Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-25
INSTRUCTIONS TO JURY
TO THE COTTON SCAN
DIAL INQUIRY.

The possibility that recalcitrant wit
ntsses may be encountered in the cotton
leak investigation was suggested today by
tire fact that the grand jury which has
been assembled in special session to con-
s.Ger The matter was taken INFO court for
tiie purpose of receiving special instruc-
lions. For this Mr.. Morgan II. Beach,
United States district attorney. who is per-
snnally conducting the investigation. was
responsible Mr. Beach, however, was not
curt roo~, today. He was repre-
scented by Assistant District attorney
Bingham.
- femIi king that the district attor-
uey desired that instructions be given. the
court explained that the grand jury was
empowered TO ask of witnesses subpoenaed
to appear before it all questions that the
grand juiy considered proper and essential
to The sui jet matter of the work in hand
Should any vii ness decline to answer SUCH
auc ston. 1t was added, the refusal should
he protnptly communicated Ia the court so
that STEPS could be taken TO compel the
witness TO make answer.
Aittr receiving the instructions the grand
jury proceeded to it's assembly room and
resumed the inquiry at the point where IL
left off yesterday afternoon. Extreme
secrecy observed again today. and
while witnesses were examined. every pre-
caution was taken to prevent that fact.
and also their identity, from becoming
Known.
The instructing of the grand jury today
gave rise to much conjecture as to whether
a recalcitrant witness has already been
encountered or If District Attorney Beach
expects some person or persons whom he
has summoned to refuse to testify when
called.
Witnesses Heard Today.
Richard Cheatham, secretary of the
Southern Cotton Association, was one of
the witnesses before the grand jury today.
Mr.. Chatham remained in the grand jury
room only few minutes but was at the
city hall the entire time the body was In
session. 1t is probable that he will be call
ed upon from time to time to testify to diff
ferent matters in connection with the in
Quiry as they may arise.
Assistant Secretary Hays of the ASricul-
tural Department. who Is now acting stat
istician. was also a witness before the
grand jury today. Mr.. Hays is a statistican
of ability and is thoroughly familiar with
conditions in the bureau of statistics. hav-
ing made a study >sf the methods of cot
ton crop reporting and the manner in which
the leaks occurred since the revelations
which preceded the dismissal of former AS
sociate Statstician Holmes.
While the greatest care has been taken
to keep secret the names of those wit
nesses summoned by the grand jury from
New York and other points, it is under
STOOD that MI l.. Z. van ripper, the New
York broker, was a witness before the
grand jury today, together with number
of other persons summoned from New
York.
Judging from the progress made by the
grand jury today the present investigation
Will not be finished for three four weeks
or perhaps longer, although, as was pointed
out today. the federal body, having met IN
special session. will be able 10 devote itself
exclusively to the consideration of testi-
mony in the cotton case. The same ret
icence observed throughout the course of
the preliminary investigation by District
Attorney Beach obtains a present and the
greatest effort is being made % proven:
even the names of the witnt sses summoned
oy the grand jury from becoming known.