The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-20
THE PENSION OFFICE INQUIRY.


WASHINGTON, March 19.-The examina-
ton of Commissioner RRum Of the pen
sion bureau by the house committee was
resumed today. The commissioner said
that Secretary Noble had yesterday disap-
proved his recommendation for the ap-
pointment of his daughter, Mrs. Walters,
as his private secretary, and had ordered
her TO return to her work in the census
Dffice.
Mr.. Enloe asked the commissioner if his
son, when acting rs appointment clerk,
had not charged a fee of % cents for swear
Ing men into office.
Mr.. Raum replied that his son was
notary before he (the SOM went into the
office and charged a fee. The matter was
not stopped by the secretary of the inter
Tor The witness suggested and penned
an amendment which Representative
Cannon inserted in an appropriation bill
stopping the practice, and making it the
duty of the officers of the departments to
do this work without charge. He had OBJ
served the civil service law with the same
fidelity that he had observed other stat
iItes He had never made a removal eX-
cept for cause and be had never removed
any person because Of difference in pol
lCics.
After going over the history of the cir
cumstances connected with the demand
FOR the resignation of Green b. Raum, Jr.,
Mr.. Enloe asked if the witness had seen
the president in regard TO 1t.
The commissioner said that his son had
an application pending before the interior
department to be admitted TO the bar of
the department.. He spoke of this to the
president, and took occasion to speak of
the services his son had rendered in the
pension Office, saying that he had dis
charged his duties with energy and in
telligence The witness also spoke to the
~. oft oh. hat HI IaI
attempted TO defraud the government of
S72 which had come to his hand. He told
the president the circumstances and said
that IN his opinion no greater outrage had
ever been perpetrated than to charge his
son with undertaking TO withhold that
money from the government.
Mr. Enloe inquired if in the interview
with the president the witness had told
him there was a conspiracy in the pension
office to break down the witness admin
istratiou.
Commissioners Raum replied that he did
not remember having made such a state
meut to the president, but he had told the
presidents s secretary so.
Mr.. Enloe-Dld he state that you could
remove any one hostile to your adminis-
tratlon, regardless of the views of the
secretary?
Mr. Raum-The president did not tell
me any such thing.
Mr. Euloe next put in evidence affidavits
made 10y Messrs. Howard and Eugle,
clerks IN the pension office, whose dismiss
M iDe commissioner bad recommended,
making charges hat.Horace 6. Slower had
paid Theodore Smith $50 To be transferred
10 the field and that they had seen
Stoyer give Smith the money. 1t was
charged that Green b. Raum, Jr, got
This money and had solicited money for
Engle
Mr. Payson said that this related TO a
matter long after young Raum was out of
office, but that he would not object TO the
sthGsvIt II IL were expected 10 connect
the commissioners Recommendation for
the dismissal Of Howard aud Engle with IT,
The commissioners, in explanation OF his
recommendation OF dismissal, read u letter
dated Sept - 1891. recommending the
dismissal of Special Examiner Taylor be-
cause he was an unsuitable person to dis
charge the duties in connection with pen
sion claims, and also because he associated
with George b. Fleming, who had eu-
deaVored To break down the administra-
tion Of the pension office
Mr. Raum also read letters recommend
lug the dismissal of J. H. Engle and Ed
ward Howard. because they had conspired
with each other TO destroy the social stand
ING OF Special Examiner Slower, by charg-
Ing that he had been paid to secure his
transfer, aud had tried to lnjure The char
Ecter Of the commissioner or pensions Toy
charging that he had been improperly iu-
huenced IN the matter of Stover's assign
ment. The commissioner said that be had
thoroughly investigated the matter ana
had come to the conclusion that Howard
and En-!e bad made false charges.
He then read Il letter in references TO the
Taylor matter, charging that Tavlor WAS
prejudiced and overbearing in his treat
mcnJ OF pension claimants, and that he
acted as a sDy on the commissioner. in
connection with the recommendation that
E0gle and Howard he dismissed, the com
missioner submitted a second letter to
Secretary Noble. This letter began with
u statement aud affidavit OF Mr Ford.
chief Of the record division, charging that
Eugle, while temporarily chief OF the di-
vision, had ruined girl in the division
aud had publicly boosted of her seduction
Continuing, the letter said that Engle
Carried pistol. snd then gave conYersa-
tion between a mau named Topkey aud
Eng.e, in which the latter had said that
they intended 10 down Rsum, and placed
Tookey's hand on his pistol. The letter
charged thar EngIe was "a false swearer. n
rerater, couspirato- against the chief OF
the bureau, seducer, and one who carried
@ weapon with tae suggested intention OF
assassination. Howard. the letter
charged with beiug conspirntor,
and also that he made an
improper suggestion rs 10 pension
claims. in consideration Of being assigned
- the Eeld The letter then demanded the
o.SIQ sSsl of Howard Ensrie and TaNigr 50