The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-12

pleasing and affable gentleman-but It really was shown that the crop reports had been manipulated. They had been made to show whatever the man with the biggest roll of bills wanted to have shown.
 On June g, 1905, Holmes left the De- partment quite suddenly. after a con- nectfon dating from November 16, 1905.
 Charges by Government.
 The governments indictment against Holmes charges that during the months from September to December, the con- spirators received and divided among themselves the sum of S210,271.62, as the result of their manipulations or the crop returns, given out on the third Of each month, and by permitting the facts to '1eak" out in advance of the formal is- suance of the report by the Secretary.
 The prosecution has Tn Its possession letters to show that on August 3. 1904, Frederick A. Peckham arranged with l.. c. Van Riper. a moneyed man or New York, for the latter to trade in cotton on the strength of the facts se- cnred from Holmes William c. Judd. formerly an employe of Van Riper. ad- mitted that while in this employ he had received information through Moses Haas which had been furnished by Holmes.
 Peckham and Haas are now in New York and are not available for use IT the prosecution of the case agains' Holmes. Haas was formerly connect ed with the department of agriculture hut left because the powers that be did not take the same view he did oi the disposal he had made of certain government funds.
 Record of Hyde.
 John Hyde who had formerly liVet in England and may or may not have been naturalized as an American cit izen, also had his feelings hurt by report of the civil service commission which investigated the affairs of hi: department. On June 21st when darl clouds were lowering over the depart ment of agriculture, MT. Hyde Jeff Washington on business which called him suddenly to New York. A few days later he sailed for England. Hi' departure was perfectly logical, how ever. so he later explained for deal aunt had died and left him handsome remembrance in her will. However, | the plain clothes man who had beer employed to keep Hyde under suveil lance, had not relaxed his vigilance the chief statistician would probably have been forced to delay his visit II the interest of the legacy.
 Secretary Wilson cabled to Europe for Hyde to return. He did so and or July 18th resigned rom oIIice, eApiaih ing that such hot fight had beer made upon him that he thought 1t bes not to further embarass the depart ment.
 Secretary Wilson placed the whol' conspiracy matter in the hands O. Morgan H. Beach, at the time Unlte' States district attorney of the Distric of Columbia and the man who will con duct the case against Holmes. III had formerly won distinction by hi' conduct of the post office fraud cases President Roosevelt also got int' action and directed MT. Moody, th' attorney general. to take hand in tn' case. The gentlemen put in motion th' machinery of the Department Of Jus tice and MT. Hoys, solicitor general extended his cooperation.
 A factor of special interest in thi' case is that even before the Southern Cotton Association took cognizance O the rumors of leakage and crop manip ulation, Representative Livingston O Georgia had urged upon the floor O. the house an investigation of the ar fairs of the agriculture department with particular reference to the make up and publication of the cotton croI repOrtS,