The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-16

The Commissioner, by Advice of His Coun-
Assailants All About His Affairs-Tes-
timony Which Accounts for Mr.
Cooper's Interest in the Proceedings.
WASHINGTON, March 15.-General
Green B. Raum, commissioner of PEN
sions, testified before the House investi-
eating committee today. Mr.. Payson
acted as counsel for the commissioner.
He said he had no relatives in the pen
sion Office, but few days ago recon-
mended that his daughter be appointed
as his private secretary, and she was now
acting as such. His daughter was at
present census Office clerk. She had
remained away from the census office
without leave. The secretary was out of
townssosno action had been taken on the
WITNESSES recommendation. If his daugh-
ter was appointed she would draw pay,
not otherwise.
Mr.. Cooper inquired as to Commission
er Raum's connection with the Gypsum
Mining Company.
Mr. Payson objected to any question
ing of General Raum's private business
and advised General Raum not to answer.
Mr.. Cooper said he proposed to show
that the commissioner made use of the
bureau to promote his private affairs in
connection with the Gypsum Mining
Company, and had made rulings favora-
BILE to an attorney who had endorsed his
paper. Mr.. Cooper also claimed that
al mi iaI6 ha6
as agents for an attorney who was in
partnership with General Raum in his
gypsum business.
Mr.. Payson said from the information
received from the parties themselves
there was no truth in the statements
made. No witness could be produced
who would say OF intimate that he ever
received special privilege in the pen
sion Office There had never been an Or
der made which gave one attorney any
privilege over another attorney. What
ever had been done
Relative to Lemons Cases
had been done under general order APP
plying to all cases. Assuming that Lem
on endorsed General Raum's note and
this money went into the Gypsum Min
ing Company, what concern was that of
Congress? Suppose the money was Dor
rowed of Lemon. That was nothing but
question of taste.
Gen. Raum declined to answer the
question, and said he would not answer
any question relating to his private
affairs. He refused to answ' Questions
as to whether Gen. w. W. D vas in
terested in the Gypsum ! Com
pany.
Mr.. Cooper asked if the witness had
borrowed money from an attorney the
consideration for the loan being the pro-
motion of one his clerks.
Gen. Raum denied that anything of
the sort had ever occurred.
Mr.. Cooper asked if the witness had
not borrowed money on the endorsement
of an attorney named Lockwood. The
witness said he got $500 at the National
Metropolitan Bank on note for three
days, endorsed by Lockwood. He paid
the note and 30 cents interest at the end
of the three days of grace. The making
of the loan had no connection with the
promotion of girl clerk in his office
President Thompson of the bank had,
before and since that time, urged the
promotion of this clerk and
So Had the Late Senator Plumb.
Gen. Raum said he could not recall the
name of the girl. If she had been pro-
NOTED, he did not know it.
Mr.. Cooper made inquiry with refer
ence to the conduct of the commissioner
in his Mr.. Cooper's district at the last
election. The commissioner said he had
gone there and endeavored to defeat MI.
Cooper. He had informed Mr. Dunbar,
Mr.. 1Cooper's Republican opponent, that
he would see that requests from him in
relation to pension claims received at
tention. He had given this privilege to
other prominent citizens in different
parts of the country. The witness stat
ed he did not recall any case in which he
gave Democratic contestants special priv
ileges.
Mr.. Cooper called attention to one slip
signed by his competitor, Dunbar, which
had been taken from the completed files.
The commissioner admitted that the
instrumentalities of the pension Office
were sometimes used by congressman
and others for political ends by securing
action on pension claims. His experience
was that it did not have much political
effect. SIS