New-York tribune., 1905-07-09
COTTON SCANDAL GROWS.



-,.n during a long period of time. TO the great
-r,et Of himself and Of interested brokers in
v-au street The names Of the go-between,
a. Haas: Of a broker, L. c, Van Ripper: of an
c,ber broker Theodore H Price. and Of f. A.
,,ocl5ara stand out conspicuously in the cor
-esnondence made public.
There was a mysterious method of correspond
snce calculated 10 throw outsiders of the scent.
-.u- letters, intended TO be destroyed. fell into
--e hands Of the Secret Service men and fur
.-sl,ed the clews for detecting the Offenders.
Associate statistician Holmes is the only man
s,rr5 ~uilty. The Secretary took steps 10 have
aim indicted 4 going TO withhold any of
s1e evidence from the public that might have
helped TO bring about his conviction in the
courts" said Secretary Wilson this afternoon.
afr Beach. the District Attorney, went over the
riat-er carefully. He told me there were no
statutes 10 hold a man under such eircum-
stances. Then decided 10 give the whole story
re- The world II is told as completely as was
able TO tell Il in THAI statement
The Secretary added some words concerning
his own disbelief IN certain parts OF the testi-
r1ony, but il was IN the records. and accordingly
he has given out for " tever 10 may be worth
ae said there would be further act OF his az
fecting The personnel Of the department by
reason OF the disclosures. The putting OF the
ouera1ion was another matter.
You cant carry on a big enterprise like that
OF collecting crop statistics without trusting
somebody said the Secretary. I trusted this
srat.stician, and he failed me. We shall have a
new system now. There viii be no question
about fixing the responsibility Henceforth 1
shall be the trusted man. No use going to the
sratisticians hereafter" said he, with shake of
his head I have taken temptation out of their
b. blamed but the Secretary Of Agriculture"
Then the Secretary described in detail how
the plan had been worked out with every safe
guard that human ingenuity could devise The
crop reports VIII come TO him in specially
marked envelopes. the form for which has al
ready been prepared. He has had talk with
Postmaster General Cortelyoa. and has been
promised d lock box in the postoffice as a re-
ceutacIe for the envelopes containing these re-
ports and strong pouch for their conveyance
from tie postoffice TO the Secretary's office
~WRel 7 take these reports out Of the safe"
declared The Secretary with emphasis I shall
hayc he -Jaristicians in the room. The doors
viii De- locked The telephone will be discon-
uscraL The windows'- The Secretary
seemed about 10 say they would be closed and
curtains .lraWn. b'It he halted as he saw the
sAGu ring heat on the asphalt outside, and
simply added, There viii be opportunity for
= !
vlu stand over those statisIicians while they
work and with these eyes 1 viii make sure that
nobody PAS the figures Till have the totals
ma. u- and throw open the doors and announce
-.sul-z s.r.ultaneausly TO all the world
There be no question Of the Secretary's
elrrestness TO give every one q square deal on
The crop reports. He is aware that the extra
work which he has planned for himself may be
tedious but he declares that has not caused
Dim I'D hesitate about assuming il. He viii,
a. ~n lar as possible. eliminate the element Of
human frailty- Hitherto he has had one trusted
Ilal travelling up and down the cotton States
making estimates Now he viii have three men
q 1a tle same work. and put UP barriers
one II the -nree can ascertain what figures the
other TWO are making. Mr.. Wilson does not be-
Het- llat Mr. Holmes under the Old arrange
I-t-l- Was aple 70 give the NeW-XOrk brokers
accurate nsures on the cotton crop. but that he
secured l1-tCrmaJiOn in advance sufficiently ac-
e-rat= 90 guide the spectators. Not only is
me Secretary going 10 eliminate the possib bility
az r-a- but he Wiz so keep the reports as TO
remove The poossib bility Of figures being altered
ll- Secret Service report indicating that Holmes
Ne-l SO 1ar 2s 10 change the figures that he
might further aid the schemes OF the brokers
- bun or bear the market
Al The department has any definite
la7a o- how much The associate statistician
pro1red from the transactions. Secretary VII
sln'sald he knew only OF the S73 600 transaction
described in The report. II has been stated, but
aFl.FellJly en- 10 good authority. that his gains
nave reached total Of 100000 1t was as
serted THIS evening AT his residence that he was
no. al nome. but that he had no statement to
max whatever.