Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-10
FIGURES JUGGLED.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

F.. A. Peckham of New York, and that
the letter signed with the initial IF.
were written by F. A. PeCkham.
Mr.. Peckham was interviewed in New
York City and stated that the only eX-
PLANTATION he had to give concerning the
letters was that he was trying to make
some money in the cotton market, de-
clining to say anything of his relations
with Holmes. Haas or Van Ripper
Shortly after he was interviewed it was
learned that Peckham came to Washing
| ton and held a conversation with Holmes
over the telephone in which he inquired
whether Holmes intended to resign his
position or whether he expected to be dis
missed from the government service.
Peckhanl- was seen again by government
agents. but would not discuss his rela-
| tons with Holmes.
Holmes was interviewed by secret ser
vice agents and considerable space in the
report is given to his explanation.
The first questions asked him We're as
| TO his relati with Peckham and Van
Riper. Holmes said that they all had
| been on very intimate terms, socially,
| and that when he had occasion to visit
New York, which was frequently. his
| hotel hill had been paid by Van Ripper or
| Peckham.
Holmes admitted that Peckham, Hass
| and himself were at one time associated
| In a business venture in which Holmes
| was to nave an interest equal to the sum
of 5000, which he was to receive as a
| gift from the other members of the firm.
| Subsequently Haas transferred his in
| terest in this firm to l.. c. Van Ripper
| and Van Ripper stated that the company
| was organized for the purpose of hand
ling cotton. Holmes testified that this
| was true but that he was not aware of
| the nature of tne organization at the
| time he was given an interest in it and
| that when he learned the object of the
| company was to handle cotton he with
| drew from it.
| Under further examination Holmes
stated that he had sold to Van Ripper
| about Feb - 1905, three fourths inter-
est in some mining property in Idaho for
$1,000. this amount having been paid to
him by Van Ripper in two instruments in
! currency.
In this connection Van Ripper stated
| that a deal had peen made between
Holmes and himself whereby Van Ripper
|
eiehths interest in some mining property.
| but that he had never seen the property
nor had he any idea as to its value or as
| to its exact location.
Van Riper said that Holmes wished
| to have contract signed which would
show that Van Ripper had paid to Holmes
a large sum of money for the mining
| nroperty. in order that Holmes might be
~ ion G
| much money. Van Ripper says he knows
| that Holmes received a very large
amount prior to the signing of the CON
tract and he believes it was not Tor min
ing or other property
Sec Wilson says there seems TO Dc
Ievery reason to believe from the re-
ports Of the secret service agents thi'
Holmes could have givcl approximate"
|Iy correct information anywhere froa
, one to three days in advance of th'
publication of the official report
During nearly the entire cotton re
porting season of 1903 Holmes was il
a charge of the bureau OF statistics il
Il the absence of Chief Statistician Hyde
: who vas in Europe. Size" hat time h.
n has had access to the reports of thu
; field agents, who furnish the data upoi
I which the cotton rcpor,s are based.
l The most important of these result
n come from field agent b. G. White ant
$ | from the several stat" agents. to 81
of which Holmes had the access.
= 1t was found that alterations ha'
J. | been mad. in the figures of NJ. White
Z, report for October 1902, AID that thes
4 alterations appeared to be in Holmes
n handwriting
j Sec. Wilson says a large number o
persons made statements of /: genera
$ character. founded rumor On and inca
= | pable of notification aud for this reason
q they We're not made a part of his report
t which is intended 70 deal with fact
only.
g According to the new pan outlined
by Sec. Wilson to govern the prepare
d ton of monthly reports of the bureau
y of statistics the general special fielC
y agents and state agents will report III
! speculative crops directly to the secre
tary or acting secretary Cf agriculture
These reports will remain sealed Al
the custody of these officers until TIL
!. day the official report is to be made
when the agents reports vii! be opene,
: and the official report compiled unde
:. at any time in the possession of tn
bureau of statistics or in any one offic
" of the department. except while TIL
complication of the official report is be
ing made, complete Information from
the correspondents in all of the cotton
l states.
Texas and Georgia, two Of the larges
= cotton producing states. viii be sepa
r ratcd' from the group Of reports from
t townships and counties.
Hereafter there will be three specia
/. field agents instead Of one. assigned K
, the work of collecting statistics for tn,
: cotton crop reports. These agents vii
: have no communication with each othe
I. and will report on different groups o
| states.
Sec. Wilson's report closes as follows
There will be no more OpIortunity
| for advance information on reports o
p speculative crops.
Q In the report Of the secret servic,
II operative. Edwin S. Holmes. formel
r associate statistician. is the only de
; partmental employe implicated and