The National tribune., 1892-04-14
PENSION BUREAU INVESTIGATION.
Gen. Ranm Continues His Testimony Before the
Special Committee, and Makes Charges Against
C0oper's Secretary.

Gen. Ranm Continues His Testimony Before the
Special Committee, and Makes Charges Against
COOper's Secretary.
The Special Committee investigating the Pen
sion Bureau resumed its work on Wednesday
morning, April g. Commissioner Raum took
the stand, and Mr.. Enloe asked if the COM
pleted-files order was not made at the instance
of Attorney Lemon. Commissioner Raum an
swered that the question of completed files was
taken up 10y himself upon coming into Office,
and that he made it a study, with a view of
determining if such system would be an i'm
prOvement
An order was issued to have cases taken up
| by precedence. The completed files system fol-
lowed this order.
Mr. Enoe asked the witness II, after the COM
pleted- files order was issued. did not George E.
Lemon indorse the Commissioners note for
$4,000.
Witness declined to answer the question.
Mr.. Enloe then read from the testimony of
last year, but Judge Payson objected to its ad-
mission. The Chairman said the matter was
admissible, and it was placed on record.
Mr.. Enloc probed into the matter of favorit-
ism. He read extracts from the letter of
Deputy Commissioner Lincoln, OF the Pension
Bureau, to whom was referred the letter of
Capt. Lemon TO Commissioner Raum, in
which it was said that the Complexities
order was suggested. In his letter Mr.. Lin
coin expressed the opinion that the completed
files order would enable certain attorneys to
have their claims taken up in advance of others.
Mr. Bryant, chief of division of the Pension
Office, in letter to Mr.. Lincoln had opposed
the order.
Commissioner Raum denied that he made the
order to show favoritism to Capt. Lemon.
To Mr.. Enoe Gen. Raum said that the Pen
sion Office refused to permit attorneys and
claimants to examine pension papers to ascer-
tof- hat daj 20
their claims As courtesy to members Of the
House and Senate, under long standing prac-
tice Of the Office, the private secretaries of Rep
resentatives and Senators were given that
privilege.
Mr. Enloe-As the attorney himself cannot
obtain the information, which might be very
valuable, could he not afford to pay a members
clerk for it?
Mr. Payson-On the face of it that is a mat
ter of inference, and your judgment is as good
as Mr.. Raum's
Mr.. Enloe retorted that he proposed to show
it was more than inference, and then asked:
"Do you know about any clerk Of a member
Of Congress or attorney getting such infor-
nation and furnishing it to pension attorneys
throughout the country and receiving pay for
it?"
This question, to the surprise of the whole
committee, sprung decided sensation. The
Commissioner evidently had been preparing
for just such an inquiry, for he had on the
table near him huge bundle of papers in the
form OF af'idavits, letters and reports. Reply
ing to Mr.. Enloe's question, he said that he
knew Of such case, and the man was Samuel
X. Hersey, Private Secretary to Representative
Cooper, of Indiana, one of the prosecutors in
the case. There were perhaps thousand PEN
sion cases all over the Northwest in which
Hersey was involved.
Mr.. Payson, Gen. Raum's attorney, said this
testimony was the business upon which Mr..
Linweaver, Gen. Raum's Confidential Clerk
had been absent from the City getting, about
which Mr.. Enloe had been endeavoring for
some time 20 find out.
This testimony was offered In evidence but
has not yet been admitted, the committee ex-
pressing desire to examine it and pass upon
the matter. The testimony shows that Com
missioner Ranm has recommended the disbar-
ment of Samuel r. Hersey who was and is Mr.
Cooper's Private Secretary. complaint was
received at the Pension Bureau from John r.
| Whittinghill, 9th KY, who lives at Crothers-
vile, Ind, which said that he had received q
letter from C. J.. Raglan & Co, of Kenton, o.
which stated that for s. the firm would furnish
him with the exact status of his claim and the
testimony necessary in il. Whittinghill asked
| ii this was a fraud Of the Commissioner and if
Gen. Raum could furnish this information to
Raglan & Co., why lie (WhittinghilD could not
be furnished it? Gen. Raum then had Whit
tinghill send the money TO Raglan &; Co.. and
the latter was furnished the in formation which
was full and accurate status of the case, as
much SO as could be furnished by the papers
on file. showing that the man who furnished it
had access to the files. These papers had been
set aside, and were called for by Hersey. An.
other case was then taken at random from the
| files, for fear the former case had been merely
a coincidence, and Whittinghill was requested
| by Gen. Raum TO send s. to Raglan & Co., in
the case Of Henry Behrends, 9th Ohio. This
claim was shortly called up by Hersey on a