The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-07-11
COTTON LEAK IS
| GIVEN To MOODY
FOR PROSECUTION
Secretary Wilson Puts
All Data Before At
torney General.
LAW COVERING THE CASE
Section of Revised Statutes
Under Which Action
May Lie.
LAW COVERING THE CASE

The cotton leak scandSI in its en-
.irety has been transported from S.le
Department of Agriculture to the De-
partment OF Justice, and further develop-
ments are now anticipated
Solicitor General Henry NJ Hoyt, who
is acting Attorney General in the abb
sence of Mr. Moody, this afternoon ac-
knowledged the receipt of all the data
from Secretary Wilson. Tfis includes not
only the report given out by the Secre-
tary on Saturday, which summarized all
the facts CLEANED by the Secret Service
agents. but comprises as well all the sub
ordinate data which vas not deemed
necessary TO a general understanding Of
the case. To have published it entire
would have been to cause much delay
in arriving at the facts, so that the
salient points alone were put into the
official statement
Wilson Feels Relief.
This data collected by the Secret Serv-
ice men Is believed to afford sufficient
basis for the Department OF Justice to
get TO work inteIligentIy, and develop
something out OF it
There are several sections of the Re-
ney General mag decide to act. and OF
these the one which seems to promise
the best chance of success is section
54o1- II provides that anyone who giEes
or promises TO give m0Eey, or any other
thing OF value TO any oEScer or euap.oye
or the Government to do. or refrain from
dong, any duty. shall l,e deemed guilty
of a nisdeHeanor, and shall be punish
ed by fine or imprisonment, or BOTH in
the discretion of the courS-7
Not Waiting for Broker.
another section along these lines Is
number $40. which reads as follows:
IF two or more persons conspire either
TO commit any offense against the
United States. or to defraud the United
States in any manner or for any pur-
pose, and one or more Of such parties
do any act to effect the object of the
conspiracy. all the parties 10 such
conspiracy shall be liable TO a penalty
of not less than $1,000 and not mere than
$4,000 and to imprisonment not more
than two years
The wording Of these sections is such
that il is believed a prosecution, could
be effectively pressed There is also
strong belief that il the cotton leak
Is taken up IN q court proceeding, MANY
additional facts will be brought out
which the Secret Service agents have
uncovered. but could not substantiate
sufficiently to declare openly IN their
report to Secretary Wilson
Assignment of Work.
As Soon as the Attorney General au-
thorizes proceedings, the work viii
probably be put into the hands of one
OF the assistant district attorneys as
District Attorney Beach is about con-
cludirg his term Of official service Hia
resignation Will take effect August 81
and II is realized that any proceedings
viii run along FOR a good while before
they can be concluded.
The President has as yet given no in>1
dication as To whom he Will name a.
NC- Beach'S successor, and there is no
telling when the appointment will be
made. Whenever annouced, however. the
appointee would not enter upon his du-
ties until September l, SO that the WORK
viii have 10 be put in charge of an as
sisIant whose duties are continuous.
President Is interested.
President Roosevelt's interest in hav-
ing the cotton leak investigation press
ed to a finish is believed 20 be so great
that he viii direct the Attorney General
to take up the case and proceed under
tie Revised Statutes. This is the intirna-
ton contained in advices received here
from Oyster Bay. but until some an
nouncement is made there officially the
extent OF such action cannot he pre-
dicted.
In official circles nere the interest OF
the President is looked upon as two-fold.
IN the first place, there can be no doubt
irg of his position against Official cor
ruption of any sort. and If there IS any
Of it in the Department of Agriculture
he wants it 10 be brought out imme-
diately- Then there is the additional rea-
son OF Wishing tG forestaU any more
goading of the department by the repre-
! sentaJives of the Southern cotton grow
| ers.
Good Basis for Work
At the Department of Agriculture to-
day Secretary Wilson expressed salts
faction that the matter of the cotton
leak inquiry is now in the hands of the
| legal department OF the Government.
The whole subject is before the De-
! partment of Justice now he said, "'and
| il is for them to say what can be done
further in the matter. Whatever course
they pursue will be agreeable te ms.
i Tney know the law and 1 viii rely upon
/ tEeir judgment in the matter.
Everything has been sent TO the At
4 torney G1nerai-every Scintilla of evil
/ dence. He not only mas the official state
ment issued on Saturday. which was
| sort OF syllabus of the whole case but
| he has everything on which that sum
narration was based"
Another Line of Action.
| The Secretary denied the rumor that
i he had been Waiting an hour last night
for Broker Theodore H Price, of New
! York, to turn up here TO demand again
| the retraction Price had demanded The
| Secretary had told Price he would See
! the broker if he wanted TO come back
| To Washington. but the broker did not
| show up at all
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