Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-08
WOMAN IN THE CASE.
Mrs. Bureh Said to Know About Cot
ton Scandal.

Mrs. Bureh Said to Know About Cot
ton Scandal.
The most sensational develop
ment up to the present time In the
cotton leak case was sprung last
Thursday, says a Washington dis
patch, when 1t was discovered that
neither Holmes nor Hyde were in
reach Of the United States district at
torney's subpoena, for their presence
before the investigating committee,
and also that Mrs. Bertha Burch, the
alleged confidant Of Hyde, and the
woman who has figured prominently
before the public since the investiga-
ton begun had handed in her resig-
nation as clerk.
While 1t has been expected that
the two men, parties to the leak
scandal, would lose no time in leav-
ing the city. possibly for the benefit
Of their health, II for no other rea-
son, there was, nevertheless, a gen.
uine surprise when Mrs. Burch made
1t known today that she no longer
desired to be connected with the de-
partment Of agriculture in the ca
pacity Of stenographic and statisti-
cal clerk.
The way Mrs. Burch has risen
from the ranks reads like a romance,
and from the time she entered the
n ~ anf 90 L.,
as a laborer at $3.50 per year she has
by some unknown power been able to
outstrip all her competitors and yes
terday when she resigned she was
drawing $1,000 per annum. There
are many women, 1t is said, in the
department as capable as Mrs.
Burch, and 1t is singular that she
has been able to rise so rapidly time
and again while others have been
forced to plod along beaten paths
from year to year with but scant
II any promotion. 1t has been de-
clared by many employees that Mrs.
Burch had unusual influence with
Mr.. Hyde, and that so far as the
affairs Of the bureau were concerned,
she was known as "the power behind
the throne" Her resignation COM
ing Immediately upon the informa-
tion that Hyde is now perhaps near
ing the rock bound coasts of England
makes the matter all the more in
teresting and at the same time more
or 70 hnr
is no reason why she should have
been forced to relinquish her po-
sition paying her $1,S00 per annum.
AS stated, Mrs Burch entered the
service Of the government April 5,
1897 as a laborer at $3.50 per annum.
August 20, 1900 she was promoted to
stenographic work at $500 per an.
mum. October 16, 1900 her salary
was raised to $1,100. May l, 1901.
her salary was raised to $1,000 per
annum. July 1, 1902 she was again
promoted and received $1,400 per
annum. January /. 1908 she was
further advanced and received $1,000
per annum, and on July l, 1904,
she was advanced to the grade
where she received $4,000 a. year.
Being asked how 1t was that she re-
ceived such rapid and unusual pro-
motion while other employees had
not been able to keep up with her In
anything like this style, Mrs. Burch
replied that she had not received
any promotion without first having
stood competitive examination.
These examinations, 1t has been
learned, were prepared and held at
the department Of agriculture, and
Il was a comparatively easy matter
to arrange them according to the
wishes of those interested.
1t has also been discovered, 1t Is
said, that since Mrs. Burch came
into the department of agriculture
that she has been in the habit OF
borrowing large sums OF money
from Hyde on Holmes endorsement,
and while no special significance Is
attached to this fact, 1t Is also noted
that since her entry into the bureau
she has managed to come into pos
session of a very fine home In one
of the most prominent and refined
suburbs Of Washington.
1t is expected that when the grand
jury now probing this matter takes
up Mrs. Burch's testimony there
will be some mighty interesting read
ing, ir she consents to tell all she
is said to know about the depart
ment of agriculture and its manage
ment.