Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-30
Who Recently Resigned From
Agricultural Department
UNDER INVESTIGATION
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS
MATTER IN HAND.
To Determine If Prosecution is War
ranted by Neutrality-suspicious.
on the Subject.

OYSTER BAY, n. Y, July 29.-An in
vestigation of the case of DR.. George T.
Moore. physocologist and algologist of the
Department of Agriculture. who resigned
yesterday, is to be made by the Depart
ment of Justice to determine whether a
prosecution is warranted by the facts.
This was made clear tonight in CORE
spondence between the President and Sec
rotary Wilson, the publication of which
was authorized by the President. 1t APP
pears from this and the accompanying
papers that the first suggestion toward
looking into the bureau in which DIR.
Moore was employed came in letter
to President Roosevelt from T. D. Har-
man. manager of the National Stockman
and Farmer, under the date of July Is
instant. In his letter Mr.. Hartman says:
I'VE beg to call your attention to the
matter of the United States Department OF
Agriculture in connection with the develop
ment and exploitation of nitro-culture. We
have abundant evidence to convince US
that employees of the department have been
unduly interested in firms which have been
organized to develop and sell these cultures
to farmers and others at exorbitant price.
AS to the exploitation of the merits Of
nitro-culture. we beg to call your atter-
ton to an article appearing in Pearson s
Magazine for April. 1905, and other ar
ticles appearing in the Century and other
magazines, with which you no doubt are
familiar. These articles were read and
approved Cat least passvely) by the en-
ployes of the department before they APP
peared in the maya zines No argument
is necessary to show that they are mis-
leading and the damage following such
publication to agricultural interests
would be hard to estimate.
Personal Investigation.
I'VE made a personal investigation of the
matter about April 49, We inclose here
v,-;f1 tJa Uya
WINGED now that we were mised and our
intense desire to do no one any injury led
US to make the report as favorable to the
department as possible. Since publishing
these articles we have evidence to convince
us that our first impressions We're correct,
and that employees of the department were
interested In the manufacture and sale of
nitro-culture. We are ready to offer proofs
in regard to these statements and are will
ing to meet you for personal interview if
you desire same at any time you may COM
mand.
This letter, with the accompanying pa
pers. was referred by President Roosevelt
on July Il to Secretary Wilson, with re-
quest that report be made to him the
subject. The report reached the President
today in the form of the following letter
from Secretary Wilson:
Secretary Wilson's Letter.
Department of Agriculture,
Offlce of the Secretary,
WASHINGTON, D. c., July %.
Mr.. B. F. Barnes. acting secretary to the
President. Oyster Bay, N. Y.
Dear Mr. Barnes: | received from you a
few days ago certain papers. herewith re-
turned, coming to the President from the
Axtell Rush Publishing Company of Pitts
burg, relative to the development and ex-
ploitation of nitro-culture in this depart
ment. have looked into the matter and
today Mr.. George T. Moore. brought me his
resignati ton, which / accepted of which |
send you copy. l will send a copy of the
papers to the Department of Justice and
have them determine whether the case re-
quires action by them.
Very truly yours.
tSlgned) JAMES WILSON"
Moore's Statement Sent President.
Together with a copy of Mr. Moore's res
ignation which was published today. Sec
rotary Wilson sent to the President COPY
of Moore's statement made to the Secre-
tary in defense of his alleged connection
with the ntro-culrure concern.
That statement indicates that Moore's sI-
periors in the Department of Agriculture
were cogniZant for long time of his de-
sire to leave the department to identify
himself with the nitro-culture company UNI
less he could secure a promotion but in il
Moore expressly says that his superiors
dic Hot hHo" HIS VIE was d stakeholder
in the company or that a considerable block
of the stock had been reserved for him
For some reason, which is not explained
Moore neglected to inform his superiors on
that very material point.
DIR. Moore's statement has been pub
lished. 1t is regarded as not unlikely that
out of the inquiry which is being made Into
DR.. Moore'S connection with the nitro-cul-
ture company may grow some sensational
disclosures. The letter of Mr. Hartman
to the President contains intimation OF a
state of affairs that is not explained by
statements to Secretary Wilson The whole
matter, by direction of the President, will
be probed to the bottom, and if the facts
should warrant. prompt action will be
taken by the Department of Justice