The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-19
Van Riper Lays Bare
 Scheme of Clerks.
SAYS PRICE GOT THE NEWS
Advance Information on Cotton
 Supplied Broker.
"Leak" fin Statistics Brought Big Sums of Money which Were Divid- ed Among Attaches of Agricul-
 tural Department.

Washington, June 1s.--In his cross- examination of I. c. Van Riper the principal witness in the trial of former Associate Statistician Edwin s. Holmes. Jr., of the Agricultural De- partment, Attorney Warrington sought to develop the fact that today MT Van Riper's disappointment over his failure to realize a profit on his speculation supplied the motive for his compiaint to Secretary Wilson, out of which grew the charges against Holmes which caused his discharge. Van Rfper admitted his disappoint. ment. and his feeling against Haas the alleged Intermediary. put contend ca ne harbored no resentment against Holmes and declared that in his ex posture he was actuated only by a de- sire to promote the public welfare.
 MT. Van Rfper's direct examination was completed and his cross-examina- lion was entered upon. He will re- sume the witness stand tomorrow.
 When the trial of Holmes for di- vulging information of crop reports before being made public was resum- ed In Judge Staffords Court today, I, C. Van Rtper the New York broker, continued his testimony. Taking up his story with relation to payments to Peckham, Haas and Holmes, re- beating much of what he mad said yss- terday. but adding one item of $25,0o0 paid to Peckham.
 vision of the profits realized on the cotton ginners' report for December 1904, Van Riper said there was s43,07l to be distributed and that this sum was dividedFinto four parts. This division had taken place in December, 2s. 1904. at hotel in New York, k,where he and Peckham had gone to meet Holmes and Haas. His share of the amount was $10.767, but he had been given $10.s00 because they could not make change.
 In response to questions from Mir. Beach the witness said Holmes had talked with him concerning his mines in Idaho,
 Did you pay him any money from the mines?"
 T did not"
 Did MT. Holmes ever talk to you as to what would happen if it was known he was giving out this information"
 He did. In December he said noth- ing could happen to him; that he had had legal advice and knew that there was no law covering the case.'
 Went to the White House.
 Van Riper also said that Holmes had told him that on a former occasion in 1903 when there had been leaks in the report he had gone to the White House to assure the president that the sys- tenn was perfect and had received the presidents congratulations on its ex- cellence.
 Did MT. Holmes tell you at that time whether there was any justifica- ton for the suspicion that there was leak?
 He said" there was. He. told me he had furnished the figure to Price and related how Haas had gone back and forth several times between him and Price in an effort to have the approach ing report managed so as to suit Prices conditions. The outlook was for a report showing a production of 10,250. 900 bales. Price was short and said those figures would not help and he had the amount removed below the ten million figure. If the amount could not be made higher so that he could take the other side. Holmes had said 1t could not possibly be made lower than 10.2000,000 bales but Price had insisted and the figures were made to conform to Prices requirements"
 He said that afterwards an effort was made at Holmes suggestion to get an outside place for statistician Hyde in order that Holmes could be lO thC CiACl pOoAtiOn III LuS office.
 With this end in view. the witness said that Haas had told him that Price met Hyde, but did not like him and it was then arranged early in 1905 that Hyde should be sent to Europe to re- main away four months to report on conditions there which arrangement was made and Hyde was sent to Eu- rope.
 Hyde then told me that Holmes would be the head of the bureau and we would have everything our own way said the witness.
 Did Holmes ever tell you how he got his advance information?" asked the governments special attoEhey. changing the line of questions
 He did, was the response.
 How He Got Information.
 He had access to the reports of the special agents and the state agents and as these were the only IT. presenta- tives that received attention and as he was quick at figures. he had no dIf- ficulty In getting at results"
 Van Riper was then cross examined by MT. Worthington for the defense. He began with a series of questions concerning transactions of December 1904, when S167.0OO was realized for the commission. Witness said that he had acted entirely on Haas information that the report would be very bull tsh" and that Haas had assured him that Holmes was, the source of this knowledge MT Worthington dwelt upon facts showing that there had been an effort to sell as early as Nov. 10. but the witness responded that the assurances were very positive.
 But" he said. fin addition we re- lied upon the fact that in case it were wrong we were to be notified in time to save ourselves
 Then you had assurance7"
 ''We had. We were to have positive information each month the day before the appearance of the cotton report"
 The witness said in reply to ques- tions by Mir. Worthington that Holmes had told him that Hyde always accept ed his conclusions for the monthly re- port
 "Then why did you want to get rid of Hyde?'
 For fear he would fail us at some time"
 Asked if he had ever been indicted because of his connection with the Holmes agreement the witness answer ed in the negative. He added that he consulted a lawyer in June 1905 to see