The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-10
Theodore H. Price Talks With
 Secretary Wilson
HOLMES MAY BE PROSECUTED
Mir. cheatham Says That in His Judg- ment Mir. Price's Name Should Not Have Been Men,
 toned in Report.

Washington, July s.-(Special) 1.-The cot- ton leak scandal seems to be in its in- fancy.
 Theodore H. Price of New York came here this afternoon and had long con- ference with Secretary Cheatham of the Southern Cotton association and later saw Secretary Wilson. MT. Price told the Secretary that there will be no warrant in the facts for connecting his name with Holmes purveyance Of the department statistics and that he should demand the full retraction and if he did not get that he should bring an action for libel against the secretary at once.
 The Secretary dealt with the matter in a conciliatory way and said that he would go into the matter carefully with view to setting straight any reflection that had been cast upon MT. Price
 cheatham Goes to Atlanta.
 Secretary Cheatham left here tonight for Atlanta to consult President Jordan of the Southern Cotton association in regard to laying the whole matter before the President at Oyster Bay. MT. Cheatham said that he did not think the investiga- tion had gone far enough either for the good name of the department of agricul- ture or for the business safety of those in- terested in cotton.
 When asked if he had any information that justified the connection of MT. Prices name with Holmes crookedness MT Cheatham said he had not; that the only way in which Price was brought into the matter was through the statements of Van Riper and in his judgment Prices name should not have been brought into the published statement by the Secretary.
 District Attorney Beach, whose resigna- ton Is In the hands of the President, to take effect in few weelxs is acting only in an advisory way in regard to the pre- cution of Holmes. He is still at work on the question whether there is any law for prosecutiong an official for giving out secret information.
 rioImes Can Be Prosecuted.
 It is said that other counsel has been sought and that Secretary Wilson is sat- isfied that Holmes can be prosecuted. As ip to this time Holmes is the only gov ernment official caught in the divuging. of information the government cannot prosecute for conspiracy to defraud The officials of the Southern Cotton associa- tion insist that Chief Statistician Hyde should not be allowed to remain at the head of the departments bureau of statistics as he had every opportunity to discover what Holmes was doing and failed to have any knowledge of what was going on.
 The fact that Holmes could change the tally sheets on acreage and reduce them from the footings made in the hand writ -f lxl tally sheets are in evidence with the changed figures in Holmes acknowledged handwriting is pronounced proof positive that Mir. Hyde was either negligent of his duty or was unobservant of a well calculated plan to juggle with the figures. MT. Hyde is regarded as wholly innocent of any attempt to sell the figures of the depai tment or to profit in any way from them He Is a man of recognized ability as a writer on trade matters and 1t was for this that he was made chief statisti- cian Those who are associated with him fin the department say that he has been too trusting and good natured and that Holmes and those in the plot with him have deceived him and played with him to suit their own purposes.
 Hyde Will Probably Go.
 It is believed that Secretary Wilson's effort to shut off further investigation clOS6 Holmes will be baked by orders from Oyster Bay to run through the whole \ department with a fine tooth comb If this 1 should be done MT. Hyde will undoubtedly be obliged to go. After their conference Theodore Price and Secretary Cheatham gave out the following statement in re- gard to the use made of the name of Mir. Price in the 6ecretarys statement:
 Formal Statement Issued.
 MT. Cheatham states that after evi- dence which he had furnished to Secre- tary Wilson was turned over the secret service department, his services were en- listed by that department to assist the man in whose charge the matter was placed to secure any additional evidence regarding the case. It was decided that more evidence might be secured in New York, and in the hope of doing so the secret service agent, accompanied by MT. Cheatham, went there for that purpose. After working together in close touch for three or four days. during which time number of persons who were supposed to know something about the case were examined by the secret service agent, alone and after having fully gone over the ground and examining each one who in the opininon of the secret service agent and MT Cheatham could possibly have any connet ton with the affair, MT. Cheatham left New York.
 "Before leaving he had a long conference with the secret service agent who ex- pected to leave few hours later. Dur ing this conference a full discussion of the matter was had. and MT. Cheatham insisted that the secret service agent call to see MT. Theodore Price before leaving the city for the purpose of finding out what connection he had with the case if any, as his name had been mentioned in one of the letters submitted at evidence. MT. Cheatham was informed by the secret service agent that he had not been able to secure any evidence from any one that would in the least connect Mir. Price with the affairs, and that he had been told by MT. Haas that he Haas) did not know Mir Price and had no connection with him in any way
 Up to the time that Mir. Cheatham left New York he was informed by the secret service man that he had not seen Mir. Price for the reasons above stated, and would not do 90. as 1t was his opinion that it would be useless as he had not been able to secure any evidence that would im- plicate Mir. Price. Up to the time the aecrQ ssrvtce agent closed his report Ns. Is