The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-16
NATIONAL LEGISLATORS
Raum Says He Has No Relatives in
she Pension Office.
Mr.. COOPER SHARPLY REBUKED
For Touching the Commissioners Private
and Personal Affairs-Ihe President
Eetaliates -- Countries Which Refuse
Reciprocity Must Take Consequences.

IS.
took the witness stand at the opening OF
the meeting yesterday OF the House Com
mittee investigating the pension office.
Mr.. Payson, General Raum's counsel,
stated that the commissioner desired TO
read sworn statement relating TO PEN
sion Office affairs generally, and bearing
on various orders issued before he was
examined. A long discussion ensued on
the question OF allowing Gen. Raum TO
make the statement at this stage of the
proceedings.
The sentiment OF the majority of the
committee was against receiving the
statement at present. Accordingly, MIR.
Cooper began the examination. The COM
missioner said he had discontinued the
publishing of addresses of pensioners be-
cause of requests from pensioners them
selves. He had no
Relatives in the Pension once
but a few days ago had recommended
that his daughter be appointed his pri-
vate secretary and she was now acting as
such.
Mr.. Cooper inquired as to Commission
or Raum's connection with the Gypsum
Mining Co. Mr.. Payson objected to any
question touching Gen. Raum's private
to answer. That matter, he said, had
nothing to do with the generals manage
ment OF the pension office.
Mr.. Cooper said he proposed to show
that the commissioner has made use Of
the bureau to
Promote His Private Affairs
in connection with the Gypsum Mining
Co., and that he hypothecated some
sharaa >f 4ho CorDopu ~ cocura opd IN.
demnify an attorney practicing before
the bureau against loss by reason OF en-
dorsement of his paper. Also that by
reason OF the endorsement thus procured
the commissioner made ruling which
was favorable TO this attorney in the ad-
vancement OF his claims. Further he ex-
pected TO show that the commissioner
took an attorney into partnership with
him in this Gypsum Mining Co., and that
special examiners in the field becoming
soliciting agents of this attorneys office,
took contract for increase OF pension
claims and other business and reported
them to the attorney taken into partner
ship in the Gypsum Mining Co.
Mr.. Payson asked IL he expected
To Prove This Was Done
with the knowledge OF Gen. Raum.
Mr.. Cooper said he expected to show
these facts, and il he did SO, ne thought
Gen. Raum would need TO make explana-
tions. He also proposed to show that a
large part OF the commissioners time
(Which was due to the governmmt) was
employed in looking after this enter
prise.
Mr.. Psyson insisted that what Mr..
Cooper said he expected to prove was
mere inference as applied to the manage
ment of the pension office. From infor-
-. N.x.a
selves, he said, there was no truth IN the
statement made.
No witness could be produced who
would say or intimate that he ever re-
ceived a special privilege in the pension
cffice. There never bad been an order
made which gave one attorney any priv
ilege over another attorney. Whatever
had been done relative TO Lemons cases
had been done under n general order ap-
piying-to all cases. Assuming that Lem
on
Endorsed Gen. Raum's Note
and that this money went into the Gyp-
sum Mining Co., what concern was that
of Congress? IL the gentlemen could
show Lemon got any special privilege,
that was all right, but no special privilege
had been given. Suppose money was bor-
rowed OF Lemon; that was nothing but
question of taste.
Representative Dugan-Suppose it 10
proved that Mr.. Lemon had a larger per
centage OF has cases advanced than other
attorneys snd then II was offerered TO
show the borrowing of money before
thisy Mr.. Payson said IL was impossible
that some attorneys should have more
cases complete than others. Gen. Raum
declined to answer the question snd said
he would not answer any question relat-
ing to his private affairs
Mr.. Wheeler said there was no power to
compel the testimony
The witness refused to answer ques-
tions as TO whether Gen. w. w. Dudley
was interested in the Gypsum Mining Co.
Mr.. Cooper asked il witness had not So
ticited Bradley Tanner, his confidential
clerk to take stock.
Gen. Ranm answered that he did not
and that Tanner never
Owned . Penny of Stock.
lie declined TO answer Mr.. Cooper's next
question: "Do you mean he had no stock
or that he had never invested anything2"
Mr.. Cooper asked IL witness had bor-
rowed money from an attorney, the con-
Bideration for the loan being the promo
tion OF one OF his clerks. Gen. Raum de-
MED that anything OF the sort had ever
occurred.
Mr.. Cooper asked IL witness had not !
borrowed money on the endorsement OF
an attorney named Lockwood. The wit
ness said he got $500 at the National n,
ropolitan bank on a note for three daN.
endorsed by Lockwood. he paid the
note and 80 cents interest at the end OF
the three days OF grace. The making OF
the loan had no connection with the pro-
motion OF a girl clerk in his Office.
Mr.. Cooper made an inquiry with ref
erence TO the conduct OF the commissioner
in his (Cooper's) district at the last elect
ion. The commissioner said he had gone
there and endeavored
TO Defeat MIR. Cooper.
He had informed Mr.. Dunbar, Mr..
Cooper's Republican opponent, that he
would see that requests from him in re-
lation TO pension claims received atten-
tion. He had given this privilege to 9TH
er prominent citizens in different parts OF
the country. The witness stated that he
did not recall any case in which he gave
Democratic contestants special privileges. /
Mr.. Cooper called attention 90 one Slip |
signed by bis com potitor, Dunbar, which /
bad been taken from the completed files. l
the witness was anxious 10 learn how /
Mr. COoopr rot IL. but that gentleman i