The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-23
RAUM IN HIS OWN BEHALF.
THE COMMISSIONER MAKES AVERY
LAME DEFENSE.
Admitting That He Discharged Employees
OF the Pension ONCE Because They Ex-
posed she Corruption There-Ths Prssi-
dent Gave Him Advice and Consolation.

WASHINGTON, March 19.-The examina-
ton of Commissioner Raum was resumed
today by the special pension office investi-
eating committee of the house. The COM
missioner said that Secretary Noble had
yesterday disapproved his recommends
ton for the appointment of his daughter,
Mrs. Waters, as his private secretary, and
had ordered her to return to her work in
the census Office.
Mr. Enloe asked the commissioner ii
his son when acting appointment clerk
had not charged a notary fee OF % cents
for swearing men into office. He replied
that his son was a notary before he the
son went into Office and charged fee.
The matter was not stopped by the
secretary of the interior. There
had been complaint because the
chief clerk of the war department had
charged such fee for swearing in great
number of persons. Witness suggested
and penned an amendment which
Representative Cannon inserted In an APP
preparation bill, stopping the practice and
making it the duty of officers OF the de-
partment to do this work without charge.
He did this while his sen was in Office.
Mr. Enloe asked the commissioner
how much time he had been absent
from his Office since his appoint
ment as commissioner Mr.. Raum
did not know. There was
record of his absence and he would furnish
1t. He had observed the civil service law
with the same fidelity that he observed
: other statutes. lie never made a removal
except for cause. The causes Of removal
were various. He did not think the law
defined these causes. Incompetence
and drunkenness were causes. Asked for
other causes, he said: "If a man enters
upon an intrigue TO injure the Office, or to
iniure the commissioner, and Is engaged
in giving out information and giving aid
and comfort TO those who are trying to
destroy the commissioner, or throw odium
on the office, | regard that cause, and as
good one with emphasis). and have
acted on il in several instances
Mr.. Raum continued that he had never
removed any person because of differ
sences in politics.
After going over the history of tie cir
cumstances connected with the demand
for the resignation of G.. b. Raum. jr., Mr..
Enloe asked if witness, when he returned
10 Washington, had seen the presi-
dent in regard to 1t. The
commissioner said that his son
had an application pending before the in
terror department to be admitted to the
bar of the department.. He spoke of this
10 the president ami took occasion to
speak of the services his son had rendered
in the pension Office, saying he had dis
charged his duties with energy and intelli
gence, and told the president ne would
be perfectly willing 30 have the 500
persons In the pension Office examined as
to the correctness OF the manner in which
tney came into the service Witness also
spoke to the president OF the charge
that his son had attempted TO defraud the
government of So, which came into his
hands; he told the president the circum-
stances and said that in his opinion no
greater outrage had ever been perpetTated
than to charge his son with undertaking
TO withhold testimony from the govern
ment. Witness then spoke of his sons
desire to practice before the interior
department. He did not speak with refer
ence to reinstating his son IN office and did
not desire that. His son was not ad-
mitted to practice. Assistant Secretary
Chandler had acted on the application.
Witness had never talked with the attor-
pey-seneral or anv one else with view
TO the prevention OF the criminal prosecu-
tion OF his son. Had neverIold his son or
any one else to eudeavor to stop the prose-
cution.
Mr.. Enloe asked if in the interview with
the president the witness told him there
was a conspiracy in the pension office to
break down the witness administration.
Commissioner Raum replied that be did
not remember that in that interview he
had made such statement TO the uresI-
dent, but ne had told the president so at
come time.
Mr.. Enloe-"Did he state that you could
remove any one hostile to your admins
tration regardless of the views of the
secretary?"
Mr. Raum-'I cannot. under the laws of
the constitution. remove any one, and of
course the president did not tell me any
such thing. | can ONLY recommend"
Mr.. Enloe-"Did ne say he would have
the secretary approve your recommends
tions?"
Mr. Raum--'I don't think our converse
zion led to that. 1 don't recall such
statement"
Mr.. Enloe next put in evidence affi-
dagits made by Messrs. Howard and
Engle clerks in the pension Office whose
dismissal the commissioner had recon-
mendedl making charges that III. q.
Slower had paid Theodore Smith $50 to be
transferred to the field that they had seen
Slower give Smith the money. 1t was
charged that Green Il. Raum, jr, got this
money and had solicited money OF Engle.
Mr.. PaysOn said this related to a matter
long after young Raum was out OF Office.
but that he would not object TO the affi-
davits if il were expected 10 connect the
commissioners recommendations for the
dismissal OF Howard and Engle with it.
The commissioner in explanation OF his
recommendation of dismissal read let
Ter dated Sept. %, 1891. recommending the
dismissal of Special Examiner Francis
Taylor because be was an unsuitable per-
son TO discharge the duties in connection
with pension claims and also because he
associated with George B. Fleming, who
had endeavored to break down the pen
sion office.
Mr. Raum also read letters recommend
ing the dismissal of ]. 4. Eugle and
Edward Howard because they bad
conspired with each other to destroy
the character and standing of Special
Examiner Slower by charging that he had
paid to secure his transfer to the field and
had also tried to iniure the character of
the commissioner of pensions by charg-
ing that he had been improperly in
fiuenced in the matter of Stover's assign
ment