Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-01
Haas and Peckham Again Be-
fore the Grand Jury.
OBEDIENT TO COURT
RESPONDED ONLY TO THE CUES
TIoNs AS DIRECTED.
Jurors Dismissed Until Thursday
Witnesses Paroled in Custody Of
Their Counsel.


OF the cotton crop report scandal. Moses
Haas and Frederick A. Peckham. the re-
calctrant New York witnesses, who were
paroled In the custody Of their counsel,
Mark l.. Alter of New York, last Friday,
returned to Washington this morning.
The grand jury met at II o'clock and Haas
was Immediately called before the body
The ruling by Justice Wright last week
made 1t plain that Haas was not COM
PEELED to answer any questions which might
tend to incrlminate him that neither the
district attorney nor any members OF the
grand jury believed that the witness would
prove tractable.
Consequently. it was surprise when
Haas. after answering In the affirmative
the questions as to whether he had ever
lived in Washington and had ever been en-
ployed in the Agricultural Department. as
directed by the court, refused answers to
the interrogations tending to show his &C
quaintance with Peckham and Holmes.
District Attorney Beach continued his ex-
animation of the witness, however. putting
a long list of questions to him, and fnvarfa-
bly, received the same reply. II refuse 10
answer on the ground that it might tend
to incriminate me-"
The District Attorney may possibly bring
this list of questions to the attention OF
the court. with a request that each one be
passed upon separately as to whether or
not it might tend to incriminate the wit
ness, but this is not settled by any means.
1t is almost a foregone conclusion that the
court would hold that all questions of i'm
portance to the government need not be
answered by the witness.
Dismissed Until Thursday.
At haIf-past IL o'clock the grand jury
was dismissed until II o'clock Thursday
morning and the witnesses Beckham and
Haas were paroled in the custody of their
counsel. Mr.. Alter, until wanted" 1t is
probable that the session of the body on
Thursday will be exceedingly brief. and
that the grand jury will then be given a
recess of a week or ten days. The district
attorney not only thinks the members OF
the body have earned a brief respite from
their exacting duties, but also has some
matters connected with the inquiry to at
tend to before the proceedings can be re-
sumed.
After the grand jury had been dismissed
today District Attorney Beach had long
conference In his private Office with Mrs
Bertha Burch. some time private secretary
and personal friend Of Former Satistician
John Hyde Of the Agricultural Depart
ment It has been believed all along that
IL the district attorney could induce Mrs.
Burch to testify before the grand jury an
important forward step in the cotton scan
dial inquiry would have been taken.
Mrs. Burch's Testimony Wanted.
Mr.. Beach this afternoon refused to dis
cuss anything connected with the confer
ence or TO admit that his caller had been
Mrs. Burch.
1t is known. however. that he is extremely
DESTROYS of having the former stenogra-
pher of the bureau of statistics appear be-
fore the grand jury and testify at length
concerning the relations of Hyde and
former Statistician Holmes, who was dis
missed in disgrace, and also concerning the
condition of affairs in the bureau during
the past few years. 1t is certain that no
one outside of Hyde and Holmes had a
more thorough knowledge Of matters in
hn Cfa Tool h,trn ha n DIV
and 1t is believed that her testimony, If she
can be induced to talk freely, would be
of vast assistance to the government in the
proceedings now under way.
Mr.. Hyde's Absence.
In this connection it is interesting to
know that Mr.. Hyde's absence from the
United States remains unexplained. When
the former statisticians resignation was
handed in-under pressure-Secretary
Wilson privately told his friends that he
still thought Mr.. Hyde to be one of the
greatest statisticians In the business. that
he was confident Mr.. Hyde was not con-
cerned in the cotton scandals in the bu-
reau Of statistics and that If it were not
for another reason, more personal to Hyde,
the resignation would not have been ac-
copied
But Mr. Hyde's absence from Washington
and from the United States just at this
time when the federal grand jury is prob
testimony of every one with anything TO
tell Is desired, has shaken even the Secre-
tary's confidence in his former subordinate
Mr.. Hyde has gone to Europe. under
stand" said Secretary Wilson today. Il
had no Idea he was going away from the
country when he left the department.
received letter from Mrs. Hyde explain
ing that she was responsible for his de-
parture; that she had herself purchased
his steamship transportation and had in
sisted that he go away on account of his
health. She said he was in danger of a
nervous collapse"
on the afternoon of the day he left the de-
partment. Mr.. Hyde didn't then look as If
he were in danger Of collapse, but said at
the time that he intended to leave the coun-
try very soon and put himself under the
care of a London specialist for six weeks
or two months.
Later. however, the grand jury of this
jurisdiction was called in extraordinary
session and Mr.. Hyde is understood at that
time TO have expressed his Willingness to
remain in Washington and give every aid
in his power to the federal authority In the
investigation then about to be undertaken
Secretary Wilson thought Mr.. Hyde would
be on hand when needed and the latter's
continued absence had made Mr.. Wilson
wonder whether he will not eventually find
that his faith in the former statistcian was
misplaced.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Hydes con-
tnued absence from the city just at this
time looks badly for him, and that if he
is indeed innocent, as he has claimed. of
any knowledge of the scandalous condition
of affairs in the bureau of statistics, the
best thing he could do, his friends believe,
would be to return to Washington and Of
fer to appear before the grand jury
From present Indications however. it Is
not believed that he will do this, or that he
will even enter the boundaries OF the
United States for long time to come.
As to Holmes, the authorities do not seem
to be greatly worried, and while they will
not discuss his absence nor indicate the
date of his probable return. it is thought
they are acquainted with his whereabouts.
and that they can lay hands on him when
wanted
Cheatham and Peters.
Richard cheatham. secretary of .-e
Southern Cotton Association and the man
who brought the first formal charges OF
wrongdoing in the bureau of statistics to
the attention of Secretary Wilson, said to-
day that he did not care TO discuss the teIe-
gram sent to Secretary Wilson by Vice
President E. S. Peters of the Southern Cot
ton Association protesting against the de-
10