Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1905-07-09
INSIDE TIP GIVEN
COTTON BROKERS
Government Statistics On Cot.
ton Crop Leaks Out.
IN LEAGUE WITH THE BROKERS

ton Crop Leaks Out.
IN LEAGUE WITH THE BROKERS
vestieation Started by the Cotton
Planters Association, WHO Charged
that information Leaked Out.
Washington, July 8.-As 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, department
| of agriculture, Secretary Wilson today
made public an official report in which
he states that Edwin S. Holmes, the
associate statistician has been guilty
of juggling" the official report. The
report says:
1T has been found that Mr.. Holmes
communicated advance information to
L. c. Van Ripper, New York broker,
and NJ. Haas, OF New York, who acted
as a go-betWeen in conveying infor-
nation from Holmes to other New
York brokers, including Theodore
Price. Steps have been taken by Sec
retary Wilson to prevent any further
leakage of the department figures and
an entire reorganization of the bu-
reau of statistics and manner of pre-
pairing notify crop reports has been
outline yhim The papers in con.
nection with the investigated nwere re-
ferred to the United States attorney
for the District of Columbia and he has
reported that in his opinion crim-
inal prosecution will not lie against
Holmes. Holmes has been dismissed
from the service of the department
According to the report Wilson
Judd of New York, formerly in the
employ of L. N. Van Ripper induced the
latter to tell of his connection with the
latter to tell of his connection with
11O4uICO anu llCu LldQC IuG
to Mr.. Cheatham Van Ripper became
the principal witness in the investiga-
tion conducted by the secretary SER
vice and said he was oinduced to com
municate the fact that advance infor-
nation was given out by Holems be-
cause he had heard that Holmes and
his associates had intended to try to
manipulate the June cotton report.
Using this information as a founda-
ton, the secret service agents inter
viewed numerous persons who had
been mentioned by Judson and Van
Riper as well as gathering a mass of
correspondence including many letters
written by Holmes to Van Ripper and
others The report made to Secretary
Wilson and the secretary's comments.
together with details of the new plan
of conducting the bureau of statistics,
makes more than 1000 words II re-
views the entire investigation begin
min gwith the charges that were laid
before Secretary Wilson by Mr.. Cheat
ham several weeks ago. The charges
by Mr.. Cheatham were backed up with
certain evidence that information had
been given to cotton brokers in New
York by some person or persons en-
ployed in the bureau of statistics, rel
ative to the acreage and condition of
the cotton crop of the United States
prior to the official publication of the
information and that the crop figures
had been tampered with in the depart
ment in the interests of certain cotton
spectators. Secretary Wilson de
termined once upon thorough investi.
cation and furnished to officers of the
United States secret service all of the
evidence which ha dbeen given to the
department. Agents then were put in
touch with Mr.. Cheatham and direct
ed to use every possible effort to as
certain whether there had been a leak
in the department, and If SO to furnish
the secretary with the name of the per.
son Or persons responsible. Holmes
is the only employe of the government
who has been found to have had any
connection with supplying information
! to brokers prior to the publication of
the official report.
After reviewing the charges Secre.
tary Wilson gives a summary of the
testimony adduced before secret SER
vice agents MIR. Van ripper, the
New York broker under examination
said he became acquainted with Mr..
Holmes in New York in Aug, 1904,
| through mutual friend" Accord
ing to this testimony Holmes told Mr..
Van Riper he could get information
| concerning the government crop re.
port, principally through the report of
the general agents and the report of
the state agents. Van Ripper said
Holmes furnished him with informa-
ton from time to time for several
months in advance of the publication
of official figures and that the infor-
| nation furnished by Holmes CORE
| sponded exactly with the figures af-
terward published as the official crop
! report.
Lone Hids@~ayman Robs Stage.
Meadows, Idaho, July S.-The stage
| from Warren to Meadows has been
held up by lone highwayman near
Resort station. The bandit covered
the driver with two automatic revolv-
| ers and compelled him to cut open the
mail sacks and throw them down. He
then removed all the registered letters.
Two passengers and the driver were
lined up and relieved of tneir valua-