The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-26
CAPITAL SCENTS BIG SCANDAL
COTTON LEAK PROBE NAY BARE
OTHER WRONGDOING.
Knowing Ones Predict That Postal Fraud
Disclosures VIII BE Duplicated In
the Agricultural observation-disclosures
jury Hard at Work on the Case.

Disclosures VIII BE Duplicated In
the Agricultural Dcpartment-Grand
Jury Hard at Work on the Case.
WASHINGTON. July 25.-Developments in
connection with the cotton scandal point
to the probability Of a thorough invesu-
CATION Of the Department of Agriculture.
The Grand Jury proceedings are e1-
pected to be followed by disclosures af-
fecting bureaus in the Department other
than that handling crop reports
An opening has been made and that 1t
will be widened Is the general belief
1t Is known. for example, that post office
inspectors are working on Gaze with view
to the issuance Of fraud order which may
ultimately involve an official in the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. II the facts are
az stated, a gigantic swindle may be un-
covered which is said to have been widely
advertised as legitimate concern through
a conspiracy between a person or persons
in the Department and the managers of the
company in question.
Another alleged questionable transaction
relates to an appropriation made for
certain purpose by Congress. 1t is charged
that combination of manufacturers
brought influences to bear prejudicial to
the interests of competitors, it being al
legged that certain results were made to
appear in connection with experiments
made under the direction of Congress.
These two instances are samples of the
scandalous reports that have been circu-
lated since the inception of the cotton scan
dial. Although not brought forward Of
ficially and no specific charges having
do R,I %y,lo in, hN
The lid having been tilted, it will surprise
no one here ii the scandal spreads as it did
in the postal service.
The officials of the Department seem to
be in state OF mental uncertainty. A
statement to-day as to the proposed new
cotton acreage report says:
"A revised estimate OF acreage planted
to cotton this year. as compared with that
planted last year, will probably be made
and given to the public at II o'clock noon
tomorrow, July 20"
Even tonight officials of the Depart
will be authorized. Representatives of
the Southern Cotton Association declare
that report based upon the data collected
before Associate StatisticiaI Holmes was
dismissed will produce an even more I'M
satisfactory condition in the industry than
turns were "doctored," and that new
report, made up from the same data will
be open to suspicion.
Secretary Wilson suffered from indiges-
ton to-day and did not 60 to his office.
The Grand Jury was in session several
hours to-day. l., c. Van Ripper. William
M. Judd and Moses Haas, all of New York,
whose names have been mentioned in con-
nection with the scandal, are herr. The
possibility that witnesses may resist the
investigation was suggested to-day by the
fact that the Grand Jury was taken into
..,urt TO receive instructions at the sugges-
IN of District Attorney Beach.
After remarking that the District. At
torney desired that instructions be given.
the Court explained that the Grand jury
was empowered to ask what questions it
considered essential to the matter in hand
Should any witness decline to answer the
refusal should be promptly communicated
to the Court, so steps could be taken to
compel an answer,
Extreme secrecy is Observed and while
witnesses were examined every precaut' on
was taken to prevent anything becoming
known.