Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08
HOLMES IS DISMISSED
Charged With Divulging Gov
ernment Statistics.
THE FIGURES ALTERED
DETECTIVES REPORT OF HIS RE-
LATIoNs WITH BROKERS'
Alleged Sale Of Mining Stock for $73,.
600, Which the Reputed Purchaser
Denies Receiving.
THE FIGURES ALTERED

AS the result of the investigation
by secret service agents into the
charges made by Richard Cheat
ham, secretary of the Southern Cot-
ton Planters Association, that inc
formation had been given to cot-
ton brokers in New York by some
person or persons in the bureau Of
statistics of the Department of Ag-
riculture, Secretary Wilson today
made public an official report in
which he states that Edwin S.
Holmes, the associate statistician,
has been guilty of divulging in-
formation in advance and lug
CLING" the official report Holmes
has been dismissed.
The report says eft has been found that
| Mr. Holmes communicated advance infor-
| nation to l.. c. Van Ripper, a New York
broker and NJ. Haas of New York, who
acted a go-between In conveying in-
| formation from Holmes to other New York
| brokers. including Theodore Price" Steps
/ have been taken by Secretary Wilson to
| prevent any further leakage of the depart.
ment figures and entire reorganization
| of the bureau of statistics and manner of
| preparing monthly crop reports has been
outlined by him. The papers in connection
| with the investigation were referred TO the
| United States attorney for the District OF
Columbia and he has reported that In his
opinion a criminal prosecution will not lie
against Holmes
v. H. Olmstead Appointed.
Victor II. Olmstead has been appointed
associate statistician Of the Department OF
Agriculture, to succeed Holmes Mr.. Olm-
stead has for some time past held the posi-
| tion of chief of the division of domestic
| crop reports in the bureau of statistics and
| was also formerly assistant statistician OF
the department. He was assistant director
| of the censuses of Cuba and the Philippines.
| A New York dispatch says that Theodore
| H. Price, the New York cotton broker, to<
| day declared that he had no acquaintance
with or knowledge of either l. c. Van Ripper
or NJ Haas, from whom he is said TO have
received information concerning the cotton
crop.
Counsel for Mr. Price today characters
lied the reference to Mr.. Price in the re-
port given out by Secretary Wilson as "a
gratutous, abominable, outrageous and
malicious statement" and declared that
Mr.. Price knew nothing about the inVesti~
cation until he saw the press dispatch. The
lawyer expressed surprise that the Secre-
tary had not seen fit to call on Mr. Price
before duplicating him In the report
The Secretary's Statement.
Secretary Wilson's statement follows:
United States Department Of Agriculture,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington. D. c., July s, 1905.
Some weeks ago Mr. Richard Cheathams
! secretary of the Cotton Planters Associas
! ton called at the Department of Agricul-
| ture and charged backing the charge with
| evidence, that certain information had
| been given to cotton brokers in New York
| by some person or persons employed IN inc
/ bureau of statistics of the Department OF
! Agriculture. relative to the acreage. condi-
| tion etc, of the cotton crop o. the Dnited
| States prior to the official publication OF
! such information, and that the figures or
| the cotton crop report had been tampered
| with in the department, in the interests OF
certain cotton spectators. ! at once called
| I'm the officers of the United States secret
service gave them the evidence which had
! been furnished, and put them in touch with
| Mr.. Cheatham directing that they use
every possible effort to ascertain whether
or not there had been leak in the Depart
ment on the officiaI report, and If they
found there had been a leak to furnish me
with the name of every person responsible
| therefor. The report of the secret service
operative has been received and is supstan-
tiany as follows:
Revelations of Brokers.
Mr. William NJ. Judd of New York. for
merly In the employ of Mr.. L. c. Van Ripper,
| a broker of New York. was examined, and
stated that he had received advance infor-
| nation on the cotton crop report and had
| been informed that this information came
| through one Haas of New York city and
| from Mr. Edwin S. Holmes, associate statis-
| tician of the Department of Agriculture.
He stated that he had afterward become
| convinced that not only was advance infor-
nation being given out, but that the figures
| as received from the crop correspondents
and agents of the department were being
distorted in the interests of certain specu-
| lators and that on this account he had per-
| suaded Mr. L. c. Van Riper to tell of his
| connection with the affair, and that he (Mr.
| judd had written to Mr.. Cheatham, secre-
| tary of the Cotton Planters Association,
| calling attention to the matter.
| Mr.. l.. c. Van Riper, a broker of New
| York city, under examination stated that
| he became acquainted with Mr.. Edwin y.
Holmes, associate statisticlan of the De-
partment of Agriculture, in New York city
| in August 1904, through mutual friend.
| Mr.. Holmes told Mr.. Van Riper that hS
could get information concerning the gov
| ernment crop report before the report was
| published, principally through the report os
the general agent and the reports of the
state agents. Mr. Van Ripper stated that
| Mr.. Holmes furnished him with information