Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-06
THE PENSION OFFICE CASE.
Gen. Raum Refuses tn Answer Questions in
Regard to His Private Bussness-

Ouc&tionH III
Regard to His Private Bussness.
The pension Office investigation opened this
morning with motion by Mr.. Enlos TO put in
evidence testimony taken in last years in
vestigalon with reference TO the refrigerating
company and with reference to Mr.. George T.
Lemons Endorsement of Commissioner Rsum's
paper and the issuance of the CON-
pleted files order. He said that his
object was to show that the
commissioner had favored Mr.. Lemon in that
order and that its issue was probably due TO
the fsvors given the commissioner BY Mr..
Lemon Mr.. Payson objected to the sdmis-
sion OF the testimony with reference TO the
refrigerating company on the ground that il
concerned the commissioners private business.
ana the other matter he was opposed 10
because II would send TO the country
differences in advance of the facts on which
they were based. Representative Brosius
thought the form Of proceeding irregular and
tnat the testimony should not be put in.
chairman Wheeler was OF opinion that q con-
siderable part Of it was properly admissible,
but said no snap judgment would be taken by
acting while members Of the committee we're
absent
In order to Law basis for an examination
with reference to the Endorsements Of Mr.. Lemon
on Mr.. Raum note. Mr.. Enloe asked a number
OF questions relative to the completed files and
preceding orders. Nothing new was developed.
The commissioner said that the completed
claimants the right to say that they were ready
for trial.
THE ROCK OF DIVISION.
The rock of division which il had been clearly
apparent must sooner or later be struck in the
course of the investigation was then encoun-
tered when Mr.. Enloe asked il Immediately
after the completed fles order was issue
George E. Lemon did not indorse Mr..
Raum's note for $4,000. The commissioner
under advice Of Mr.. Payson that the committee
had no right to inquire into Raum's private
business declined to answer, and then Mr.. Enloe
read for admission last years testimony in
which the commissioner admitted that Mr..
Lemon had Endorsed his note.
Mr.. Enloe said he purposed to show that in
stead of the completed files order resulting
benefcially to claimants it had resulted in a
blockade OF pension Office business and
| also in great pecuniary benefit to
Mr.. Lemon and other attorneys in this
| son objected that this statement was putting
the cart before the horse" and Mr. Enloe re-
| torted that sufficient testimony had been Of
fered to furnish a cart for the present horse.
THE EVIDENCE ADMITTED.
Mr.. Wheeler, the chairman, thought the evil
dence admissible and by q majority vote il was
put in the record.
| Mr.. Enloe called attention to the fact tina.
the commissioner had said that IL ATTORNEYS
had cases placed on the completed files
knowing they were not complete they
would be subject TO disbarment, and
asked why it was that when attorneys had
repeatedly had cases placed on the completed
! files that were not complete not a single attor-
| ney had ever been disbarred or punished. Mr..
Mr.. Raum-Well, they have usually offered
some satisfactory explanation in regard to them,
and where it was shown that there was no inten-
tional misconduct on their part a matter OF
course the thing would be overlooked.