The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-20
THE RAUM INVESTIGATION
Petty squabbles and Shameless Per-
sonal Conduct in the Office
Fully Disclosed.
Corruption Money Traced Right
Into the Hands Of Young
Raum.
A Young Girl Employe Dobauched by One
of tho Commissioners Pets Other
Capital News.

tion Of Com missioner Raum of the pension
bureau was resumed by the special COM
mitteo of tho house. Ho said he suggested
an amendment to the pension approptia-
tion bill which cut off his SON from taking
fees AZ notary while clerk in the office.
Raum declared that he strictly observed
the civil service law; never made removal
except for cause. Among causes he cited that
Of attempting to injure the commissioner
and throw odium on the office. Kaum said
he defended his sons cause while ON
ployed in the pension bursau. In a talk
with the president he declared that the
charge that his son tried to defraud the
government of $72 was a great outrage.
Witness never talked with ths attorney gen
eral or anyone else with view to the pre-
vention Of tho criminal prosecution Of his
son. Enloe put in evidence affidavits made
By Howard and Engle, clerks in the pen
sion office. whose dismissal the commits
sioper recommended, making charges that
Horace 9. Slower raid Theo. Smith $50 to
be transferred; that they had seen Slower
give Smith the money. twas charged that
Green B. Raum, j., got the money and 50
licited money Of Engle. Parson
said this related to matter
long after young Raum was ont
Of office, but that be would not object to
the atfidavlts if it were expected to connect
the commissioners recommendation for
the dismissal of Howard and Engle with
it. The commissioner, in explanation Of
his recommendation OF dismissal, read a
letter dated Sept. 25, 1891, recommending
the dismissal of Special Examiner TAYLOR,
because he was an unsuitable person to
discharge the duties in connection with
pension claims, and also because he was
associated with George b. Fleming, who
sndeavored to break down the pension of
fec. Raum also read letters recommend
ing the dismissal Of EnRle and Howard,
because they oonspired to destroy the 20
cial standing of Special Examiner Slower.
The commissioner said he had thoroughly
investigated the matter and come to the
conclusion that Engle and Howard had
made false charges. In connection with
the recommendation that EnRle and
Howard, be dismissed the commissioner
submitted second letter to Secretary
Noble. This letter began with the state
ment and affidavit of Ford, chief of the
record division, charging that Engle, while
temporarily CLloI Ol us ulVihlCu, Eulu6u q
girl i'll the division and publicly boasted of
her seduction. The letter then charged
that Engle was false swsarer, "a rerater, :"
conspirator against the chief of the
bureau, seducer and one who carried n
weapon, with the suggested intention of
assassination. Howard the letter charged
with being a conspirator. Tho letter also
alleged that George B. Fleming. the dis.
charged examiner, started the attack and
was publishing false and malicious attacks
in the public press against the commits
aioner. The letter closed with a statement
that there was small number of active
and malignant intriguers in. the pension
office and demanded that he (Raum) be
sustained as necessary to good governments
and the discipline Of the Office. Recurring
to the charge that Engle had seduced Il
young girl, Enloe asked if she were still in
the bureau. The commissioner said he
told Ford he did not wish to learn her
name; he had heard that she was conduct
ing herself with rropriety and was still in
the office. Asked if he thought she would
be retained in the service, the commissioner
said he kept the service clean. 1t is a mat
ter of public notoriety that there were here
and there women in the public service who
had gone astray and had not been turned
out.