The Washington times., 1905-07-09
Recommends Further
Investigation Into Cot
ton Leakage.
CONFERS WITH WILSON
Cheatham Expresses Salts
faction at the Outcome
OF His Charges.

The csestion of prosecuting Edwin
S. Holmes. jr.. former associate sta
tisefcian C the Department OF Agri-
culture on a charge of conspiring to de-
fraud the United States Government was
considered yesterday afternoon at
conference be cen Secretary Wilson
and District Attorney Morgan H
Beach.
Soon after the report Of the result
OF the inquiry into the leakage in
the departments cotton report was
made public Secretary Wilson sent for
Nfr. Beach and laid the whole matter
before the District Attorney Mr.
Beach was given copy of the report
and asked if it contained sufficient evi-
derce to warrant proceedings against
Mr.. Holmes.
Air. Beach, after 4 careful Dersual Of
the document, informed the Secretar
that in his opinion. enough evidence was
PFC seated in the report to call for
further investigation with view or
determining more fully just how many
employees of the Government were con-
cerned in giving out the information
which the Agricultural Department so
jealousy guards, as well as to asccr-
tain what consideration was received
furnished.
Indictment Doubtful.
Mr. Beach was of The opinion that
while the report suggested criminal
proceedings, there were certain def
csencies which would make an indict-
inert doubtful. The Investigation will
be continued along new lines and an
other conference will be held between
to- ~
tcrney.
Richard CheatiiaDe. secretary of the
Cotton Growers Association, who
brought the charges, viii be called in
te.s give the officers fhe benefit of any
facts or suggestions which viii serve
to throw more liglst upon the question.
Mr. Holmes could not be seen yester-
day after the report was submitted. Al
his house il was said that he was out
OF the city.
Discussing the report last night Mr.
Cheatham said:
so far as the charges that | made
against the department in the manipu'
lation of the figures and the giving oui
of advance information about the cot
ton crop is concerned ! am thoroughly
satisfed with the results obtained
Mr.. Hyde was not charged with hav-
ing knowledge OF the existence Oh Int
alleged crooked work going on under his
very nose. Yet it was an established
fact that advanced information had beer
given cut for several years by the asso
ciate statistician, Edwin s Holmes, Jr.
and il was almost impossible TO believ'
that such a condition could exist with
ont some of the people ii the depart
r,o7,+ having some knowledge of It,
Aln.ost the whole the people of tn
cotton growing States. Mr. Cheathan
claimed, have been for the past two @
three years agitating the Gotten GRO
condition reports and had the proIe
cognizance been taken of the rerol /
coming from these people the leakage
which have reached such gigantic Pre-
portions could have peen checked ION
before this time
Evidence Submitted.
The evidence Mr. Cheatham submit
ted Ia Secretary Wilson when he pr;
ferred charges against the departmet
were the original letters which were pu
norted to have been written by Holm'
N the New York brokers in August ar
Septernber 1876. and which were mac
public in the report of the Investigate
uublished yesterday, and an affiidav
from s. - Van Ripper, New 1ol
broker, who us5on being questioned /
The Secret Se-qice agents admitted th'
advance Information had been furnishe
to him concerning the cotton crop.
scandai Just Begun.
Mr.. Cheats.am wouid not say whetht
he had at ti.is time any additions
charges 10 prefer or whether he was
possession OF any new evidence whic
had !, b at.ng upon the cotton repor
bat il IS Understood that the ''cotte
scandal" has not been settled; in fac
II has just begun.
In the report given out by Secreta!
Wilson yesterday, x was announced tn;
all important papers data, a:ld the III
will hereafter be hled IN the Secretary
office. tnns eliminating all possibility
a repetition of these leakage occurrir
again.