The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-28
PENSION BUREAU INVESTIGATION.
Continuation of the Testimony Before the
Special Committee of the House.


The Special Committee of the House Investi.
eating the Pension Bureau resumed their ses-
sions on Wednesday, April co. and number Of
sensational scenes were enacted. Postoffice In
spector w. S. Mayner, who up to june last was
Special Examiner of the Pension Bureau,
testified that he loaned his Chief, Wayson, sos
while he was in the field He said that Way
son also borrowed money of other Special Ex-
amners and employees of the Office; from one
man $3.50.
Assistant Chief of Special Examiners Mitchell
said that he knew that letters were prepared
by Wayson preferring charges against men in
the field. An investigation was begun shortly
after Commissioner Tanner took charge of the
Bureau, which it was claimed was for the pur-
pose of getting rid of Democrats Witness did
not know that majority of men dismissed
were Democrats, but did know that two or
three of the best men who were under him who
were dismissed were Democrats
| VIM. T. Ford, Assistant Chief of the Record
| Division, was put on the stand and made a
lengthy statement in refutation of the charges
made by Mrs. c. L. Wright (given in private
examination before the Commttee) which
charged Ford with having made improper pro-
posals to her. Ford denied in toto the charges
| made, stating that he accidentally met Mrs.
Wright, whom he knew only by sight, and pro-
posed to walk short distance with her, i'll a
joking manner, and the proposition was taken
at the time as joke When ho was afterward
| informed by his Chief, Mr.. Barker that all the
ladies of the division wero down on him (Ford)
| and WIN he asked Barker who the ladies were
that were down on him, was told that Mrs.
Wright was particularly so, because witness
| had made improper proposals to her, and
wanted to 60 walking alone with her, he
told Barker that he did not know Mrs. Wright.
| Mr.. Enloe asked Ford if he did not say to
Mrs. Wright that she was married woman
Ia rto1 or1x N
be friend to her? and Ford answered that
he never said anything of the kind. Ford
said that Mr.. Barker, his Chief, was notorious
| for talking to the ladies, and that he walked
| up and down the corridors, stopping and talk
ing to every lady he met.
Mr. Enloe asked Ford if he had adjusted all
his matters with the ladies; to which he an
swered that he had no matters to adjust with
the ladies. except q little money he owed
to them that he had borrowed When asked
how many OF the ladies he had borrowed
money from he refused to answer, saying that
the law for imprisonment for debt had long
been abolished, and if it hadn't there would be
goodly company of US in together. but quail
fed his remark by saying that he did not
mean members of Congress. He denied that
he had ever offered any inducements to clerks
to secure a loan.
Gen. Dugan was the next witness. Gen.
Dugan is from Mississippi, and was Special
Pension Examiner until January, 1891, when
he was dismissed. after five years service. He
wanted to refute the testimony given by Assist
ant Secretary Bussey who, it was claimed, had
testified that he opposed Dugan's reinstatement
because he had reported that he (Bussey) had
failed In business and had not paid bis debts.
In this evidence Mr.. Enloe said Gen. Bussey
had denied the truth of this statement, and
bad paid dollar for dollar.
Gen. Dugan charged that Mr.. Bugsey had
failed for 100000, and settled with his credit
ors for Is or 20 cents on the dollar.
INSTEAD of being misunderstanding of the
Interior" said Gen. Dugan, with considerable
warmth, "Mr. Bussey ought to be wearing
stripes at Baton Rouge. The sum of $4,000
would be no inducement for him to set foot in
the State of Louisiana"
"And what were You discharged from the
Pension Office for?" asked Mr. Lind.
al was discharged" came the answer, sim
ply because n scalawag from Tennessee said
that | said that the Commissioner of Pensions
was simply deputy for Capt. Lemon, the
pension attorney; and then, referring rather
abruptly to Secretary Bussey, Gen. Dugan
said: "He is an unmitgatcd scoundrel, but
have no grudge against him."
"Oh no; We understand that" said Mr.
Lind, sareastically.
In the further course of his testimony Gen.
Dugan said that he was recommended for
reinstatement by Commissioner Raum, but
that he was opposed by Secretary Bussey.
He went to Mr.. Bussey TO get him to assist
him back to his place.
did you want the assistance OF O scoun-
drel?" inquired Mr.. Lind, as the witness
made this statement.
"Ob, l was not particular as to the means,
so long as l got back" nonchalantly replied
the General.
Mr.. Lind very quietly bnt with unconcealed
irony, asked: lis that your conception OF
Southern chivalry and Mississippi honor2"
Turning toward his questioner Gen. Dugan
said, deliberately and with emphasis: "Pll
not answer that question here, but will
answer it at some other place."
Mr.. Lind was unmoved by the threat, and
continued with his questions until he was
ready to dismiss the witness.
Mr.. Maddox testified that he was the clerk
of Representatives Byrnes, English, Harter,
Cochran, and Fellows. lie was also pension
attorney, representing attorneys outside of
Washington. He said he appeared before the
committee to state that he had never called up
cases for either Messrs. Cochran, Byrnes English,
or Fellows nor had he received any money
on account of such work. He had called up
cases on Mr.. Harters slips but when Mr..
Harter learned through this investigation that
he was not allowed to call up outside cases
Oh his slips Mr.. Harter wrote him Immediately
that he must stop il aud refund any money
Mr.. Maddox said Mr.. Harter was new mem
Der and knew nothing of the pension laws
and had implicit confidence in witness.
Mr.. Cole, District Attorney, testified TO the
efforts he made to run down the stories rela-
tive to Green b. Raum, jr.'s, offers to secure
positions for money. He employed a detective
and told him to work up the case. The detect
i've reported that the parties suspected claimed
either not to know Raum or not to know any
thing about the offers he was supposed to have
made. He did not think it worth while to
summon these parties before the Grand Jury,
as he did not think the alleged offense could
be proved. Even if they should have testified
that Raum was guilty of Offering them places
for money, the District Attorney did not know
of any statute under which an indictment
could be found. He found young Raum hold
ing the office of Assistant Chief Clerk of the
Pension Bureau, and there is no law charging
that officer or even the Chief Clerk with any
duty as to appointments to office or recommen-
dations for appointments. The regulations Of
the Interior Department require the Commits
sioner OF Pensions to recommend appointments
In his Bureau. He could get hold of no fact to
prove the charge of bribery, and could find no
law to prosecute the charge had he had the
facts If he could have found law, he would
have had the witnesses before the Grand Jury
and would have tried to pump something out
of them.
The Chief Clerk of the Pension Bureau,
Capt. A. w. Fisher, was the next witness. He
was asked if record was kept showing how
many days Gen. Raum had been absent from