The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-30
THEO. H. PRICE
 IS INDICTED Bribery and Conspiracy
 Is Charged. COTTON LEAK" AFTERMATH Haas, Peckham and Holmes Are
 Also Indicted. Mir. Price Gives Out . statsment to Public and Says He Feels No
 Doubt of His Ae-
COTTON LEAK" AFTERMATH

Washington. May 2s.--AImost simui- taneously in Washington and New York. indictments were today returned against Theodore Price, q prominent New York cotton operator. Frederick A Peckham and Moses Haas both of New York. and Edwin s. Holmes. Jr., of this city. formerly associate statis- tician of the Department of Agricui- tnre. for alleged participation in gov ernment crop report leaks
 Price is charged with having con- spired with the other three men to fur- nish advice regarding the crop reports of the Department of Agriculture and Price, Peclham and Haas are charged with conspiring 10 bribe Holmes to shape the official reports to suit their interests. There were four indictments brought in by the Federal grand jury in both cities. All but Price have here tofore been indicted under true bills returned here in October, 1905. follow- ing the sensational expopure of the crop report leaks. After a long legal light, Packham and Haas succeeded in preventing their extradition here from New York but Holmes was placed on trial In June. 1907. the jury reporting a disagreement. Holmes has been re- tired, The indictments were returned here late today. According to one of them. Price made $750. 900 as q result of his advance information regarding the report for December, 1s04, and paid Haas s125,000 out of this sum.
 While not stating how much Holmes received as his share, the indictment charges that Haas paid Holmes sI 900 for information on the June report of 1905. The indictment, which sets out seven overt acts. says that on May 31. 1905, Price and Haas conspired by Of fering and giving to an official Of the F.ak @N 44. Ea. duce Holmes In violation of his duty, to furnish such advance information. Tt recites the conferences In New York on May SI between Price and Haas fol- lowing which Haas came to Washing ton. met Holmes and promised to pay Holmes for advance information; thAs on June i aA 2, 1905. Haas received sucls ntnformation from Holmes and tt wal | conveyed to Price and that on June | Haas paid Holmee sf,00o. The second | count of the indictment says Haas and | Price conspired to bribe Holmes to ar. | range the June report so as to show z | greater cotton crop than the infcrma. | tion in the statistician's office justified The other indictments charge ths three New York men, in eight counts
 with bribing Holmes for the informa. tion. and with conspiracy to shape the report as mentioned; charge Holmes Peckham and Haas with conspiracy tc defraud the government by getting in- formation in advance; and. the fourth indictment, charging PAclxham and Haas only with conspiracy Co brfbe Holmes to give out advance informs tton.
 Following the announcement that he had been indicted. Mir. Price. gave out a statement in which he said that while an indictment was of course an extremely disagreeabe experiences to undergo it was an accusation and not q proof, and he is aware that the gov- ernment has considered tt necessary to take such action before the matter became outlawed on June 3, or there about.
 He feels no doubt whatever of the Issue.