The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-21
NEW YORK BROKER ON STAND
Testifies in the Cotton Crop
Leakage Case
HOLMES WAS HIS PARTNER
Had Clcaned up SI67, 600 on Advance
Information of Report for NOyem-
Der. 1s04-Was Kept Informed of
Plans OF Other Cotton Broker by
Holmes.

Washington, June lin Louis H.
Van Ripper, a New York broker. the
government introduced the first wit
ness in the trial of Edwin II. Hol,les.
JE- who has directly connected Holmes
with the premature divulgence OF in
formation in which the cotton crops
Of agricultural department are based.
Mr.. Van Ripper was on the stand all
day, and the direct examination hal
not been concluded when the court
adjourned. making it possible tia: he
will m~onopolize the attention Oh the
court tomorrow. He said tkat he had
met Holmes in 1904 through F A
Peckham and that he had agreed to
give them two-thirds of any profits
that might be derived through stock
deals made on points supplied by
Holmes. He then told how Holmes
had kept his part of the agreemen: by
giving information a day in advance Of
the appearance Of the official report
quoted figures to show the degree of
accuracy Of the information supplied,
and related instances in which Holmes
had been paid money through Moss
Haas. He said that $167, 900 had been
cleaned up on the information secured
in advance of the report of November,
1904. He also testified that Holmes
had agreed to keep him informed Of
the plans of other cotton brokers and
told how in the end a regular partner
ship had been formed in which Holmes
was one of the five members.
Mr.. Van Ripper said that after 1ilst
meeting Haas and Peckham in WASH
ington he had seen them in Chicago in
company with Holmes and afterwards
in st. Louis. They had considerable
conversation at both places concerning
operations in cotton with the result
that they began selling cotton in No
vember and continued the process IN
til the December report was issued
He had generally operated on the
strength of Haas, VINO was supposed to
be in conference with Holmes and in
dictated a very bearish condition. He
had dealt through = number of bro
kers in the November transactions
and had been successful to the extent
of about $167 900. of this amount $751;
900 went to Haas and Peckham, Haas
half and Peckham a fourth of the
amount. Part of Haas share was paid
in cash.
What did Haas do with the cash?"
81 paid it to MI. Holmes"
when and whePe?"
"In the Office at that time"
Mr.. Beach. for the prosecution,
brought out from tie witness the facts
concerning the organization of the
brokerage firm of LIP. Mercer & Com
pany. He said that while the names
of only Mercer ana Peckham appear
n the articles of agreement, Holmes.
Haas and himself we're equal partners
with the other two. AS the working
capital of this frn. s25, 900 of the
money secured in the November deal
was used. Part Of the money made in
that deal was reinvested in December
on the strength Of Haas forecast of
the cotton ginner's report and $4,000
had been realized al profit. One-fOurtn
of this amount was paid to Haas III
currency and by him turned over to
Holmes.
In December, 1904, the firm was dis
solved and Van Ripper testified that
$3S,282 had been paid to Haas in
checks and the same amount to
Holmes in currency.
Mr.. Van Ripper was still under exam
ination when court adjourned for the
day. II;