Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-07-12
PROSECUTIONS MAY FOLLOW


Wilson yesterday turned over to- the
attorney general all the papers in con.
nectiOn with the cotton leak investi-
cation. 1t is believed that this is
done with the expectation that pros
ecuticn of the several persons men
toned in the report of the secret ser
vice officers will follow.
1t is felt at the department that
Notwithstanding the opinion of the
district attorney that On tho facts pre-
sented in the secret service report.
he did not think a prosecution would
lie. a re-examination of the testimony
would tend to alter that opinion It
is known that the president has talk
en- a hand in the matter and directed
that nothing be left undone to punish
do it.
When Acting Attorney General
Hcyt received from Secretary of Agri.
culture Wilson the papers in the cot
ton report of the investigation, he
placed them in the hands of United
States District Attorney Morgan H.
Beach. who will probe into the whole
subject and make thIough inquiry.
embracing every detail connected with
the compilation of statistics involved.
Mr.. Beach declined to say anything
on the subject last night, but it is
understood that the investigation
which he will conduct will be begun
in earnest and will cover both thtva-
gal and administrative features of the
incident. District Attorney Beach has
already examined the report and will
now take active direction Of the next
proceedings looking to the prose
tion of the guilty parties.
Mr.. Hoyt stated that he had been
urged by Secretary Wilson to probe
the matter to the bottom and to use
any means at his command to get at
the true condition and to bring all
guilty persons to trial. Mr.. Hcyt and
Mr.. Beach have already been in COM
munication. and it will be determin-
ed whether there is any statute under
which criminal prosecution may be
directed against Edwin S. Holmes,
the foremer assistant statistician of
the department of agriculture. who
was dismissed. it is alleged. because
he 'juggled' figures in the govern
ment crop estimates and furnished
advance information to New York
brokers. and against any others that
may be found implicated in the mat
ter In case criminal prosecution is
not possible, some other way to
reach the guilty persons is to be
sought.
Unless there are new Developments
in connection with the cotton leakage
investigation. Secretary Wilson said
that he proposed to stand on the re.
port of the secret service officers. He
expected, however, that the investlga-
tion would give rise to various ru-
mors and stories in connection with
the departments reports on other
PRODUCTS. but that where there was
the slightest tangible evidence TO
work upon he declared he would go
10 the bottom of every complaint and
publish the results of his investlga
ton. Already. he said. the allegation
bad been made that the tobacco. fls'
ures had been manipulated. and
said the matter would be locked into
For the present he had nothing fur
ther to say.
The new system of preparing the
monthly crop report devised since the
cotton investigation began was pu'
in force yesterday. The secretary De
,ieyes that the steps taken to sa1e
guard the figures are well-nigh per
feet. Early in the day Assistant sec
retary Hays. Chief Statistician Hyde