
ness said it was no part of the consideration
that Raum should promote the clerk referred
to for the loan of the money.
John w. Thompson, President of the Ma
tional Metropolitan Bank, detailed the circum-
stances attending the request for loan. He
had expressed to the Commissioner the hope
that, if it was consistent with his duty, he
would make the promotion. The witness de-
clared that he did not seek to compensate or
bride Raum to secure the promotion.
William III. Barker, formerly Chief Of the
Record Division of the Pension Office, was
called to the witness stand. ]. E. Engle, who
was subsequently dismissed from the Office. and
William t. Ford were his assistants. He sue
ceeded Ford as Chief of Division. Witness had
been in office only few weeks when Special
Examiner Brooks brought him a letter (Which
he thought at the time had been written by
Ford bearing on certain alleged relations of
Engle to women in the office, and charging
that he had bottle of whisky in his desk.
The charges contained in the letter were upon
investigation found to be untrue. Green B.
Raum, jr., had asked for the removal of the
person who wrote the letter. but this request
had not been agreed to. The three women
referred to in the letter were subsequently
promoted. Witness said that Engle was re-
garded as capable man, to whom he was re-
ferred for advice in official matters. He never
saw Mr.. Eagle under the influence of liquor.
Witness had also heard reports that Mr.. Ford
abused his female clerks. He (witness) had
asked the Commissioner for the transfer of
Ford to some other Division, and the Commits
sioner promised to look into the matter, but
took no action on the request.
The witness said he had borrowed $50 from
clerk named Donohue, whom be had made
Section Chief, Donohue getting the money
from a clerk named Morse The note not be-
ing office hours. saying that unless the money
was paid Immediately Morse would have him
tBarker) arrested. Witness paid the money
and Immediately reduced Donohue to clerk
ship (but without reduction of salary for in
snbord ination in writing such a letter during
office hours. After good deal of questioning
the witness said Green B. Raum, jr.. probably
got part of the $50, as he and witness were
borrowing money back and forth of each
other.
Gen. Raum was again called, and read three
letters, in two of which he asked the dismissal
of Remand from the Pension Office In these
letters Mr.. Raum called attention to articles
which had appeared in the New York Tribune,
criticizing the conduct of Pension Office officials
and commenting particularly upon one CASE
The Commissioner wrote that Mr.. Renaud ad-
mitted having the papers in this case on his
desk, but gave no explanation as to why he
had the papers on his desk. Mr.. Renaud's
duties did not require him to examine the
papers, and he had no right to take the papers
from the files; the articles could not have been
written without these papers, and while Re-
maud denied all connection with the articles,
he admitted being a writer for that paper.
When asked If he had tried to have Russell
Harrison keep the New York Tribune from
publishing these articles Gen. Raum emphatic.
ally said he had not, nor did he know that
anybody else had tried. Gen. Raum said he
had never had conversation about the matter
with either the President or his son. When
asked if Gen. Bussey had told him that Capt
Lemon and Russell Harrison would fix this
matter, Gen. Raum said the whole matter was
news to him.
Gen. Raum was asked if Linweaver, his con-
fdential clerk, had returned to the city, and
he said he had. Mr.. Payson, Gen. Raums
said the Commissioner had refused to
say what Linweaver's business away from the
city was upon his advice; for, il given pub
licity now, it might defeat the purpose intend
ed, which had no connection with the investi-
cation so far as it had gone. Mr.. Enloe asked
if Special Examiner had been called to Wash.
ington from Pittsburg to spot newspaper Offices,
and Gen. Raum said he was not here TO "spot."
but was called to make observations in regard to
Fleming. Gen. Ram said he was being shad-
owed from his Office to his house, and all his
were known, and he wanted to
know who was the cause Of it. He said num-
Der of men were trying to destroy him and his
influence in the Office, break down and bring
the Office into disrepute, and Fleming was the
principal of these men.
When asked if he had consulted with en-
ployes of the Pension Office about using their
influence to prevent this investigation, Gen.
Raum denied it emphatically. The inquiry
took decidedly political turn at this stage.
Mr.. Enloe asked If the Commissioner found
Examiners were using their places to aid the
Democratic party, what he would do and he
said he would call them in. He also said
I" When / came to make reduction in Exam
liners / gave preference TO Republicans, because
this is Republican Administration. When /
have a discretion to exercise in the appoint
ment and assignment Of men, prefer men of
my party. am not using the Office a ma.
chine to do any political act. You Ito Mr..
Enloe) are here because you are Democrat.
| am in my position because l am Republi-
CAM
When asked If he thought this proper in the
ad IN inistration Of the pension laws. he said
" No, sir; ! have always made 1t an absolutely
rule that politics shall never enter
into the administration of the law. Democrats
have as good a chance as Republicans in the
Of the law; but when it comes
to assigning men to duty in the field / make
it point to know their politics. Take medi-
cal boards You can't find good doctor who
has not political opinions and / give Rcpub-
licans the preference"
When asked If there were not more pensions
granted in doubtful districts than in Others
Gen. Raum said there were not more granted,
and when asked whether it just happened, or
was designed that more pensions were given to
Indianans. replied: you must ask Gen.
Black. / do not think it was design ] think
it just happened. l know Gen. Black was
very much exercised over it, aud made close