Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-03
REVIEWED IN DETAIL
Agricultural Department In
vestigation Discussed.
EXTENDED CONFERENCE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY BEACH CON-
SUITS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
Consideration of Cotton Report Scandal
to Be Resumed by the Grand Jury
the Middle of the Month.

An extended conference between Attorney
General Moody and District Attorney Bea n
at the Department of Justice tn S morning
the situation in regard to the cotton crop
report leaks in the bureau of statistics
of the Agricultural Depart the prog
ress made by the federal grand jury in its
consideration of the scandal and the poss-
bliity of indictments against the offenders
being found, were reviewed in detail.
AT the close of the conference it was
announced by the district attorney that the
grand jury would tomorrow be given re-
cess until August 10, Mr. Beach explaining
that the adjournment was in consequence
of the fact that additional evidence was ex-
pected from distant places and could not
be obtained before that time. One of these
distant points is England, where John
HYDE, the former statistician of the Agri-
cultural Depart nent. who recently resigned
under pressure, is now sojournng. Accord
ing to cablegram received by Secretary
wilson yesterday-the text of the message
having been published in The Star yester-
DAY afternoon-Mr. Hyde intends to return
to the United States and to the scene Of his
s.aa,'ieai s'h .t ianors as soon as possible Just
what this means is not known, and tie date
OF Mr. Hyde proposed departure from
England will not be known until the re-
ceipt by Secretary Wilson of letter from
mo ioiHlc SuDOIulIldt6. WnlCn Is now on
the way. 1t is believed, however, that Mr..
hyde will follow the advice given him by
Secretary Wilson, and will return to this
country with all possible dispatch so as to
De on hand when the grand jury resumes
its sessions in the middle Of the present
month.
The Attorney Generals Visit.
Attorney General Moody's presence in
Washington today was largely due to his
desire for conference with Mr.. Beach on
the Agricultural Department scandal It
Is true that several matters of trust Iiti-
CATION, as well as some other affairs of
considerable Importance. required the At
torney Generals presence here. One Of
the latter involves the choice of a success
sor to Mr.. Cotton, who recently was ap-
pointed United States district judge in
oregon, to succeed Judge Bellinger, de-
ceased. MIR Cotton accented the. place.
Dut Ior business and private reasons later
Withdrew his acceptance But desire to
keep In close touch with developments in
the department scandal was the principal
motive for the Attorney Generals visit
just at this time
Mr.. Moody said that he had been kept
closely informed of the progress of the
investigation from it's origin, but that he
desired further personal conference
with district Attorney Beach. He de-
clared that Mr.. Beach was quite able to
conduct properly the investigation with
out assistance from him or from any one
else but that as this was in the nature of
a housecleaning by the administration it
seemed fitting that the head Of the De-
partment of Justice should keep in suf-
fciently close touch with the matter to
assume a personal responsibility to the
President and before the country
Grand Jury Investigation.
The grand jury, which has been investi-
eating the cotton crop report leaks with q
view to returning indictments against the
offenders, was in session for several hours
at the city hall today. but no hearing was
had in the Agricultural Department case.
The jury assembled to make a report to
Justice Barnard of two indictments in
minor cases, in which the defendants are
already under arrest in other Jurisdictions.
Owing to the absence of Justice Barnard,
who was in attendance at the funeral of
Justice Wyie. the grand jury could not
make it's report today Consequently there
will be a brief and formal session tomorrow
morning, when the report is presented,
after which the recess until August 10 will
begin. The investigation of the cotton
crop report scandal will be resumed at that
time