Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-13
HOW RAUM WORKED IT.
By His Methods, Pension Business
Was Banked Up for
HIS SON AND OTHER WASHINGTON
Attorneys, While Out-of-Town Attorneys Were
Compelled to Depend Upon congressman or
Bribe Their Private Secretaries-NO
Defense of Hsresey's Conduct

WASHINGTON, April 12.-Representa-
tive Cooper, of Indiana, to-day made
statement before the House Pension
Office Investigation Committee in denial
and explanation of the charges made
against him by Commissioner Raum.
Cooper said he would neither excuse nor
justify HereSey's conduct, obut from the
facts il would be seen that he (Mr.
Cooper had infinitely more cause TO
complain than any one else, and that be
had not the slightest responsibility
therefore.
Witness needing assistance, employed
Heresey az SO per month, after learn
ing that be was considered competent
and reliable, and gave him the neces-
sary authority 20 use his name on Con-
rCsSiOnal slips. During most OF the
time Heresey worked for him attorneys
could examine their cases. out or town
attorneys, however, had no method OF
learning the status OF their cases, eX-
cept by calling % their aid a member OF
Congress or corresponding with the
bureau.
Thousands OF complaints had been
received that the letters Of claimants
and attorneys were wholly ignored by
the pension office, and be submitted
letters complaining that the whole sys-
TEN was being worked for the benefit
OF Washington attorneys. Recently,
he understood the order had been mod
fled so as 10 prevent attorneys and
claimants from looking at their cases.
He had no excuse to make for any one
who abused the confidence Of Con-
gresham to supply, for pay, the de-
mand for information about cases, but
the policy pursued by Commissioner
Raum to bank up all his business in the
hands OF Washington attorneys, among
whom are his son aud the endorserS OF
his notes, he submitted is much more OF
a crime and a more harmful debauchery
of the public service.
Whatever Mr.. Heresey had done in
the way OF selling pension information
had been done without his Mr..
CoOper's) knowledge or consent, as had
already been testified. The Commits
sioner knew as early as September last
that Heresey was abusing witneSs's
confidence, and In January the Com
missioner had asked witness If Heresey
was authorized to sign witnesses name,
thing he already knew, and instead Of
telling him (witness) Of his suspension,
he did everything in his power TO have
Heresey bribed, and in the hope that he
might entrap witness, had spread net
over two or three States, and called his
spies aud informers into reQuisition.
The first information witness had
that Mr.. Heresey was receiving pay for
work done over his signature was when
he received letter from Morgan, en-
closing S25 which witness returned in a
letter, telling Morgan that HereSey
coulp not take pay for work done as a
part Of witness's Congressional duties.
II was untrue that he had told Mr..
Morgan that Heresey would work for
him for pay; and witness desired to
make the declaration that he had never
directly nor Indirectly asked or accept
ed cent for any service growing out Of
his connection with public affairs.
Mr.. Raum had introduced great
deal OF correspondence betweed HereSey
and Mr.. Peet, and charged that Peet
WITS related to witness. Mr. Cooper said
Peet was brother-in-law OF his brother,
and an emplope OF Maring S Slusher,
pension attorneys. Mr.. Peet had told
him that he intended to 90 into bust.
ness in Kansas, and wanted partner.
At Peet'S request witness recomms ended
Peet TO Heresey. He believed an honor
able partnership was contemplated and
never afterwards thought or heard Of
the matter.
Mr.. Cooper then referred to the
charge that he had authorized Maring
and Slusher to print his signature on
thousands OF imitation Congressional
call slips, which had been thrown in the
waste basket by Commissioners Black
and Tanner.
The recklessness of General Raum,
Mr.. Cooper said, was shown in his sub
hitting an affidavit OF David l.. Gitt
that Commissioner Black had thrown
5000 OF witness Congressional call
slips in the waste basket, when the
record showed witness did not become
Congressman until General Black
went ont. In his desire to in-
lure the witness, Commissioner Raum
had been guilty of deliberate false
hood, for he had called attention to
Heresey'S having used witnesses name
on call slips and said he had made no
discovery that Heresey had used any
other members name than that Of wit
ness, when the very papers he filed as
exhibits showed five cases in which 9TH
er members names were used. 1t had
been stated, Mr.. Cooper said, that
40, 900 call slips had been printed in his
name, whereas the printer testified that
only 1000 had been printed,