The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-09


 which he alleged were written by Holmes, were all signed with the initial H. Most of these letters were for the purpose of
 making appointments with Van Riper. 1 but the following note, dated August 20, 19O4, shows the relationship between Holmes and Van Riper:
 'If you had bought any of that stuff, sell it out at once and sell as much as you can in addition. We are going to show very slight decline, and as this is totally unexpected, it will send things
 down like fury. Other parties will close
 out tomorrow, and sell on Thursday. Where Is 'P? Tear this up. It may go up a little before Friday, but probably not.'
 This letter was signed with the ini- tial s. Van Riper testified that all of the letters surrendered were from Holmes, and that their contents had reference to the state of the cotton report largo
 number of letters and telegrams signed
 with the initial F were sent from New York to Van Riper. Nearly all of these
 contained information concerning the cot
 ton report, together with instructions to sell or buy on the market, according to the information furnished, and all of them closed with the admonition to destroy the letter.
 The secret agents learned that refer
 red to in Holmes letter was E. A. Pack ham of New York, and that the letters signed with the initial F were written by F. A. PeclSham
 Was Trying to Make Money.
 Mr Peckham was intervied in New York city and stated that the only ex- planation he had to give concerning the letters, was that he was trying to make some money in the cotton market de-
 clining to say anything of his relations with Holmes, Haas or Van Riper. Short ly after he was interviewed, 1t was learn ed that Peckhom came to Washington and held a conversation with Holmes over the telephone, in which he in- qured whether Holmes intended to re- sign his position. or whether he expect ed to be dismissed from the government
 service. Peckham was seen again by government agents, but would not dis cuss his relations with Holmes. Holmes was interviewed by secret service agents i and considerable space in the report is given to his explanation. The first ques- tion asked him were as to his relatins
 with Peckham and Van Riper. Holmes said they all had been on very intimate terms socially, and that when he had oc- casion to visit New York, which was fre- uuent, his hotel bill had been paid by Van Riper or Peckham. Holmes admit
 ted that Peckham, Hass and himself were at one time associated in business ven ture in which Holmes was to have an interest to the sum of $6O00. which he was to receive as a gift from the other mem bers of the firm. Subsequently Haas transferred his interest in this firm to T. c. Van Riper, and Van Riper stated that the company was organized Tor the purpose of handling cotton. Holmes tes- tifed that this was true, but that he was not aware of the nature of the organi- 41x to xu1c interest in 1t. and that when he learned the inten- tion of the company was to handle cot
 ton, he withdraw from it.
 Holmes Sold Mining Stock. Under further examination Holmes stated that he had sold to van hiper about February 29. 1905, three-fourths interest in some mining property in Ida ho for $73,OO0, this amount having been paid to him by Van Riper in two instali- ments in currency.
 In this connection Van Riper stated that
 A contract had been made between Holmes and himself whereby Van Riper was sup posed to have acquired seven-elghts in- terest in some mining property, but that he had never seen the property. nor nao he any idea as to Its value or as to its exact location. Van Riper said that Holmes wished to have a contract signed which would show that Van Riper had
 
 paid to Holmes large sum of money TOT the mining property in order that Holmes might be able to account for the possess sion of so much money. Van Hlper says he knows that Holmes received very large amount for the signing of the con tract and he believes it was not for min ing or other property
 Had the Information. Secretary Wilson says there seems to be every reason to believe from the re- port of secret service agents that Holmes could have given approximately correct information anywhere from one to three days in advance of the publication of the official report. During nearly the entire cotton reporting season of 1903, Holmes was in charge of the bureau of statistics in the absence of Chief statistician Hyde. who was In Europe. Since that time he has 
 (cortinIed oa Second Paae)