Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08


going down 10 Washington to see If
they could not get the percentage a little
higher and the acreage made little
smaller. TO make the report more beariSh.
Mr.. Van Ripper says that the official report
was more bearish than the figures previ
ously given him. and that he took this to
mean that the effort to influence the report
had succeeded.
Admissions of Mr Holmes.
Under examination Mr.. Edwin S. Holmes
admitted that he had written two letters.
one dated August Is. 1904. postmarked
Washington. d. c." and the other dated
August y, 1904. postmarked the same date.
These letters read follows:
August Is. 9O4-Dear Mr.. Van Ripper
Other parties have changed plans slightly.
and l think 1t advisable for you to know
about it, Can't you come here Saturday
night or Sunday? If not, l might be able
10 go TO New York Saturday afternoon.
Write NE on receipt of this. and. If you
dec de to come here, tell me when to meet
you and where. Yours. II.
August n, 190I.-Dear Mr.. Van Ripper
Yours received. That matter can wait a
few days Better have z. come l can't
get away before Saturday afternoon
Just getting over a bad chill. Hope to
be o. X. tomorrow. Yours H.
You got my initials wrong on last let
ter
There is another letter dated August 80
1901 postmarked Washington. d c.. Au-
gust 30. 1904. which reads follows:
IF you have bought any of that stuff sell
1t out at once, and sell as much as you
can In addition. We are going to show very
slight decline, ard as this is totally unex-
pected il will send things down like fury.
Other parties viii close out tomorrow. and
sell on Thursday. Where is P? Tear this
up. h
1T may so up little before Friday. but
probably not"
Each of these letters is signed H" and
49, Hoo, hxrr
person. This series OF letters is addressed
to Mr. l.. c. Van Ripper of New York city.
and surrendered by him for the pur-
poses of this investigation.
Alleged Arrangement With Holmes.
Mr.. Van Ripper states that all of these let
tiers were received from Mr.. Holmes. and
that their contents. particularly the one
dated August 80 1904. have reference to
the state of the cotton report at that time;
further. that he had arrangement with
Mr.. Holmes whereby the latter was to. and
did. from month to month. furnish Mr.. Van
Ripper information obtained from the bu-
reau of statistics as to the condition of the
cotton crop prior to the publication OF such
information officially.
Mr.. Holmes admits that he wrote the adj
dresses on the envelopes of the three let
tiers hereinbefore quoted. but he denies
writing the last of the three letters. He
admits the authorship of the first two let
terS OF the series, out Claims ne mas no
recollection of the contents of these two
letters or why he should have written such
letters to Mr. Van Ripper at that time.
Letters From F. A Peckham.
Five other letters were secured bearing
on the subject They read as follows:
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Aug. 81. 1904.
IL. c. Van Ripper. esq. 10S Fulton street.
New York city:
Dear Van: About So 1t will surprise
everybody and cause big drop-is opinion
of best experts. There will be things doing
sure. drop of only-(abouD six points. This
is one of the highest averages for this tSep
tember) month ever known Is way above
the ten-year average Tear this up. Do
all you can. F."
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Aug. g. 1904.
Party for price here tonight to make
Of figures. Tomorrow Thursday they
are going to sell all they can without break
Ing market if they can. 1t may break to-
morrow. Saturday soon as report Is out
perhaps before they cut loose. Selling
everything in sight. Get in tomorrow
early. Be sure to close out Friday as soon
as effect of report has been shown.
NO market Saturday (holida) and noon
Monday. so I understand This is the best
chance we will have. Destroy"
Long conference Sunday between colonel
and man S has done something =. does
not like. Is going without S. knowing 1t. IL
possible. to put price up high possible
before LIST. Then if figures show 10 say. or
better. Instead S1.4 as before Something
will drop Belief here is you can get go
ing and coming. P. going 10 break 5. la;er
IL he can. Destroy sure
washington. D. c.. 9-s. 1904 There will
be depreciation of ~ points In spring
wheat on 10th. or from So Qast report) to
Go. Reduction may be more not less
Such a great reduction will doubt raise
price ) to Toe. inside of 2 or 3 days. This
Is best chance will have on wheat. Get in
heavy. r.
Telegram-"Wash.. d. c.. Sep. Is. 1904 L.
c. Van Ripper. los Fulton St. n Y Moth
at nine morning unless something de-
velops F.
Tuesday. Washington. D. c., Sept %.
1904. Dear Van: AS stated over phone
party went TO B.-phoned y. Y. end evil
IDENTIFY did not say anything definite as to
movements. hut inference was that he was
going 10 get In and buy. When l said over
phone party thinks-only advised what
colonel inferred-not intended my think
ing Regret cannot get at it more def
nitely, and that program We were told about
has not been. so far. carried out From
talks Col has had with man, he believes
they will start to buy tomorrow. If they did
not today. Note prices have advanced a
little. Remember that Mr.. z. Gin N. "
would not say over phone to Bait things he
would il talking face to face. Hence my
aim phone. and in this 10 give you as
good an idea as we have as to plans. No
use 'phoning in am. SO wired tonight.
AFTER taking with Col, since taking 20 you
on phone. F.
80 P.M-Trying to get you on the phone.
This is since talking to you at Z. L. c. V.
X. At ~ tonight party goes to y. Y. Be-
fore S al m. tomorrow Thursday Price will
Re advised that drop will be ~ to Is points;
that is. from Si4. Also that Texas report.
from present data, shows a drop. from 10
to 10 Something remarkable. Col pudjled
matters. making very strong information
which 2. will get tomorrow So he will he
sure to jump right in and buy. Also party
will be put In for usual ten thousand. De-
teroration promises to be btg-very. Re-
ports not all in. but important ones read.
All show above. Please destroy at once
Col says he will put up 80 points tomorrow
sure to get in early and heavy and get all
back and more.
Telegram-"Washingto ID. c.. Sept. -
1904. l. C. Van Ripper. los Fulton ST.. New
York. VIII write fully late tonight. spe-
cial delivery. Fred
All of these letters but one are signed
''F" The above letters were surrendered
by Mr. Van Ripper for the purpose OF this
Investigation. Mr.. Van Ripper states that
all OF the above letters were written by
Mr. F. A. Peckham of New York city and
that the person mentioned In some OF the
letters as the colonel Is Mr.. Edwin 8.
Holmes. and that the person referred to
as man" and In other places as party"
Is Mr. NJ Haas of New York city