The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-28
THE VENEZUELA SWINDLE.
the FRfUDULENT Awards BY THB
MIXED CONFUSION
Just Claims Rejected because the Claimants
Refused to submit to Robbery Ortb's
shnre in the KasrnIIy Husinrss.

just Clnim Rejected because the CIaiuert-
Refused to submit to Robbery Orth's
share In the Rasraity business.
WASHINGTON, July T.--IIenry Woodruff,
a lawyer, who lives In New York CITY. and Re
publican. testified TO-DAY before Springer's sub
committee investigating the Mixed venezue
Commission. lie was attorney for 81 i'm nt3
representing quarter Of a million Of dollars.
He was In Caracas in 1854. aud applied to the
American Minister, MIR. Culver, for his lnterposi-
ton to obtain the recognition Of his claims by
the Government OF Venezuela. They deter
mined that the best way to have the matters
adjndicated was TO have a mixod commission
organized, which Mr.. Culver undertook to bring
about. This was the origin Of the Mixed Com
mission. II had an honest purpose In view, viz,
the auditing OF Just claims Of American citizens
against that Government Dir. Woodruff traced
the various steps in the organization Of the COM
mission, and said that after the appointment Of
the Commissioners. In which he took no part,
he applied to David N. TalmsdRe, the American
Commissioner in New York, prior to his sailing,
and asked for instruction as to whom he could
have his claim presented. He stated that 10 was
all prepared. that all the proofs were in. and he
did not think tue Venezuelan Government
would resist It. as they were virtually recog-
nized by that Governments and that there was
no proof or'argument to be made In ADDITION to
what he furnished In print. Mir. I almadge re-
ferred him TO his orotber. Mr.. Woodruff called
who was In paint store In New York at that
time. Mr.. Wilton said that he was very init
have the claim put through. He said, We Will
have 10 charge nfty per cent, or one-haf: Mr..
NoOdrun protested against this and Wilton
| saiu that they mad been allowed three u uarters
In one claim which would oe No. on the
tnFned OUT 10 pe NJ wben he reeotd. s of the
claims came 10, aud was one OF the fraudulen
| claims awarded bythis commission. Mr.. Wood
run said be would lay the matter before his
clients, and they declined to sceede to these
terms-tnat is, to pay one-han for the sdJudica-
| ton and aw ri Of their claims.
Mr.. Woodruff then wro e to the Am erican Le-
| g'tiOn la Caracas and received a letter from
winch suliwel asked him 10 authorizes MIN
tStilwel) to employ an attorney. as II would be
would not allow one. lie old not accept still
wells suggestion, but wrote TO hts friend IN Ca
| T cas-, the Counsel OF DenmarK, whom he re-
| guessed to 10y his papers before tue commits
sion. hey were presented to the commission
In ample time to toe heard, but were rejected,
and the commission abruptly adjourned be lors
! the time allowe1 for ia sittIngs unGer the law
had ssxplred. ana Murray anu rdlmadse left for
! the United States. Calm ants have been de-
priveu " all relief under tue convention, their
! claims being barred.
! MIR. Woodruff related his efforts since before
the cofnmittses Of Congress TO obtain relief for
| bis clients. IN 1870 be appeared before tue Com
,nss.eo ~ "easn n I, " 'no Iiouso y, nep
time. He (Mr. woodlun stated before that
committee tndt the cOm mission n ID been aCtu-
sted b, fraud, and he could prove II II The CON-
| mittee would authorize the sending for persons
| and papers, But hr. Ort took pen aou wrote
/ something hastily, saying. " hose are serious
| charges, sir" Gen. Banks requested that the
witness bc not Interrupted. MI. woodruff also
| u.d all tutsryiew with Senators SUMNER. Scuurz,
and Patterson. who emp Aticslly Condemned
the commission, and said lts Bindings were
| tainted, aud ought not To be enforced oy tue
| Government OF the United states.
here was at tnis time joint resolution pend
Ing In Congress directing Inc Secretary OF 81 te
hal nod aNah fFT H.
| pubic Of Venezuela to the holder- respectively
| ottne AWARDS issued. Toe resolution had passed
| the House and was under consideration by the
| Foreign Anairs Committee OF the senate. SEN
| atOr Sumner was tnen Gu irnsn VI tho oom NIT
| tee. In the conferences he Woodruff u al with
| Senators Su ner, Patterson ana scnuiz on the
| subject. lie felt assured that tuey we're opposed
| to u favorable report ON the resolution. lie had
| convSrsation with one Of these gentlemen
| SINCE IN which he said that he well RENE Derod
| the dium Of that Nenezueian business. he
| resolution did not pass tue Senate, but the pay
| ments were made nevertheless. Mr.. " ooorur
said he bad been informed that sucn Isymeuts
| had ueen made upon the rep esentation u a
| senator or senators tbat tue resolution had not
| been reported tavorsbly because VI tue want Of
| time, and tnat II there had oeen time the COM
| nittee would have reported favorAbiy upon Il.
he Secretary WA. therefore, uesd 10 make
| the payments. This senator. sir. Woodruff TO-
| thu ited, ~as from Indiana. and bis personal aud
family relations were Intimate WITH StiiweHs.
| Mr. " uodrun said that Ar. culver submitted
TO him al tue a inns pending Ia the leg .tion
! Just % eviOus To the formation u the Mixed
| COn uaissiun. These claims aggregA ed but Lite
over tsUy.OUU. Oh comparing these claims, a
list q which MI woOuIun submitted, with
those allowed by tue commission. II appears
tnat the claims pending in tAe lega.4on we're
l,rge.y Increased. even doubled and TIRE Oied ~
tue liked Commission, II also appears oy this
comparison that of tue ciaius pending IN theiega-
ton, but few were aliCwed ana int the greater
part II the claims were tr.mptd w. after toe
! Org 4ntzAtiOn Vi tue commission.
1ns fraudulent character Vi the claims allow
ed " III oe apparent when compared Win this
schsu ule, which Was tue D .sis uDOn which tue
Mixed Commission We formed. There was
&4,IUo lowed uy the commission. snd tspJ..s..
referred To the uulpife and flowed y hun max
ing tl.DU,OOO in all. The claims wbIcH fvrme
the oasis upon which the Mixed Commission
was formed. ard which were psud ng before
tue Le- alton prior TO its organization.
amounted 10 about $+OJ,0V only. IL must
also be remembered that tue Woodruff md As
piuwall CLAIMS, the former not included IN tue
sched ue aooys mentioned, out referred TO
claiu which, nnJt recognized by the Venezue
Ian Government, would be subject u interna-
tloua adjudication, amounting together Il