The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-02-27
THE PENSION OFFICE
Investigation ,Dovun-secrotnry Noble Ex.
.srE- nmin,d Inv the Co,nu,ittep

Ea THE PENSION OFFICE
Investigation. Bsvun-seerotary Noble Ex.
nmlned by tho Committed.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Fob. 26.-Secro.
tary Noble was examined to-day by tho
special house committee appointed to
inyestigato!the management Of the PEN
sion Office. Mr.. Enloo enquired about
the removal Of young Green B. Raum.
Tho secretary narrated tho facts, now
well known, Of how Civil Service Com.
missioner Lyman called on him in May,
1891, with a paper making charges
against young Raum OF receiving money
either directly or indirectly, through q
colored man in the treasury depart
mont, for the appointment Of n man
named Smith, and another man named
Johnson personating Smith, in the nee.
essary civil service examination.
The secretary said it had never been
his practice to wait very long under
such circumstances, and he immedi-
ately required young Raum's resigna-
ton. He did not examine into tho
matter beyond tho report Of the civil
service commission. Young Raum was
the son OF the commissioner, and no
gave him time to find something else to
do before his resignation took effect.
He treated young Raum mildly, as he
thought tho circumstances required
that he should do SO because OF the
young mans relationship 10 tho COM
missioner. aaE
8HMr. Little, ,of New York, asked If it
were, customary to give mon whose res
ignntion was demanded ten days leave.
The secretary said there was no rule on
the subject. Ho had expected there
would DO some criticism OF his action,
but the man being young, he would
rather let him go out. under such cir
cumstances than to shirk the RESPONSE
bility and criticism.
Mr.. Brosius, OF Pennsylvania, and Mr..
Payson asked il an opportunity had
been given young Raum 10 doiend him.
self from tho charges made.
The secretary replied, mo, because
the chargo was OF such character at.
fecting the service so deeply; because
tho charges were brought to me by an
officer OF the government which had in
'vestigated the matter, and because they
made statements so apparently truthful,
! determined to rid myself OF it at once.
i thought the good of the service do
manded that he should go and sent
him." The secretary said he had done
nothing with reference to the fraud on
the civil service commission, for the
commission looked to him to take care
Of Raum and it would take care of the
ohense against it.
Mr.. Enloe then asked tho secretary
about the filing OF charges against
young Raum by Messrs. Howard and
Engle, clerks in the pension office,
charging Raum with demanding money
from them. He told Mr.. Busscy to call
the commissioners attention to this
matter and request him to see to it.
The commissioner said the charges
were circulated to injure him and filed
counter-charges with domand for the
removal OF these men, and Special Ex-
aminer Taylor, who was suspected by
the commissioner OF being connected
with the matter. The secretary told
Mr.. Enloe that he thought tho charges
about balanced each other. Young
Raum was out OF the service and he re-
fused to remove Howard and Engle.
Taylor he had asked to resign because
he (Mr. Noble) had previously come TO
the conclusion that it would advance
the government interests. The commits
sioner and Mr.. Taylor were not getting
along together. Mr. Enloe proceeded
to question the secretary US to the re-
moval Of persons without cause. Mr..
Noble said all removals were ior cause.
The secretary was next asked about
the re-ratings which occasioned so much
comment early in the administration OF
the. pension office. lie said that the
responsibility originally rested on Com
missioner Black and when he found
Commissioner Tanner was proceeding
to carry into effect his predecessors
ruling to degree highly injurious to
the government he promptly stopped
it.. He thought it intolerable that en-.
ployes should undertake to re-rate
themselves and he made them feel the
weight of his authority. Those re-
ratings were not for large amounts each
month, but as. they went back long
time the aggregate was considerable.
Mr.. Noble said he wished to say SO far
as the efficiency OF Commissioner Raum
was concerned that he thought he was
running tho pension bureau with great
efficiency.