Salt Lake Tribune | 1905-08-26 | Page 1 | Holmes Indicated for Conspiracy

HOLMES INDICTED FOB CONSPIRACY Former Associate Statistician i Will Be Tried Planning Plan-ning Fraud. WASHINGTON, Aug. 25. Edwin S. Holmes, Jr., of Washington, D. C, until un-til recently associate statistician of the Department of Agriculture, but who was dismissed as an outcome of the Investigation Investiga-tion In the leakage In tho cotton crop reports, has been Indicted by tho grand Jury on a charge of conspiracy to defraud de-fraud tho Government. Two Indictments. This announcement was mado by United States District Attorney Morgan H. Beach, Jr., after ho had returned from Now York City, where he had been Instrumental In causing tho arrest of. Frederick A. Peckham, tho New York broker, at Saratoga, and Mosos Haas of Now York. There nre two Indictments, covering the charges against the three men. Will Come to Answer. Mr. Beach said tonight that Holmes, who has been away from Washington for some time. nnd whoso whereabouts has not been known, will bo here tomorrow tomor-row morning to answer to tho Indictment. Section 6440 of the revised stntutcs provides that If two or more persons conspire, either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States In any manner, and ono or more of such parties do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, all the parties shall be llablo to a pennlty of not less than $1000 nnd not more than $10,000, and to Imprisonment not more than two years. Secret Service Beports. The report of the secret service agents into the charges nllogo that advance Information In-formation regarding the cotton crop reports re-ports had been given to cotton brokers In New York, asserted that Holmes had communicated advance information to L. C. Van Riper, a Now York broker, and Moses Haas of Now York. who. Mr. Van Riper said, acted as a go-between In conveying con-veying Information from Holmes to other New York brokers.