Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-20
VERY BAD CHARACTER
Is One Of the Charges Upon Which
General R4um Fired Engle.
IT READS LIKE BOGY'S BOOK.
General Raum Before the Investigating Committee
Tells the Reasons For the Dismissal Of Engls
Howard and Taylor From the Service.
Something AbOu. Raum's Son.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., March l9.-The ex-
animation Of Commissioner Raum, OF the
Pension Bureau, was resumed to-day oy
the special pension ONCE investigating
committee Of the House. The Commission
er said that Secretary Noble had yester-
day disapproved his recommendation Tor
the appointment Of his daughter, Mrs.
Walters, as his private secretary and had
ordered her 70 return 70 her work IN the
Census Office.
Mr.. Enloe asked the Commissioner If his
son, when acting AS appointment clerk, had
not charged a notary fee OF - cents. ne
replied that his sou was notary before ne
(the sOn) went into Office and charged
fee. There had been complaint because the
chief clerk of the War Department had
charged such a fee for swearing IN great
number Of persons.
Mr.. Enloe asked the Commissioner how
much time he had been absent from his
Ofice since his appointment as Commission
err Mr. Raum did not know. There was
a record Of his absences and he would tur-
nish il.
lie never made removal except for
cause. The causes, for removal We're var
ious He did not think the law Defined
these causes. IncOmpetency and drunken
ness were causes. Also, II man enters
upon an intrigue 70 injure the ofhce, or 70
injure the Commissioner and has engaged
and comfort 70 those who are trying 10 de
stroy the Commissioner or throw Odium on
the Office. j regard that as cause ana a
good one He had never removed any per
son because Of difference in politics.
Mr.. Enloe, asked If, in the interviews
with the President the witness told him
there was a conspiracy in the pension ONCE
70 break down. The witness 5 administration.
Commissioner RGum replied that ne dld not
1oo-f hat IL, u fnfprVfRW he had made
such a statement, 70 the President, but he
had told the President so at some time.
Mr.. EnlOe next put in evidence affidi its
made by Messrs. Howard and Engle (cl' ks
in the pension Office, whose dismissal he
Commissioner had recOmmended), making
charges that Horace G.. Slower had paid
Theodore Smith $50 10 be transferred 20
the field, that they had seen Slower give
Smith the money. lt was charged that
Green Is. Raum, Jr., had got his money ana
had solicited money Of Engle.
After going insO the history OF the
circumstances connected with the demand
for the resignation OF Green 3. Raum, Jr.,
Mr.. Enloe asked IL witness, when here
turned 10 Washington, had seen the Presi-
dent in regard 70 IL.
The Commissioner said his son had an
application pending before the Interior De
partment TO be admitted 70 the bar of the
department. he spoke of this to the Presi-
dent and took occasion 20 speak OF the serv-
ices his son had rendered in the pension
Office. Witness also spoke TO the PreSl-
dent Of the charge that his son had attempt
ed 20 defraud the Government OF SI2,
which came into his hands; told the Presi-
dent the circumstances, and said in his
opiuion no greater outrage had ever been
perpetrated than to charge his son with
undertaking 70 withhold that money from
the Government.
Mr.. Payson said this related to a matter
long after young Raum was out OF Office,
but that he would not object 20 the atnda-
Wits IL 10 were expected 70 connect the Com
misSiOners recommendation for the dlsmlS-
sal OF Howard and Engle with it. The
Commissioner. in explanation Of his rec
Ommendation Of dismissal, read letter
dated September ., 1891, recommending
the dismissal of Special Examiner Francis
NJ Tavlor because he was an unsuitable
person 10 discharge duties in connection
with pension claims, and also because he
associated with George b. Fleming whQ
had endeavored 70 break down the pension
Office Mr. Raum also read letters recon-
meudinE the dismissal of j. r. Engle and
Edward Howard because they had con-
spired with each other 10 destroy the char
acter aud standing Of Special Examiner
StOver.
The Commissioner said he had thorough
lv investigated this matter, and had come
70 the conclusion that Howard and EDgle
bad made false charges. In connection
with the recommendation that Engle and
Howard be dismissed, the Commissioner
submitted a second letter to Secretary
Noble. This letter began witha statement
from an affidavit of Mr.. Ford, Chief ofthe
Record Division, charging that Eugle,
while temporarily chief OF the division,
had ruiRed girl i'm the division, and had
publicly boasted Of her seduction.
Continuing, the latter said that IN viola
ton of rules, Eugle carried pistol, and
gave a conversation between a man named
TOnkey and Engle, in which the latter said
they intended TO down Raum, and placed
Tonkey's hand on his pistol. The latter
then charged that Engle was a false swear
er. a 're-raJer,' cOnspiratOr against the
Chief Of the Bureau. a Seducer, and one
who carried q weapon with the suggested
intention Of assassination.
The latter charged Howard with being
conspirstor. The letter then demanded
the dismissal of Howard, Engle and Tay-
lor as necessary for the proper discipline
OF the office.
Recurring TO the charge that Eugle had
seduced a young girl Mr.. EulOe asked If
she was still in the bureau. The Com
missioner said he had told Mr. Ford he
did not wish 10 learn her name; he had
heard she was conducting herself with
prcpriety and she was still in Office.
Asked If he thought such women should
be retained in the public service, the COM
missioner said that he had endeavored 20
keep the service clean, and that such mat
ters had received considerable attention
from him.
10 was a matter OF public notoriety, he
said, that there were here and there IN the
service, women who had gone astray whose
ofenses had been condOned and who had
not been turned out.