The evening world., 1905-07-08
OFFICIAL IS DISMISSED.
Edwin n. Holiness, a Government
Statistician, Accused Of Jug
Cling Report, Loses Office.
MANY DETECTIVES ON CASE,
Secretary Of Agriculture Declares
L. c. Van Ripper Gave lnforma.
ton uncoverIng Scandal.

WASHINGTON, July s.-As the result
Of the investigation by Secret Service
agents into the charges made by Rich
ard Cheatham. secretary OF the Cotton
Planters Association. that Information
had been given to cotton brokers in New
York by some person or persons In the
Bureau Of Statistics Of the Department
OF Agriculture, Secretary Wilson
to-day made public an Official report. in
which he states that Edwin g. Holmes
the Associate Statistician. has been gull
ty of Juggling" the official report The
report says:
at has been found that Mr.. Holmes
advance Information to
L. c.. Van Ripper. a New York broker
and NJ. Haas. OF New York. who. Mr..
Van Rlper said. acted as a eo-between
in conveying information from Holmes
to other New York brokers. including
Theodore PAce.
Steps have been taken by Secretary
Wilson to prevent n further leakage
Of the department figures and an entire
reorganization Of the Bureau of Stats
tics and manner of preparing monthly
crop reports has been outlined by him.
Not to Prosecute.
THE papers In connection with h
Investigation were referred to the United
States Attorney for the District Of
Columbia, inc he has reported that In
his opinion a criminal prosecution will
not lie against Holmes.
Holmes has been dismissed from the
sar1ina 0f tho dana rtmAnt'
According to the report Wilson Judd.
Of New York. formerly in the employ
of L. G. Van Ripper. induced the latter
to tell Of his connection with Holmes.
and then communicated the Information
to Mr.. Oheatham.
Van Ripper became the principal wit
ness In the investigation conducted by
the Secret Service, n said he IVES by
duced to communicate tho fact lat ad-
by Holmes, because he had. heard that
Holmes and his associates a intended
to try to manipulate the june cotton
report.
ton the Secret Service agents inter
viewed numerous persons who ~ boon
mentioned by Judd and Van Ripper, as
we'll as gathering a mass OF CORES
ten 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 reviews the
entire investigation, beginning with the
charges tina were laid before Secretary
Wilson by Mr.. Cheatham several weeks
ago.
Only Ono implicated.
The charges by Mr.. Cheatham were
backed with evidence that certain In
formation had been given to cotton
brokers in New York by some person
or persons employed in the Bureau Of
Statistics relative to the acreage and
condition OF the cotton crop or the
United States prior to the official pub.
LEGATION OF the Information. and that
the crop figures had been ampered with
In the department In the interests or
certain cotton spectators.
Secretary Wilson determined at, once
upon a thorough investigation and fur
nIshed to officers OF the United states
Secret Service all of the evidence which
had been given to the department.
The agents then We're put In touch
with Mr., Cheatham and directed to use
every possible Effort 10 ascertain
whether there had been a leak in the
department, and II so to furnish the
Secretary with the name OF the person
or persons responsible.
Van Riper's Statement.
Van Ripper. in his testimony said that
Holmes furnished him with Information
from time TO time for several months
Official figures, and that information
furnished by Holmes correspondent eN-
actly with the figures afterward pub
lished as the official crop reports.
Van Ripper stated that "A Mr.. Haas, Of
New York, acted as n go-be-ween for
Holmes and himself, and he was given
TO understand that Haas was occurring
Information from Theodore Price, . cot
ton broker of New York.
The witness said he met Haas at tho
Hotel Waldorf and was told by MIN
that the report for June. 1860, would be
made rs per cent. on condition and " IL
bearish as they could make il. and that
he was going 10 see Price, with whom
he would have an interview, and wanted
10 see Van Ripper after he saw Price:
him and said that At the, request OF
Price he was going to Washington to see
il they could not get She percentage a
little, higher and inc acreage g lltt!s
Van Ripper testified that the official
report was more bearish than the ns-
ures previously given him. and he took
this 10 mean that the effort to in!lu-
ence the report had succeeded
Letter Signed 81"
The letters produced by Van RipeT
which he alleged mere written .oy
Holmes, were all signed with th'
initial III" Most of these letters were
for the purpose Of making appointments
with Van ltiper, but the following note
dated Angus 20, 1904. shows the rela'
tionrhip between Holmes and Var
Ro.ler:
III you had bought any Of hat stun
sell II out al once, and sell as mucf
as you can In addition, We are going
10 show n very slight decline and IA
this Is totally unexpected II will sent
things down like fury, Other partie.
Thursday. Where Is r? Tear this up