The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-05-24
THE VENE2uE FRAUD.
MOXa Morton and GoOdlOye 0rih and
the other Party by the Name
Of Brown, I.
The Republican Candidate for Governor In
Indiana Makes a Lame Attempt TO
Clear His and Senator
MOrton's Skirts,

WASHINGTON, May %, --Goodlove s,
Ortb, OF Indiana, United States Minis.
ter to Austria, testified to-day before
the subcommittee on Foreign Affairs
IN relation to the awards made 10y the
Venezuelan Mixed Commission. His
name has been mentioned In the testl.
mony previously given by SethDriggs,
Of New York, as having acted rs an
attorney to procure from the State
Department the payment OF seven per
cent OF the disbursement on IA large
number of thousand dollar certificates,
withheld from briggs by the American
Commissioners Talmadge, Orth in
his testimony explained fully
his connection with the
matter His first knowledge Of the
Venezuelan claim occurred when the
Venezuelan government IN 1870 and
1871 protested against their validity,
alleging fraud in the Commission.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Of
which Orh was then Il member, In.
vestigated the charges aud unanimous.
~ reported in favor Of the validity Of
the awards, Afterwards, when 0rth
was not member OF Congress aud
when he had no idea Of again being
in Congress, he accepted employ
ment as the attorney OF Stillwell
and General Valmndge to assist
them in recovering their per cent OF
the amount paid by the Venezuelan
Government under protest on these
awards, and which was then In the
State Department, and subsequently
in procuring the passage OF law by
Congress confirming the awards. He
acted us a paid attorney for Stllwell
aud Talmadge. His services were reA.
dercd while he was not u mem Der OF
Congress, and terminated his services
before he took his seat, subse-
quently, in Congress in 1873.
That ended his professional connection
with the matter, but In July, 1873, he
then being member of Congress
elect, he had, Oh behalf of Talmadge,
correspondent with the State depart
ment on the subject of the payment of
an installment on the certificates held
by Talmadge. This, however, he had
not done IN his professional character.
He identified the correspondence, II
copy of which was in the hands OF the
Committee. The name OF Talmadge
does not appear in 1t as the person for
whom he was acting, but in lieu The
name Of Thomas Brown does. Orth's
explanation is that Talmadgc must
have written his name Browp,t as
he was the holder of these certifl.
Gates. This extraordinary transaction,
tending to involve Morton and 0rth,
the Indiana nominee for Governor,
can be more clearly understood by
publishing the testimony Of Seth
briggs, which, owing to the storm on
Saturday night, was not furnished in
these dispatches at the time. 1t will
be remembered that Colonel Tom Still
well was appointed minister to Vene-
zuela by MOrton's dictation, and that
ugly rumors Of fraudulent connections
between Morton and Stillwell have
been rife for years. A witness before
the committee yesterday, Seth briggs,
one of the claimants, in his eightieth
year, substantially confirms the worst
phases of these scandals, and puts Orth
In the light Of special attorney Il
fabricate claims. Murray, n brother
in.law OF Stillwell, was appointed see.
rotary of the legation, and monopoliz
ed all the business Of attorneys In pre-.
sentatlon of claims, eXacting sucl
fees aud indorsing such certificates
only as passed through his own
aud the rings hands. 1t seems thai
Orth and Morton both presented
claims under fictitious names, Orti
giving the name Of his claimant 81
Brown, when il was afterwards dis
covered that there was never any snol
person. The Senate never confirmed
Stillwell ms Minister, who, after 81,
months residence IN Caracas, wa
forced to return with the ring specnla
tions only half carried out. Drigg
claims that the whole transaction a
carried on by the American part OF tn
Commission was an enormous job, AM
that politicians were enriched at tn,
EXPENSE of claimants, himself losInl
over $500 900. The testimony OF Ortl
il hazzy and his explain alton Of tn
name "Brownn far from being salts
factory. The testimony is but PARTIAL!
taken. and will be continued. Morton
will be given IA chance TO be heard.
WINsLOw MATTER.