New-York tribune., 1905-07-11
EVIDENCE GOES TO MOODY
IN THE COTTON scandal.
Secretary Wilson Determined to
Hare Guilty Mem Punished.
IFRoM THE TRIBUNE sUaHAu.1

IL
washington, July 1O.-Secretary Wilson has
determined to lay all the evidence in the cotton
case before Attorney General Moody to-rnorrovv
with view to ascertaining what steps. If anv
can be taken TO bring to justice ex-Associate
Statisucian Holmes and the men who were i'm
plicated with him in the cotton report scandal.
The Secretary made an appointment with
Theodore H. Price the New-York broker. for
o'clock this evening, at which he was to de-
liver TO Mr.. Price his final answer TO the request
for retraction Of the assertion contained in the
Official statement
The Secretary waited for Mr Price more than
an hour. but the broker did not appear Mr.
wilson assumes that Mr. Price VIII carry out his
threat OF instituting suit for 100000
II the Department OF Justice Is Of the
opinion that a criminal prosecution can be
based on the evidence collected or on evidence
which the Secret Service may yet secure, Sec
retary Wilson viii welcome such action Thus
Tar every clew furnished by Secretary Cheathaun
OF the Southern Cotton Planters Association
has been followed up by the Secret Service TO
the best OF its ability the source of the leak
has been discovered. and the culprit has admit
ted his guilt and has been dismissed There Is
no evidence which seems to implicats any other
Official OF the department, and unless new evil
oence ts discovered no other official will suffer.
When the Secret Service operatives had COM
pleted their work. in which they co-operated
with Secretary Cheatharn in a manner which
has ELECTED from him an expression Of approba-
ton, their report submitted to Secretary
Wilson. He Immediately caused all the papers
and evidence TO be submitted TO District At
torney Beach. with inquiry whether Grim
inal prosecution could be based on the evidence
submitted. and whether. IN Mr.. Beach's opinion,
any or all Of the evidence should be suppressed
with e view 70 such prosecution. Mr.. Beach.
after taking all the time he wanted to examine
the papers and consider the subject brought
them to Secretary Wilson, saying that he found
no ground for a criminal prosecution and did
not believe any harm would be done by making
the whole matter public
MR. HYDE NOT IMPLICATED.
When asked to-day II he expected to retain
John Hyde. chief Of the Bureau of Statistics, In
his present place. Secretary Wilson said
I do not see how I can do otherwise. There
is nothing IN the evidence which duplicates MI
Hyde. Mr.. Hyde did not select his associate
statistician Neither cid I He came 10 US
through the Civil Service Commission Holmes
stood high IN the estimation Of all who knew
him He occupied confidential position, and
he yielded TO the temptation to amass wealth
too rapidly and violated his trust The District
Attorney advised me that 7 had not sufficient
evidence which TO base a criminal prosecu-
uon so cid the next best thing and dismissed
the unfaithful enplOye. Now have taken such
steps will. believe, prevent repetition Of
such violations Of trusts. 1t should be remem-
bered, moreover, that ii not actual figures
which Holmes stole. On the contrary, all that
necessary for him to advise his gam
bling friends that the market for this, that or
the other commodity would go UP or down.
That he could Judge by the trend Of the
ports. They bought sold. information sug-
gested. and were not concerned with how far
the market went up or down, so long as it went
far enough TO yield them a profit
You say Mr HYDE Is criticised for not ha-tng
sooner discovered the source Of the leak. That
was a very difficult thing TO do, Is shown by
the fact that have employed the Secret Service
before TO try and ferret out possible leaks in
this same bureau, and they were unable 10 dis
cover any evidence whatever even Of the ex-
isEence Of a leak, so # would have been extreme
% Gt5-''D-' soi -''Do''-'-'' II - -0' NJ --''' "
HAS NO FEAR OF LIBEL SUIT
Asked if he regarded with apprehension Mr..
Prices threat Of a libel suit, Secretary Wilson
said:
That occasions me no anxiety whatever. This
is purely a quarrel among gamblers. I consid-
dence which The secret service broIIgbr n me
and which I based the dismissal of Holmes
II Mr.. Price can bring a suit which VIII still
further show up the men who have been i'm
plicated with Holmes I would be glad to see
him 90 ii. I should De glad 10 see the case
carried into the courts. because that might serve
TO compel these fellows TO tell some things
which they refused 10 tell TO the Secret Service
operatives.
George P. McCabe. solicitor for the Depart
nent OF Agriculture. was the who submit
ted the evidence to District Attorney Beach
When asked to-day If Mr.. Beach had seen only
a part Of the evidence or had not had sufficient
time TO examine f. Mr. McCabs said:
In accordance with instructions from the Sec
reIary I took the entire case, every scrap Of
evidence submitted by the Secre. Service, 10
Mr.. Beach and asked, IN the name Of the SecTe-
tary, two questions: First, is there hera suffi-
Second, should this evidence be made public.
should q part all OF II be suppressed with q
view 10 a criminal prosecution later on2 In
other words. would the making public OF the
inal prosecution Mr.. Beach replied that he
would have 20 over the case very ca refuIIy
before answering these questions, and that
would take some time. I asked him If he would
say that TO Secretary Wilson. and his assent
ing I called up Secretary Wilson by telephone
and Nr. Beach repeated his statement TO the
Secretary over the telephone. Late IN the after
noon Of the same day Mr. Beach called on the
Secretary and told him that the evidence fur
nished no ground for criminal prosecution
and that harm would be done by making the
evidence public.
Secretary Wilson confirmed Mr.. McCabe's
statement regarding the advice given both over
the telephone and directly by Mr.. Beach Dis
trict Attorney Beach when he the state
naent Of Mr.. McCabe declined to add anything
except TO say.
Nv conference was with Secretary Wilson
alone. I considered Mr.. McCabes function in
the matter as simply TO bring TO the papers
IN the case on which was later TO advise with
? Secretary person.