The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-14
Woman is Implicated in +,
ton Leak Scand.ss
-
CARRINGTON Is a'SMlSSED
Fight on Grafters Promises to Be
Full of Sensational Develop
ments-Cheatham and Jor-
dan in Washington.
BY wATTERson sTEALEY.

BY WATTERsoN STEALEY.
Washington, July 13.-(Special)- )-Harvie
Jordan, president, and Richard Cheat
ham, secretary of the Southern Cotton
Growers association, arrived here late
tonight Mr.. Jordan went on to Oyster
Bay to consult with President Roose-
Welt while Mr.. Cheatham remained here
to confer with the officials of the de-
partments of agriculture and justice and
to await the result of Mr.. Jordan's in
teryiew with the President Mr.. Jordan
started for Oyster Bay at midnight Mr.
Cheatham went to the Willard hotel
The present prupose of both men is to
secure a thorough investigation of the
department of agriculture but in partieu-
lar to secure the scalp of Chief Statis-
tician John Hyde. They are determined
that the cotton leak scandal should not
stop with the removal of Assistant sta
tistician Holmes. Hyde is not under
charges of corruption but Jordan and
cheatham are prepared to insist that
an official under whose nose corruption
went on so long is not sagacious enough
to hold his job and that the cotton grow
ers are not safe under him.
| Wilson viii Defend Hyde.
Secretary Wilson will vigorously resist
their campaign. His confidence in Mr.
Hyde was shown today in his designation
OF that gentleman to investigate the to-
bacco branch of the scandal If the
President supports Messrs. Jordan and
Cheatham the complications that will
ensue may ultimately lead to the retire
/
ment of Mr.. Wilson from the cabinet
though today Mr. Wilson is convinced
that no such contingency can occur.
The work has been divided between
Jordan and Cheatham. Jordan has taken
charge of the demand for a complete in
vestigation of the department which shall
not stop until all the reports are safely
| guarded from the possibility of leakage
| by the dismissal of all crooked and in
| competent officials and the adoption of
| precautions for the future Cheatham
on the other hand remains here to keep
an eye ON the prosecution of Holmes.
| The way in which Secretary Wilson mis-
understood the opinion of District Attor-
ney Morgan H. Beach, translating it to
man that Holmes could not be prose-
cuted when Beach had said nothing of
the kind has suggested that man
thoroughly conversant with the affair can
put In his time to advantage by staying
! here to see that no similar misunderstand-
| ings arise in the progress of the case.
Mr.. Cheatham intends to keep in touch
with the department of agriculture and
the department of justice and to know
what is going on. His part of the work
| is to do what he can to see Holmes in
striped suit
Surface Is Only Scratched.
Mr.. Jordan when he sees the President
will insist that the evidence shows the
ramifications of the grating system in
various parts of the department He
| will assert that the surface of the
scandal has only been scratched and that
the President should have the whole de-
partment put under the mscroscope.
He will charge that it is wholly impos-
sble> that Holmes is the only official in
volved and that the department still con-
| tains some of the worst offenders. The
name of the woman clerk, who on
| small salary it is alleged has been able
| to buy thousands of dollars worth of
property will be mentioned to the Pres
|
will suggest that the proposed investiga-
tion should include her.
There are many rumors in town tonight
as to the prominent part this woman has
played in the cotton leak scandal
Darlington Is Dismissed.
| The President today approved the sem
tence of dismissal from the army imposed
upon Mai. Frank Darlington This was
the only official action developed today in
connection with graft in the public SER
vice.
| Major Darlington "misappropriated'
funds belonging to the Filipino govern
ment The Major is a native of Georgia.
He was appointed to the military academy
from that state in 1874 and graduated four
years later During the Spanish war he
was a lieutenant colonel in the Eighth
California infantry.
Stir in Printing Office.
Over in the government printing office
the keep commission kept up the work
of examining the officials in Uncle Sans
big printery. Nothing of a particularly
sensational nature was developed though
the belief gains ground that there will be
a new chief before long.
II is reported that the President has
beeen aware for some time. as everyone
| else has been, that there Is crookedness
| in G. P. o.. and that he offered the posi-
tion of public printer to at least two
men, both of whom declined.
Wood May Go to Panama.
The Presidents speech yesterday in
praise of Gen. Leonard Wood has caused
the suggestion that the President may as
sign the general to the isthmus of Pam
anna for sanitary work.