The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-25

Question Of Acc0mpllCeS ano WnotnoF
Criminal Case VIII Lie Against Holmes
to BE Decided-Cotton Interests At
Odds-Talk Of Weekly Reports.
WASHINGTON, July 2A--The cotton crop
scandal in the Department Of Agriculture
has now reached the point whore 1t will
soon. be known Just how !:- c-:in!ns! PTso-
tises have prevailed in the crop reporting
division OF the Government and whether
IL IL possible to prosecute Holmes, the for
mar associate statistician. and whatsoever
acoomplices he may have had In bis opere-
tons. ,... .-.p.,t $500
Just, what Holmes has done and how
he did IL are known to the authorities. hut
whether a criminal charge will lie againsS
him or whether he had aooomphce re-
noains to be developed. This phase OF the
soandal was taken up by the Federal Grand
.Jurv Of this district, which convened to-day
IN accordance with tho call Of Morgan b.
Beach, United States Attorney.
The Grand Jury met carly and continued
IN session several hours. Most Of ito time
was taken up, it is understood, BY Mr..
Beaoh's statement Of the case and with his
explanation Of the statutes bearing upon
4. No definite information can be obtained
examined, but that there will be many OF
them there is no doubt, for the reason that
the Federal body expects to be In session
until we'll into August -.
MANY witnesses in Washington, as we'll
as number Of persons IN New YORK, sup
nosed to have knowledge Of the facts have
been summoned. L. c. Van Ripper, william
N Judd and F. A. Peckham, all Of New York,
and all OF whom were mentioned In the
statement issued by Secretary OF Agri-
culture Wilson are understood to have been
subpenaed and it is expected that they
will appear before the Grand jury the
latter part Of the month.
Richard Cheatham Of Atlanta, secretary
OF the Southern Cotton Association, who
aided United States Attorney Beach In the
preliminary investigation. will also prob
ably DO asked to tell what he knows about
Holiness juggling and manipulation Of
crop returns, and whether he has any In.
formation in his possession that would be
Of value to the Grand Jury IN framing
indictments. District Attorney Beach said
to-day that he would personally conduct
the present proceedings, but further thar
that he declined to discuss the subject.
While the Grand Jury was laying the
groundwork for possible criminal indict
.nts the officials Of the Department o,
.riculture were entertaining q group o.
representatives Of the American Cottor
Manufacturers Association, which has I
grievance against the crop reporting di
lions of the Department.
It was announced last week from on
source that this delegation intended t.
come to Warrington to protest against 1
new report covering the cotton aoreag
for this year, which report has been strongl!
urged by tho Southern Cotton Association
an organization Of growers.
From another source word canae tina
the manufacturers agreed with the asso
citation Of, growers that tho juno repor
should be revised.
AS far as could be learned the delegation
was at q loss to account for its preseno
here when it confronted Secretary Wilson
and the Assistant Secretary Of Agrioultur
to-day. Whether the visitors urged tina
the June report be revised or whether
protested against such revision Is no
It IA understood that 1t suggested the is
suanoe OF a weekly instead Of . month";
report on the ground that weekly publica
tions would be less likely to produce tn
sharp fluctuations In the market that hav
been evidenced for the last couple Of year
Interested in the trade to the reports cover
ing the longer period.
After to-day's conference Assistant Sec
rotary Hays made public statement q
follows:
4The Department OF Agriculture has de
termined that the statistical board shal
meet Wednesday, July 70, and oonside
whether revision Of the June cotton acre
ago should be made from existing data 9
from a new inspection, and to make publ
their findings or estimate at IL o'oloc
an that date or the earliest conyenient dat
thereafter"
This was all that could be learned ofhciall
at the Department. The officials decline
to say whether the desirability Of the weekl
report had been discussed. The represents
IAlel q the cotton manufacturers who to