Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09
END NOT IN SIGHT
Cotton Investigation Devel-
opments Expected.
h Y D Els P OSITION
STATEMENT BY BROKER PRICE
CAUSE FOR COMMENT.
Difference Between Secretary Wilson
and Mr.. Cheatham as to
Prosecution. I'm
Il Y DE'S POSITION

Although the report of the secret serv-
Ice officers who investigated the scandal
in connection with cotton crop report
leaks in the Department of Agriculture
mas In part been made public. and Assist
ant Statistician Holmes the chief Of
Tender, has been dismissed It apnears
from present indications that the end of
the affair is long way Off There will.
OF course, be thorough reorganization
OF the bureau of statistics of the de-
partment, and while no charges of any
KIND have been brought against Chief
Statistlcian Hyde there is said to be a
possibility that he will be made 10 suffer
punishment Tor alleged negligence He
was at the head of the bureau of statis-
ucs during all the time that his assistant
holmes, was juggling with the figures ~
the oincial crop reports and dfyulginp in
M loI md 'oh PRIOR to the publication of those
reports by the government. Consequently
IT is felt in some quarters that ha js
negatively, at least, responsible for the
conditions in his bureau
Dut MT Hyde's case is only one OF a
NUMBER or phases of the scandal that re-
MAN TO be settled in the future One thing
IN winch every cotton man I'm the country
is interested is the question of the con-
neotion of Theodore Price one OF the h,v
sest cotton spectators In the country with
the scandal In the bureau of statistics Mr.
Ifice name is prominently mentioned I'm
Sc cretary Wilson's statement. Last night
Mr. frice ISSUED statement emphaticaliS
aeclarlng that neither directly nor indrect-
~ did he ever have anything to do with
Holfnes or his tips. and on top of that IL
was learned last night that Mr.. Price had
EeVer been approached by a secret service
man during the investigation into the
Cheatham charges, and saws he had no
knowledge that his name would be mem
toned in an official way until he read Sec
retary Wilson's statement More than
IN c v1ferl.f ha~ L..
days ago one of the secret service men
working on the inquiry declared that he
had found nothing that in any way COLI
necfed Mr. Price with the irregularities In
the bureau of statistics. Interesting de-
veiopments along this line are expected
Criminal Prosecution.
Between Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
and Mr.. Cheatham there appears to be a.
wide difference of opinion as to the chances
OF criminally prosecuting Assistant Statis-
tican Holmes and hts associates Secre-
tary Wilson's statement issued Yesterday
paragraph to the effect that Dis
trict Attorney Beach had decided that an in
dictment against Holmes would not hold.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Cheatham had n
long talk with Mr.. Beach. and later. in
discussing the matter, his view OF Mr.
Beachs opinion differed widely from that
voiced by Secretary Wilson. According to
Mr.. Chea atham, District ATTORNEY Beach
said that depending entirely upon the
facts contained In the report of the in
qulry, an Indictment would not hold hut
that as a matter of fact he thought that
a strong case of conspiracy could be made
out against Holmes and his associates Mr..
Beach, 1t was stated, made II plain to Mr.
Cheatham that this particular portion of
the matter was not in his line: he was not
a detective. and only had the power of act
ing on such evidence as was submitted to
him. But he made II plain to Mr. Cheat
nam, according to the latter's statement
TO Star reporter last night that In his
opinion evidence amply SUFFICIENT TO sun.
port an indictment against Holmes and hts
associates could be secured. If such evil
1ence is presented TO him he will act
Between the Lines.
Between the lines of Secretary Wilson's
statement of yesterday may be read the
story Of the downfall of Sully, the one
lime cotton king and the thousands of vic
Tins who lost money through the sensa-
tional bear raid that was the undoing OF
Sully. Many may now learn for the first
lime how IL all happened.
According to the report Of the secret SER
vice officers the alleged conspirators be-
gan active work in 1904 but as a matter Of
fact the jugglery of cotton statistics was
going merriiy on year prior to that time.
In 1908 Statistician Hyde was in Europe
md Holmes. his assistant, was in charge
If the bureau of statistics, with plenty of
opportunity then as later, TO secretly fur
lish information prior to the publication
If the government report. William NJ.
Judd former employe of l.. &. Van Ri
Der, one of the brokers said to have been
benefited by Holmes tips, according to Mr..
Wilson's report, confessed to Secretary
chea tham who made the formal presenta-
ion of the charges to the Secretary OF
Agriculture n. Van Ripper, it is claimed,
,orroborated Judd, and Holmes made an
exceedingly feeble effort TO show that the
considerable amount of money he had
made in the last year or two came from
/ fortunate mining venture.
Sully built up his sensational bull market
md his enormous paper profits in 1903. and
was in the fall of that year that the bear
sh tendency of the government cotton re-
)orts first began to make his position dam
,erous. Holmes was then In charge of the
bureau of statistics and issued the cotton
eports at that time. His later known con-
lection was with the bear element in the
market.
The report shows that since August of
asst year Holmes has maintained relations
With cotton brokers, and the investigating
ffiicals think that the manlpulatons since
August, 1904, are but duplicates of what
ook place in the previous year. They have
lot been able, however, to secure legal evil
ence to this effect.
1t is claimed that Secretary Wilson omit
ed from the statement made public yester-
ay number OF paragraphs rejecting
realty upon the manner In which the bu-
eau of statistics has been conducted. Mr..
'heatham says he had understood that the
ntire report would be made public, and
cad the abstract.
Cotton men and the public generally will
9atch with interest and anxiety for further
Inevitable developments In the situation.