Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-05
SECRECY EXACTED
OF THE EMPLOYEES
Rule of Bureau Regarding Of
fetal Crop Reports.
EVIDENCE IN HOLMES TRIAL
Testimony Today of Victor H. Ohm
sted, Statistician.
WITNESSES WERE QUESTIONED
Regarding Holmes Statement of Gold
Mine 0wnership-District
Attorneys Declaration.
WITNESSES WERE QUESTIONED

More testimony concerning the absolute
| secrecy required of the employees OF the bu-
reau of statistics in the preparation of the
reports upon cotton and other crops was in
troduced at the trial today of former As
| sociate Statistician Edwin S. Holmes, jr.,
| in Criminal Court No l. Victor II. Ohm.
| sted, the present statistician, was recalled
| to the stand and he declared the instruc-
| tons given to him when he first entered the
| bureau were to the effect that the reports
| must be kept inviolate until the very mo-
| ment Of their formal publication. Stephen
| d. Fessenden, another attache of the bu-
derstood this injunction 70: secrecy as did
all other members Of the bureau.
Mr. Olmsted was recalled to the stand az
| soon as court opened and his direct exami-
| nation was conducted by Attorney Beach,
special counsel for the government and by
District Attorney Baker. Holmes told MIN.
Mr.. Olmsted said about being the owner OF
valuable gold mines in the northwest sec
ton of the country, and subsequently
Holmes spoke OF having sold one OF the
claims for $4,000. Witness further stated
that Holmes expressed the intention Of in
vesting the money in apartment house prop
erty, and he consulted Mr.. Omsted about
the matter.
Under ss-examination Mr.. Olmsted
said that Holmes. while acting chief OF
the bureau of statistics, usually had several
days in which to look over the reports from
various sections of the country before the
date for the publication of the final figures
or the complete report concerning any one
crop.
Asked about the credibility of the reports
of the bureau. Mr. Olmsted declared the
conclusions presented were on the whole
| correct, and many times within ! per cent
Of the various, crops as harvested. some
| reports. he said. were stronger than others.
| The county reports, as: a rule, were found
| to more nearly portray crop conditions than
| the township or state reports,
did you ever do any specializing! sud-
denly asked Attorney Worthington, who
was conducting the cross-examination for
the defense.
mo, sir" asserted Mr.. Olmsted.
Are you absolutely sure about that!'
pursued the attorney.
Mr.. Worthington read a portion Of a
formal order of the Department of Agri-
culture of March 20. 1897. in which II was
stated no part Of the business of any bu,
reau or division of the department should
be divulged or >made public without the
consent of the chief of the division or blu,
reau or of the Secretary" and he asked
Mr. Olnsted IL he knew of such an Or
der.
Mr.. Beach Interjects.
Read the rest Of the order" interjected
Mr.. Beach.
IT propose to read just so much of the
order as choose" retorted Mr.. Worthing.
ton.
District Attorney Baker also made an
objection on the ground that part of the
order did not show the purpose of the
whole, but the question was permitted to
go on.
Mr.. Olmsted declared he knew Of no
such order-knew of no order which would
authorize permit any one to dlvuige
the business of the bureau OF statistics.
He said he knew the work of the bureau
was supposed to be absolutely secret, ana
he said instructions to this effect were
given him by Statistician HYDE when ne
first became connected with the department.
Mr. Hyde told him, Mr.. Olmsted said, that
the reports all crops, cotton ncluded:
had very marked speculative erect, ana
thus emphasized the necessity of Keeping
the reports inviolate until the day for
formal announcement.
Mr. Olmsted at the present time IS en-
gagged in supervision of the census IN Ha-
Yana Cuba, and he expressed n desire 10
reach Havana with the least possible de-
Law. Mr. Worthington argued the defense
should have the privilege of summoning
Mr.. Olmsted later in the trial, npt agreed
to release the witness as soon as 1t could
be determined no further testimony would
be needed from him.
Stephen d. Fessenden of the staff OF the
and he related in detail the workings OF
the bureau. as did Mr. Olmsted and also
emphasized the secrecy with which the
figures of the crop reports were hedged
about.
Reports Of Correspondents.
Mr.. Fessenden stated the reports from the
correspondents were frequently received in
the bureau much week before the
final compilations were made, and that
Y n
Holmes and Mr.. Hyde, the chief of the
bureau, appeared to be on very friendly
terms, and the discussions between the
chiefs of the bureau frequently turned upon
the tenor of the reports to be issued and
the probable effect of those reports upon
the market.
Concerning the Geographic reports which
were received from the states west of the
Mississippi, Mr.. Fessenden said the be-
lated messages were many times sent to
the residence of Statistician Hyde as late
as 3 o'clock in the morning the report was
to be issued and the same method OBJ
tained when Mr. Holmes in charge OF
the bureau. Mr.. Fessenden reiterated the
statement of Mr.. Olmsted regarding the
secrecy which characterized the compila-
ton of the reports, and he said he was
sure Mr.. Holmes understood this feature in
the same light. Witness related several
conversations in which Mr.. Holmes par
ticpated and in which rumors OF leak
were discussed and the probable suspicion
that the figures were being given out for
speculative purposes.
Mr.. Holmes Gold Mine.
Asked whether Holmes had ever
spoken to him about a gold mine, Mr..
Fessenden replied in the affirmative. He
said Mr.. Holmes came to his desk one
day and related what he characterized
"as an excellent stroke of fortune" say
ing he had sold a seven-eighths interest
in a mine in Idaho for 100000, and that
as soon as he received the check he
would be fixed for life" financially
District Attorney Bakers next uues-
ton again brought up the subject of
Holmes conversation about an intended