The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-25
Haas and Peckham Plead
Guilty to Violation
of Statute.
COURT COLLECTS
S11, 600 IN FINES
Holmes, Former Statistician Who
Sold Advance Government Re-
ports, Surprised at Action.
He May Be Given Chance
to Plead Guilty and Get
Off With Fine.

Washington, D. c., June 24.-aIoses
Haas. OF New York. and Frederick A.
Peckham, OF Cincinnati, Ohio, to-day
Criminal Court No. that they were
guilty of a technical violation of the
law in that they agreed with Edwin
S. Holmes. Jr., former associate statts-
ticfan OF the Department OF Agricul-
ture. to procure from him advance cot.
| ton reports. and that they proated by
| the Information.
| On the recommendation of Special
Assistant Attorney General Adkins
Justice Gould imposed fines instead OF
| Imprisonment on both men. Haas was
| fined 5000 and Peckham $4,000. Judge
lockwood, of Saratoga Springs, coun-
sci for the men, handed Deputy Mar
shall Robson eleven $1,000 bills in pay
ment OF the fines and the men re-
turned to their homes
! Holmes May DO Likewise.
Attorney Wharton e. Lester. counsel
for Edwin S. Holmes, Jr., the former
associate sta,isttcian. was taken
surprise at the action of Haas and
Peokham, with whom Holmes is joint
lly indicted, and was not prepared TO
| state what course. would be pursued
| by his client. Holmes was tried IN
1905 on the charge, but the jury dis
| agreed, and he has not been retired
because Of the litigation concerning
the cases which has been in progress
ever since.
While no authoritative statement is
Forthcoming from the Department of
Justice, the general impression about
the City Hall is that the department
would not be averse to similar action
in reference q to Hoimes. If he will
violation as claiiljt4. by Haas and
Peckhani. . fine wouid pr5oaoly be i'm
posed, according 10 the runors in cir
culation.
Theodore n. Price, of New York,
known as the cotton king. was re-
| lieved recently by Justice Gould on a
plea in abatement of the charges
against him in this district. What ac-
tion will be taken in connection with
the New York indictments pending
against Price has not been announced.
| Review of the Case.
| Haas and Peckham, In a statement
read to the court by their counsel,
Judge lockwood. detailed at length
| Vic lhoS0lS VI lilS SdSt, WHICH HAS d.
tracted the attention of the New York
courts and those in this Jurisdiction.
even the United States Supreme Court,
for the past five years.
When the cotton leak was discovered
In the summer of 1905 no one thought
| it crime for an official of the govern
ment to furnish information of his
office to outsiders, or that outsiders
so receiving the information we're
! guilty OF a crime in making use of it.
1t was not until 1908 that such a
statute was passed by Congress.
Continuing his remarks to the court.
| Justice lockwood claimed the acts
complained of were not criminal or
| even quasf-crimnal until the interpre-
tation of the law by the United States
Supreme Court, which ordered the two
men to appear in this district for
| trial
Neither of the defendants, Haas or
| Peokhan, has ever before been
charged with crime said Judge
lockwood. Neither of them has ever
before been engaged IN any question:
| the allegations of the indictments
found against them to be true, but
| the decision of the Supreme Court Of
| the United States is broad enough to
] an employe or official to an outsider,
and IL 1t should appear upon the trial
that any such information had been
SO Impaired, 1t would doubtless, con-
| stitute, In view of the decision re-
ferred to, technical violation of the
| law,
Decide on Guilty Plea.
Approaching this. notwithstanding
covering the matter in the year 1905
the defendants. Frederick A. Peck
ham and Moses Haas, have come to the
conclusion that this technical. viola
Sl, ,NtS. .
peace, is best met by a plea Of guilty
to the charge covered by indictment
No. 24,9O7, and the count thereof. charg
ing conspiracy to commit misconduc
instructed their counsel TO state al
| of the procedure which has gone OF
for the past five years In connection
/ with these matters to the court, SO tina
soner and one United States judge
nave absolutely dismissed proceeding
founded upon the indictments now her.
In question; that another of the Judge:
OF defrauding the United States in thi
case did not constitute a crime. ant
two Of the Judges, of the United State
Supreme Court have also expressed
case is on the border line, and there /
no precedent to cover It,
I'm view OF the decision Of the Su
preme Court of the United States. 4
trial court upon the trial to hold tha
even q techn.lal., violation Of the, lay
constituted an offense and 1t Is there
fore thought best to meet the matte
ut this time by a plea, so hat It ma.
be disposed of by the court withou
further expense to the government o
to the defendants. and in a way whic!
will not only protect the interests Q
the government, but accord to the de
y PENDANTS a full measure of justice.
Il Trust Case to Court.
taking into consideration all OF TIL
4 facts Of the case, the serious doubt cas-
Il upon the validity of these indictments
the fact that these indictments charg
conspiracy to commit misconduct in OF
u Ace which is not an ofrense outside 0
the District of Columbia and also con
sidering the previous good character o
9 the defendants, their high standing i
the community as business men. an
1.-THE entire surroundings, 1t lis believe
4 that the court will dispose OF the mat
j. ter with septire satisfaction to all con
I with this statement, the defendant
Il lsnhrnit their rights to the court"