The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-24
THE VENEZUELA SWINDLE.
ONE OF THE COM1IsSIONERs VBRI-
FYING ITs ENO Unity
David w. TsIImndsc Under Oath -Ooptra-
dieting GedIove =. Ortiz, txcept the Fact
that he hnd Paid Orth Money for Services.


dieting GodIove -. Orth, txcept the Fact
that he bnd Paid Orih Money for Services
wAsHiNoToN, June 23.-The extent and
enormity Of the Venezuela CT tins Commission
swindie were still urther verified to-day by the
testimony Of David W. Tallmadee. the United
States Com missioner, tefore. Mr.. Springers COM
miuee. Tailmadge oontradicted In several Inn
portaDt pnrticulars the testimony previously
taken, especially that OF Godlove 8. Orth, and
even hts own testimony taken before the For
eisn Affairs Committee Of former Congress.
He was strangely forgetfui Of the most striking
details involving the character OF the Commits
sion. His manner white testfyinR was very much
against him, N there can be anything In the
manner OF a witness to i'm mpress the listener with
tie weight OF his testimony whether ~ TO truth
fuiness or falsity or TO convey an impression of
gumt. when asked pointedly by Mr.. Springer
any question tending to bring out the facts re-
eardins the character Of the Com mmission, he be-
came suen and aim ost disrespectful ana evaded
a direct reply. He con,radlcts MIR. 0rth In one
important particular.
Orth stated IN his testimony that bo had re-
ceived $1,000 In Venezuelan certificates In oon-
slderstion OF his services before Congress In
procuring the passage OF the act Of Feb. 25, 1871
tonoRnizinR the validity OF the awnrls of the
Conmission, ano the obligation OF the Govern
ment Of Venezuela to pay them. He further
ttstined that ne could not state exactly how
much stillwell and Tallmadgs had pLd him,
we're I'd him by Tsllm dye. TallmadRe testi.
Ned IN relation to this that he never gave Mr..
that service, but that previous to this he xave
Mr. Orth $50 for an entirely different purpose.
Being asked rhsn And and .n yodsr wocs S'roum-
Piled that II was In April, 1870, after tho char
acter Vf the Commission had been alta cked. and
the House F"reian Al irs COMMITTEES denying
the charges and tistifying the Conimission. He,
however, did not state that be had given Orth
this money in the capacity OF an attorney, or to
aid In exculpattng the Commission, but the In
ference NAV be drawn that It wos for some such
purpose. Orth was at this time member OF
Congress, and also a member OF the Foreign Al
fairs Committee.
Tailma9e and stillweil TO obtain the passage OF
the law OF 1873, and their agent or attorney he
vent to the state Depsi tnent on Their behalf
to obtain for them the cividends on the certin-
Gates which the claimants contend they wrong
fully held.
any shape or torn. employed Ortiz as bis attor-
ney. although Orth had testified to the contrary.
| Orth stating that he had anv Of these bonds.
Orth testified. however, that 1allmadge did
write to him letter in which he said " write
| TO you In the interest OF friend:" but Tall
madse denies that he ever wrote Orth anything
| Of the kind.
the friend alluded TO by Tallmadse In bis letter
| was lhos Brown. Tallmadse says that he be-
neves that there was no such man as Ihos.
Brown, but sAia. upon being closely questioned.
tnAt man calling himself Ihos. Brown called
upon him and told him that ne had. $4,000 Of
| ag In, but referred him to Orth. He never wrote
| to Orth about this man, and was positive that he
had never employed Orth as his attorney, nor
given him any OF the certificates.
| 1t also appears from Iallmadees testimo ony y
| to-dav that he had large business Interests In
| Caracas at the time OF bis appointment as Com
| missioner. that he was ABOUT to embark for th at
city 90 personal business when he obtained the
| appointments, md TINT the peiaon who acted ss
ior tms nnd ossh hrs pnre
| his absence. He testified that he WAS Demo.
| crst, and that he obtained the appointment
| friends In New YORK from secretary Seward
| with whom b o bad no personal relations. Mr.
Talma madee insisted that he should not be pushed
too hard by the committee, owing to hts Demo
| cratic proclivities, averting that II would be q
| great injury To the party II they did so.
| Another fact was brought out that reflects
| upon the capacity Of the Commission. Tall.
| m.dRe testin s that he Ia not a lawyer, and has
| no knowledge OF law. his business being man
| uf cturer Of gas works, and vet he was appoint L
ed TO adJu ioate upon international claims in
| yolvinR several millions Of dc liars. 1t further
sppears from his testimony that only about
wnie tsOO,OOo aw rded oy tho umpire, whC
| was empl Jyed nv Iamads ,anu whose appoint.
ment was obtained through Tallm edges recon
The cross-ex minatIon OF Talmadge will b,
| continued tomorrow, when he Will be called
upon to produce the data. which he was unable
to do to Gay. and which he was reluested to re
fresh bis memory upon In the interim.
lo-dsy Seth briggs entered suit by HI,
TsIImsse who WAS tho American Com missions
| on the United States and Venezuela y ixes
| Commission, to recover tl6000o damages alleged
| to nave been sustained by the defenI ant refus
| ing 20 ueIiver TO him certificates amounting II
one case TO $4,000 aud 10 another to 5000, II
payment OF claims OF the plaintiff adtuoicate'
upon by the American and Venezuela Mixet
| COmmlssIOn In lH6b