Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-24
GODLOVE.
Our Minister OFth Explaining His Con.
nectIOn with the Pene1uelR
Claim.
TaImadge and Thomas BrOWn-A Per
tinent Question by Springer
Resignation of Orth.

WASHINGTON, May 23.-Godlove s.
Orth, OF Indiana, United States minis
ter to Austria, testified to-day before the
subcommittee of the committee on
foreign sffairs, in relation to the awards
made by the Venezuelan mixed COM
mission. His name had been mention
ed in the testimony previously given by
Seth briggs, of New York, as having
acted as attorney to procure from the
State department the payment OF seven
per cent. disbursement Ol large num-
Der of thousand dollar certificates, with
held from briggs by the American COM
missioner, TRlmadge. Orth, In his tes-
timoDy, 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, al
leging fraud in the commission. The
committee OH foreign affairs, OF which
Orth was then member, Investigated
the awards, and afterwArd, when Orth
was not a member of congress, and when
he had no idea of again being in con.
gress, he accepted employment as the
attorney of J. Stlllwell and General Tai
madze, to assist them in receiving their
percentage paid by the Venezuelan
government under protest en- these
awards, and which was then in the State
department, and subsequently by pro-
curing the passage of q law by congress
confirming the awards; he acted and
was paid as attorney for Stilwell & Tai
msdge; his services were rendered while
he was not member of congress, and
terminated before ne took his seat in the
subsequent congress in 1873; that ended
his professional connection with the
matter. But in July, 1873, he then being
q member Of congress elect, he had, on
behalf Of Talmadge, cOrresponded with
the state department on the subject OF
the payment OF the installment on the
certificates held by Talmadgs. This,
however, he had not done in his profess
sional character. He identified the cor
respondence, a copy Of which was in the
hands of the committee. The name Of
Talmadge does not appear in 1t IS the
person for whom he was acting, but the
name of Thomas Brown does. Orth's
explanation is that Talmsdge must have
written him; Brown WAS the holder OF
these certificates.
Mr.. Springer, who examined Mr..
Orth, after calling his attention to the
fact that Stillwell was United States
minister to Venzuels only for a few
months, and that Tslmsdge was the
American commissioned who passed
upon the claims, asked him If it did not
occur to him when offered this employ
ment as attorney, that it was very
strange that StillweN and Talmsdge
should hold such large amounts Of these
certificates, the former having more
than seventy thousand dollars OF them,
and latter a still larger sum ;and whether
it did not, therefore, occur to him that if
he mentioned the name of Tslmadge to
the state department as owner of these
certificates suspicion would have been
awakened and payment prevented?
Orth replied no; for the State depart
ment had paid to Talmadge in 1871 an
instsllment on other certifcstes which
ne had
Mr.. Orth to-day sent in his resrgna-
ton as minister, and proceeds to Indiana
to attend the gubsrnatorial canvass.