Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-06-05
GRAVE CHARGES
AGAINST PRICE.
COTTON OPERATOR ACCUSED OF
CONSPIRACY AND BRIBERY.
THREE OTHERS INDICTED
Grand Jury Action Based on Leak Of
Crop Statistics Contained In
Government
Report.

New York, May 30.-Theodore II.
Price, at one time known as the cot
ton king" because of his tremendous
trades in the staple. and more re-
Gently president of the Eagle Fire In
surance company, was indicted Fri
day by the federal grand jury after
long investigation of startling leak
OF cotton crop statistics contained in
government report which had not
been made public.
The grand jury found two indict-
ments against Price, one charging
conspiracy to commit an offense
against the United States, and the
other bribery of government official
Three other persons were indicted
with Price and warrants have been
issued for their arrest as they are out
of the jurisdiction of the federal
court of this district.
Is Released on Bail.
With the handing down of the in
dictments Mr. Price, who had appar-
emily anticipated the action taken
against him, appeared at the federal
building and surrendered himself. He
was arraigned before Judge Hough
and pleaded not guilty. Bail was
fixed at $4,000 which was furnished
and Mr.. Price was released after the
court had set June 10 as the date for
the preliminary hearing.
Mr.. Price, in a statement made pub
lie after his arraignment, asserted
that he was entirely innocent of the
charges.
Mr.. Prices Career.
While Mr.. Prices career has lacked
the sensational features which marked
Mr.. Sully's brief tenure of the cotton
throne" he has been generally con-
sidered the most prominent operator
In the New York cotton market since
the days of John Inman He first at
tracted International attention as
member of the firm of Price, McCor-
mick & Co., which failed on December
"a, 1900. The firm failed for about
$13,000,000, but Mr.. Price at once set
about rehabilitating his fortunes and
succeeded so well that during the past
three or four years he has paid off
his individual portion of the firms
remaining Indebtedness, amounting to
over $1,000,000, Notwithstanding the
fact that the claims had been through
bankruptcy, and, moreover, had been
outlawed
1t is said that no one in the cotton
business has ever spent so much time
and money in securing information
from the south concerning the prog
ress of the crops during the growing
season and the attitude of interior
holders. During his career he has
conducted many successful campaigns
in cotton and at times he has been
credited with very large winnings.
Three Others Indicted.
Washington, May 30.-Almost sim.
ultaneously in Washington and New
York, indictments were returned FRI
day against Theodore H. Price, the
cotton operator; Frederick A. Peck
ham and Moses Haas, both Of New
York, and Edwin S. Holmes, Jr.. of
this city, formerly assistant Stats.
tician of the department of agricul-
ture, for alleged participation in gov.
eminent crop report leaks.
Price is charged with having con-
spired with the other three men to
furnish advance information regard.
ing the crop reports of the depart.
ment of agriculture, and Price, Peck
ham and Haas are charged with con.
spring to bride 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 heretofore
been indicted on true bills, returned
here in October, 1905, following the
sensational exposure of the crop re-