Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-27
INVESTIGATING RAUM.
Secretary Noble on the Stand Before
the special House Committee.


WASHINGTON, D. c., February Co.
Secretary Noble was examined to-day
by the Special House Committee ap-
pointed TO investigate the management
Of the pension Office.
To Mr.. Enloe who inquired about the
removal of young Green b. Raum, the
Secretary narrated the facts now well
known of how civil service commission
er Lymay called on him in May 1891
with paper making charges against
Young Raum OF receiving money either
directly or indirectly through colored
man ia the Treasury Department for
the appointment Of a man named smith
and another man named johnson per
sonating Smith in the necessary civil
service examination.
The Secretary said it had never been
been his practice TO wait very long I'M
der such circumstances, and he imme-
diately required young Raum's resigna-
ton. He did not examine into the mat
ter beyond the report OF the Civil Serv-
ice Commission. Young Raum was the
son of the Commissioner and he gave
him time TO find something else to do
before his resignation took effect. de
treated young Raum mildly, as be
thought the circumstances required
that he should do so because OF the
young mans relationship 10 the Com
missioner.
Mr.. Little, of New York, asked il II
was customary to give men whose res
ignations were demanded ten days
leave. The secretary said there was no
rule on the subject. He had expected
there would be some criticism OF his
action, but the man being young he
would rather let him go out under such
circumstances than TO Shirk the respon-
sibility and criticism. Mr.. Brosius, OF
PENNSYLVANIA, and Mr.. Payson asked II
an opportunity had been given young
Raum TO defend himself from the
charges made.
The Secretary replied: "No, because
although the charge affected the SER
vice so deeply, and because the charges
were brought TO me by an officer OF a
Government bureau which had investi-
gated the matter, and because they made
statements so apparently truthful, l
determined to rid myself of 1t at once.
I thought that the good of the service
demanded that he should go and sent
him." The Secretary said he had done
nothing with reference to the fraud on
the Civil Service Commission for the
Commission looked to him TO take care
of Raum.
Mr.. Enloe then asked the Secretary
about the fling Of charges against
young Raum by MesSrs. Howard and
Engle, clerks in the Pension Office,
charging Raum with demanding money
from them.
He told Mr.. Bussey to call the Com
missioner's attention to this matter and
reouest him to see to it. The Commits
sioner said the charges were circulated
TO iniure him, and filed counter
charges for the removal OF these men
and Special Examiner Taylor, who
was suspected by the Commits
sioner of being connected with the
matter. The Secretary told Mr..
Enloe that he thought the charges
about balanced each other. Young
Raum was out OF the service and he re-
fused to remove Howard and Engle.
TAYLOR he had asked to resign because
he (Mr. Noble) had previously come to
the conclusion that it would advance
the government interests. The Com
missioner and MIR. Taylor were not get
ting along together. Mr.. Enloe pro-
ceeded TO question the Secretary as 70
the removal OF persons without cause.
Mr.. Noble said all removals were for
cause.
The Secretary was next asked about
the re-ratings which Occasioned SO
much comment early in the administra'
| ton of the Pension Office. He said
that the responsibility originally rested
| on Commissioner Black, and when be
found Commissioner Tanner was pro-
ceedng to carry into effect his
predecessors ruling to degree
| highly injurious to the Gov
eminent, he promptly stopped
it. He thought it intolerable that en-
ployeS should undertake to re-rate them
| selves, and he made them feel the
weight of his authority. Those re-
/ ratings were not for large amounts each
month, but as they went back long
/ time the aggregate was considerable
/ Mr.. Noble said he wished TO say, so far
as the efficiency OF Commissioner Raum
was concerned, that he thought he wa;
running the Pension Bureau with great
efficiency.