The Washington times., 1905-07-08

d
addressing him as the ''colonel."
B. c. White, field agent of the de-
partment, who made reports which be-
came accessible to Holmes.
How Secret Got Out.
Van Ripper seems to have been the
principal figure in the negotiation with
Holmes, whom he met In New York
in August, 1904. He said Holmes claim
ed ability to get information concern
ing the Government crop report before
the report was published. principally
through the report of the general agent
and the reports of the State agent.
Van Ripper stated that Holmes fur
nished him with information from time
to time. for several months. in advance
of the publication of the official figures,
and that the information furnished by
Holmes corresponded exactly with the
figures which were afterwards published
as the official crop reports. Van Ripper
| named Haas as their go-between.
| Holmes was given to understand that
Haas was securing information for
| Broker Price.
| Van Riper declared he was induced to
disclose how this advance information
was being given out by Holmes on ac
count of the fact that he had heard
that Holmes and his associates intended
to try to manipulate the June< cotton
| report, 1905; that he met Haas at the
Hotel Waldorf. in New York city. and
was told by him that the report for
June, 1905 would be 10 per CO K, on
condition and 121e per cent or . per
cent on acreage. which was as bearish'
4 as they could n Ike it,
Haas said he rs going TO see Price,
would have an Interview with him, and
wanted TO see Van Riner after he saw
Price. In about an hour and a half aft
| er the interview at the Waldorf, E.aas
called him uD in his rooms at the Wal
dorf. Van Ripper declared. and made an
appointment for meeting. Van Riper
| was thea told that, at the request of
Price. Haas was going down to Wash
tngton to see If they could not get the
percentage q little higher and the acre
age made a little smaller, to make the
report more bearish. Van Ripper saws
that the official report was more bearish
than the figures previousl-- given him,
and that he took this to mean that the
effort to influence the report had sue
ceeded.
Holmes Admission.
In his statement to the investigators,
Holmes admitted writing two letters
dated in August, 1904. and signed III, >.
arranging matters with Van Ripper.
These letters were furnished by the lat
ter, together with one dated August CO.
that read follows:
IF you have bought any of that stuff
| sell II 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, IL Will send things
down like fury. Other parties will close
cut tomorrow. and sell on Thursday
Where is P? Tear this up.
1T may go up a little before Friday
but probabI. not"
(Signed) H
Holmes admitted writing the address
of this letter, but denied authorship OF
the contents.
Other Letters Quoted.
Five other letters and some telegram;
appear in the evidence, written. accord
ing TO Van Ripper, to whom they were
addressed, by f. A, Peckham, of New
York city. They were sent in Angus
and September. 1904. Holmes was refer
red TO IN these letters. throughout a.
} colonel" and Haas as party" OF
: man" All dealt with l.cn and grain
movements.
Two o. the communications were a.
follows:
'Wiashhtngt4n. Il ton. 3 9, G.. august 81, 1904
street, New York city.
Dear Van: About 80. 1t will surpris,
. Everybody and cause being drop-in opln
doing sure a crop Of only (abouD sil
points This Is one of the highest aver
ages for this (Septembcr) month eve
known Is way above the ten-year aver
t age Tear this up. Do all you can
tolsned) H"
: Long conference Sunday between
Colonel and Man. S. has done some
, thing p does not like. Is going with
out S. knowing II. If possible put price
: up as high as possible before first
D Then If figures 70, say. or better, insteaJ
ga as before. Something will drop
Belief here is you can get it going an,
&C ming. Z. going to break S. later
II he can. Destroy sure
Whether the 81 and ',P" referred t.
| Daniel Sully, the so-called cotton king
and Theodore Price is not stated. Peck
| ham was examined at the Hotel Bres
). in. in New York. He was shown tn
letters, and asked for an explanation
The report says:
His Only Explanation.
Mr.. Pcchham stated that the onl
explanation he had TO give was TINT a
the time the letters were written, he wa
trying 10 make some money in the cot
ton market Shortly after Mr. Pec;khan
!. | was interviewed ne left New York 70
Washington, and Immediately on his ar