Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-26
INDICTMENT IN COTTON CASE
Holmes, Haas and Peokham Accused with
Conspiracy to Dsfraud United States.
LATTER TWO ARE UNDER ARREST
Attorney Beach says statisticis N
VIII Appear Today TO Answer
the Two Charges in
the Bill.

WASHINGTON. Aug 2-5dwin s.
Holmes, jr., Of Washington. d. c., until
recently associate ststistician OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture but who was dis
missed as an outcome of the investiga-
tion into the leakage in the cotton crop
reports, has been indicted by the grand
jury on charge of conspiracy to defraud
the government. This announcement was
made tonight by United States District
Attorney Morgan II. Beach. just after lie
had returned from New York. where he
had been instrumental in causing the ar
rest OF Frederick A. Peckham. the New
York broker, at Saratoga. and Moses Haas
Of New York. There are two indictments
covering the charges against the three
men.
Mr.. Beach said tonight that Holmes, who
has been away from Washington for some
time and whose whereabouts have not been
generally known, will be here tomorrow
morning to answer to the indictment.
Section $40 of the revised statutes, un-
der which Holmes is indicted and which 1t
is understood forms the gravamen Of the
| charge against the three men provides:
That IL two or more persons conspire
| either to commit any offense against the
United states or to defraud the United
states In any manner and one or more
| object of the conspiracy, all the parties
| to such conspiracy shall be liable to a
penalty of not less than $1,000 and not
| more than $4,000 and to imprisonment of
| not more than two years
The report of the secret service on the
charges alleging that advance informa-
| tion regarding the cotton crop reports had
! been given to cotton brokers in New York
asserted that Holmes had communicated
! advance information to L. c. Van Ripper,
a New York broker, and Moses Haas OF
! New York, whom Mr.. Van Ripper used
as go-between in conveying information
! from Holmes to other New York brokers.
Secret Service Report for Year.
The annual report OF Chief wilmie OF
the secret service shows a total of 532 ar
rests, of which forty-four related to coun-
| terfeits OF currency, ffty-two to altering
obligations, 334 to the counterfeiting of
coin and the others in connection with
| various violations of the federal statutes.
The nationality of the defendants repre-
sented most of the civilized countries but
native born offenders led with 1872, Italy
being second with forty-two and Austria
third with thirteen.
| Counterfeit notes conhscated by the SER
vice aggregated $36,S34 against S44,S5O the
previous year, while the coins seized ag-
| gregated $2,110 against S16,419 for the pre-
| vious twelve months. There were cap
| tured 165 plates of various descriptions for
| the making of counterfeit notes and 45i
dies and molds for coming. A very large
proportion OF the counterfeit coins was
captured in the hands of the makers be-
fore being placed in circulation. But nine
new counterfeit notes were made and cir
culated and of these only four were con.
sidered deceptive enough to bring them in
the dangerous class.
bau baa, f.-
establishment of a branch of the service
at Honolulu, where indications have
pointed to the development of coming en-.
terprises
Circus Employees in Bad Plight.
Another dispatch was received at the
State department today regarding the EN-.
ployes of the MacCaddon circus, stranded
at Grenoble, France. which states that
their food supply was stopped August 2;
and that their plight is very distressing
The cable says that unless immediate te
steps are taken TO provide the necessary
funds to send these needy persons home
serious consequences may result
wint Objects to Marriages.
The annual report Of Brigadier Genera
Theodore Wint, commanding the Depart.
ment of the Missouri, recommends thai
the army chaplains shall not be allowed
to perform marriage ceremonies for sol
diers, unless previous permission shall have
been given by the commanding officer, the
enlistment of married soldiers being dis
couraged by the War department.
Hays VIII PrObated.
A petition by Mrs Clara s. Hay, widow
of the late Secretary John Hay for tn,
probate of Mr.. Hays will was filed toda,
in the probate court. The petition states
that Mr.. Hay left property, real and per
sonal, to the value Of more than $25O,OOO