Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-10
IS SUMMONED TO
WITNESS STAND
Secretary Department of Agrf-
culture in Holmes Case.
WITNESS FOR GOVERNMENT
Emphasizes the Demand for Secrecy
Regarding Crop Reports.
MEASURES ADOPTED IN BUREAU
B. G. White, Special Field Agent, De-
tails the Methods of Procur-
ing Information.

More testimony concerning the inner
workings of the bureau of statistics of the
Agricultural Department was offered at the
resumption of the trial of former Associate
Statistician Edwin S. Holmes, jr., before
Justice Stafford in Criminal Court No.
this morning. Secretary James Wilson of
the department was the most important
witness of the day. He laid great stress
upon the rigid secrecy regarding crop re-
ports which was exacted of all employees
of the bureau of statistics. Secretary Will
son stated it would be necessary for him to
be at his Office at o'clock this afternoon
to sign one of the reports of the bureau of
statistics and as he was on the stand at
the close of the morning session of court
it was ordered that he be excused until
1915 o'clock, the government in the mean
time to proceed with another witness.
William A. Cochran, manager of the
Planters Hotel, st. Louis, was the first wit
ness called, and he produced the register
of the hotel covering portions OF the months
of October and November, 1904. The en-
tries of seven names under date of Novem-
Der were identified by Stephen d. Fes-
sender, a former associate of Holmes IN
the bureau of statistics, being in Holmes
handW riting, and the book was. offered
in evidence. Assistant District Attorney
Adkins read the entries In question, as
follows: L. c. Van Ripper, New York, and
NJ. Haas, New York, assigned to room 3ls;
Mr.. and Mrs. F. c. Peckham, New York,
and Mrs. NJ. F. Tompkins, Chicago, room
319; E. S. Holmes, New York, and l.. L..
Holmes New York, room 144"
B. C. White, special field agent in the cot
ton-producing states for the bureau of sta
tstics testified at length concerning the
methods followed by him In securing lnior-
nation for and preparing his monthly re-
ports upon the cotton crop. Several OF ms
reports for the year 1904 We're introduced
in evidence after being Identified MI
White designated several figures in his re
norts which were not of his writing, indi-
eating that some one had changed the re-
ports after their receipt at the department
Witness was only slightly familiar with
the system by which Statlstlcian Hvae
reached his final conclusions, though he
was present in the bureau on several oc-
casions when the computations were in
progress He said Mr.. Holmes once stated
he followed the same methods as Statis-
tician Hyde.
Secretary Wilson's Testimony.
Mr. White was excused temporarily from
the stand in order that Secretary Wilson
| of the Department of Agriculture might be
examined.
! After stating that he came into the po-
stion Of Secretary of Agriculture in Presi-
| dent McKinleys administration in 1897 and
served continuously ever since, Mr.. Wilson
| declared he was rarely present in the bu-
reau of statistics when the crop reports
| were prepared, and practically his only
| participation in issuing the reports was to
| sign them just before publication.
Attorney Morgan Beach, special counsel
for the government, questioned Secretary
Wilson and brought out the fact that e. S.
Holmes was appointed associate statisti-