The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-07
.STATISTICIAN
 ON THE STAND Divulg<.g of Cotton Crop /inforna!ion, 5, MESS TRIAL PROGRESSES q
 Government Vainly Endeavors to Bring out Important Details. Prosecution Trying to Show that De- fendnnt, Though Having No Ab-
 soIute Information, Could
 Have Had Estimates.
7 MESS TRIAL PROGRESSES

Victor H. Olmsted of the Department of Agriculture, was recailed today in the trial of Edwin S.|Kolmes, Jr., on the charge of conspiracy to defraud the Government by divulging the de- partments inforfhation concerning the cotton crop befbre its authorized publi- cation. He wAs requested again to ex- plain the processes of the Bureau of Statistics, And this explanation was followed By an effort to elicit from him a statement as to whether an off, cial of the bureau, acquainted with the reports and familiar with the methods of the chief statistician (then Mir. Hyde) could form in advance an ac- curate opinion of what given report would contain; but. as in the case of Mir. Fessenden, the question was ruled out. Judge Stafford, presiding in the case, even went to the extent of form ulating a question covering the point but afterwards decided that his own inquiry would be out of order, and withdrew.
 This effort on the part of the prosecu- ton and the similar endeavor in con- nection with Mir. Fessenden's testi- mony, made 1t evident that the Gov ernment has been hopeful of showing that, even though Holmes could not have had absolute information con- corning the figures of the cotton re- ports previous to their promulgation. his general knowledge was soch as to have rendered valuable an estimate by him, ana co have mad ethe giving out of such an estimate a violation of the law forbidding such a course by officials. So far, 1t has been found impossible, under the rules of the court, to secure the admission of such testimony, and the attitude of the de- fense has made 1t plain that it will resist all efforts in that direction.
 Dr. Clarke Testiies.
 Dr. Charles c. Clarke. present asso- ciate statistician and at the time of aolmes's connection with the bureau its chief clerk, followed MT. Olmsted with an explanation of location by rooms of the various officials of the bureau, including MT. Holmes. He al- so gave his version of the compilation of reports. showing the work of each member of the force, including Holmes He said that he had known of Holmes being present in the room with Chief Statistician Hyde while the latter was preparing his final crop report. He said 1t was the general understanding among the clerks that all the work in connection with the crop report should be treated as confidential
 MT. Clarke said he had no doubt that, like all other employees. Holmes knew of the regulation against publicity. He detailed conversation he had had with the defendant in 1903 concerning a reported leak in tn rport, and said that Holmes had then expressed the opinion that such a contingency was impossible and had drafted letter to that effect. The witness also said that on one occasion a United States Senator with others had been denied access to the statistician on report day.
 MT. Clarke said that, after severing his connection with the department, Moses Haas. the alleged New York go- between, was in the habit of frequent ly calling at the Bureau of Statistics, where he was on good terms with all, including Holmes. He had also seen Peckham at the bureau and was intro duced to him there by Holmes. A group photograph showing Holmes, Peckham and Haas was introduced and the pie tureS identified by the witness MT. Clarke also spoke of the confidence reposed in Holmes by Statistician Hyde and said that. in the frequent and prolonged absences of the latter, Holmes performed the duties of his office.
 MT Clark spent the greater part of his time identifying Holiness sigma ture to communications. which Were filed as exhibits, to be later introduced as testimony. The fact developed dur ing the day that there had been some communication between Holmes and Theodore Price. New York broker, but the nature of 1t was not disclosed. Clark also identified Holmes's hand writing through the draft of letter signed by the President and issued in contradiction of charge made in i903 of he ports were known in New York before their official publication.
 MT. Clark was on the stand when court adjourned until Monday.