The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-07-13
Dissemination of Cotton Sta
tiStiCs Gets the Ak.
STATEMENT OF WILSON
Facts Relating to Leak from AsricuI-
tural Department Made Public.
Hcw Scheme Was Success
fully Worked.


service agents into tie charges made
by Richard Cheatham, secretary Of
the Cotton Planters Association, tia:
information had been given to cotton
brokers in New York by some per-
son or persons in the bureau Of sta
tistics, department of agriculture, Sec
retary Wilson Saturday made public
an official report in which he states
that Edwin S. Holmes, the associate
statistician, has been guilty of jug
Cling" the official report. The report
says:
'It has been found that Mr.. Holmes
communicated valuable information to
L C. Van Ripper, a New York broker,
and M. Haas of New York, who act
ed as a go-betTeen in conveying the
information from Holmes to other
New York brokers, including Theo-
dore Price. Steps have been taken
by Secretary Wilson to prevent any
further leakage Of the department fig
u,es and an entire reorganization OF
the bureau of statistics and manner
OF preparing monthly crop reports
has been outlined by him. The pa
pers in connection with the investlga-
ton were referred to the United
States attorney for the District OF
Columbia and he has reported that
in his opinion a criminal prosecution
will not lie against Holmes. Holmes
has been dismissed from the service
OF the department"
According to the report, Wilson
Judd of New York, formerly In the
employ of L. N. Van Ripper, induced
the latter to tell of his connection
with Holmes and then gave the infor-
nation to Mr.. Cheatham. Van Ripper
became the principal witness in the
investigation conducted by the secret
service and said he was induced to
communicate the fact that advance
information was given out by Holmes
because he had heard that Holmes
and his associates had intended to
try to manipulate the June cotton re-
port. Using this information as a
foundation, the secret service agents
interviewed numerous persons who
had been mentioned by Judson and
Van Ripper as well as gathering a
mass of correspondence, including
many letters written by Holmes to
Van Ripper and others. The report
made to Secretary Wilson and the
secretary's comments, together with
the details Of the new plan OF con-
Quoting the bureau Of statistics,
makes more than 1000 words. 1t re-
views the entire investigation, begin
ming with the charges that were laid
before Secretary Wilson by Mr..
Cheatham several weeks ago.
After reviewing the charges Secre-
tary Wilson gives a summary OF the
testimony, adduced before secret ser
vice agents. Mr.. Van Ripper, the New
York broker, under examination, said
he became acquainted with Holmes IN
New York in August, 1904, through
a mutual friend" According to
this testimony Holmes tod Van Ri
per he could get information con
cerning the government crop report
principally through the report OF tho
general agents and the report OF the
state agent. Van Ripper said Holmes
furnished the information from time
to time for several months in advance
o. the publication of official figures.
and that information furnished o9
Holmes corresponded exactly with
the figures afterwards published as
the official crop report.
It was planned by certain inter
ests, including parties in responsible
nosition in the bureau Of statistics
TO use influence to have Mr.. Hyde
sent to Europe so that Mr.. Holmes
would be the acting head of the
bureau of statistics, and in this po
sition would have free hand tc
furnish such reports as were "an'eu'
According to the new plan outlined
by Secretary Wilson to govern the
preparation Of monthly reports OF the
bureau Of statistics, the general spe
cial field agents and state agents will
report on the successive crops al
rectly to the secretary or acting sec
retarv of agriculture. These reports
vii, remain sealed in the custody
OF these officers until the day tns
official report is to be made.
oImstead Succeeds Holmes.
Victor H. Oimstead has been ap
nointed associate statistician OF the
department to succeed Holmes
Mr.. Olmstead has for some time pas
held the position Of chief OF the df
;,;o,, NJ domestic crop reports.