Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-09
RERsEY ON THE STAND.
He Says None of the Members OF Congress
For Whom lie Worked Are Responsible
For His Acts.


For Whom lie Worked Are Responsible
For His. Acts.
WASHINGTON, April s.-Representa-
tive BrOokShre voluntarily took the
stand this morning in the pension Office
investigation. He testified that he first
attempted TO attend TO all the business
himself, but he has scriveners paralysis,
and while he did considerable work
himself, he employed Mr.. Hersey 10
look after his pension business.
II anything had occurred which has
resulted in the abuse by his secretary
of the courtesieS extended to members
of Congress, he was free to say he was
very sorry and knew nothing OF it, n.
*. Can't, of Ohio, testified that he had
employed HerSey TO look after his pen
sion claims because he understood Her
sey to be very efficient in that work.
Witness did not know Hersey had mis-
used his name.
Samuel L. hersey, the pension at
torney who was charged with calling
up cases on Congressional slips and
furnishing information to attorneys for
pay was then examined. HerSey testi-
fed that he also worked for RepreSen-
tativeS Durturrow of Illinois, and Per-
kinS OF Iowa. In the last Congress in
addition TO the members named he
worked for MesSrs. Martin and Strub-
bic of Iowa.
He had no understanding with the
Congressman except TO render them
good service, and none Of them knew
witness was receiving pay from attor-
neyS. He knew that other clerks 10
Senators and members called up cases,
signing their employers names, and he
believed they received pay for informa-
tiOn furnished. HerSey said he had
sold the information he got as Cooper's S
secretary, and had also used slips OF
BroOkShire and the thought Of Mr..
Perkins, Of Iowa. Had not used Mr..
Gantz's slip.
Senator Plumb'S private secretary,
b. f. Leuniken, was one Of the Sena-
tors clerks who witness believed called
up cases for attorneys for compensation.
Witness said he knew two men who
worked for members who sold informa-
tiOn TO. pension attorneys. After good
deal Of pressing Mr.. PaySOn learned
that the two members clerks were Mr..
Maddox, who worked for Representa-
tives Cochran, English and Harter, and
Mr.. Mcclellan, who worked for his
father, Representative Mcclellan, and
Mr.. Martin, of Indiana.
With reference to the visit OF Morgan,
of Indiana, to witness Office, Mr.. Hersey
testified that Mr.. Cooper had introduced
Morgan as being in the same business.
They talked about pension matters. If
Mr.. Cooper had said III you have any
thing worth paying for, HerSey will at
tend to il for YOU" witness certainly
had not heard it. Did not remember to
have replied that he would be glad 10
assist Morgan.
Mr.. Cooper showed witness a letter in
which Mr.. Moran had sent him (Mr.
Cooper S25, and said he did not under
stant 1t. Witness said to Mr.. Cooper
he presumed it was pay for some eX-
pert examination he had made for Nor
gan. Mr.. Cooper replied that pay
could not be taken for any such work,
and said he would return it. Witness
testified that he had been discharged
from the Pension Office by Com
missioner Raum about two years ago, but
for what reason he could never learn.
He said that if there were any moral
obliquy or turpitude involved in his
acts, no member of Congress was re-
sponsible. Lineaweaver, a confidential
clerk TO Commissioner Raum, testified
that Merin II. Raum, and not the Com
missioner. had brought Examiner
SproeSSer here to watch Flewing; and
recently witness had heard the Comms-
sioner ask what Sproesser was doing
here. This is in contradiction of the
Commissioners own statement that he
brought SproeSser here.