The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-22
MORTON AND ORR STRUCK.
SOMETHING NEW CONCERNING THE
VENEz UELAN SWINDLE.
The Work Of the Commission Against which
Sumner Lined his voice-A Man whs was
Dofra uded Telling the Rips's secrsts.


The Work Of the Commis-ion Asainss which
sumner Lined his voice-A Man whs was
Dcfrauded Telling the Rins's sccrsts.
WASHINGTON, May 21.-Several years ago
The SUN told tho story Of the attempt Of certain
persons In this country to defraud the vsnezue-
Ian Government out OF large sums Of money by
means of fraudulent claims cooked up against
that Government. One Seth briggs, who was
one OF the clalman not taken in The Ring, as
he alleges, now comes before the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and tells part OF what he knows
about the gigantic swindls. He implicst,s d.
rectly Godlove Ortb, Minister to Austria and
Republi can candidate for Governor OF Indiana,
who 10 In this city looking after his private in
terests. Senator Morton 10 also smirohed By
Driggs's testimony and II is said will be badly
damaged II the Investigation is thorough one.
Driggs's story 10 substance is as followsi
BY treaty dated April rs, 1893, a commission
was organized to adjudicate all pending claims
on behalf Of our and the Venezuelan Govsrn-
ments. David NJ TalmadRs was appointed on
behalf OF the United States Government, Jose
Greeoric villfsne on the part Of Venezuela, and
Juan N. Machado of Caracas was appointed
umpire. briggs charges the commission, or at
least the United States Com missioner, In COL
lrsion with the late Tom stilwell OF Indiana,
Murray, Secretary Of the United States Le-
CATION, with defrsuding him, a. well
as all claimants, out OF q large portion OF
their dues. BY a resolution adopted at tho be-
ginning Of the commissions work, no claimant
was permitted to prosecute his claim by an at
torney before the com mission. Contrary to this
rule rule. sii AmstiGsn CLAIMS wnSn wers In the
ecuted by Murray, brothcr-in-lsw OF stilwell,
who obtained rover Of attorney from each
oil al mi rukn E.ne laAA ~ h. IL
adopted by the commission. Murray charged
nftv per cent, but Of course did not prosecute q
divided between stilwell, Talmades, and MUIR
ray. and amounted t9 over $4,000 In csrtin- "a
cd I3 certificates, which were rstaioed
By Talmsdge for his booty, and, Il is supposed,
8O8 was certified 10 in seventeen distinct csrtid-
Gates, for whiob briggs signed q receipt but
upon examining the certificates afterward he
found that he had been openly cheated, the GER
tincates belonging to other persons, and Tai
madss carr,lng OF the ono hundred and twenty
nve certificates which properly belonged TO him.
On endesvoring to nnd Talms sdss, as soon a. he
discovered tho swlndle, he ned tn AZ that
soout that time recalled, had Gland sstinsly auit
the country, having embarked for the United
teen certificates had been handed over to
Drises; Thess certincstes, he supposos.- re-
malnsd 70 the hands Of rslmadse. who after
ward paid him over $e,oOa leaving yet due
Witness said that persons OF note had more or
Godlove 8. ortn. as Chairman Of the COMMITTEES
on Foreign Anairs OF tho House In 1572.3, figured
bu, o, Iss
he besieses tue Secretary Of State for the pay
ment Of an instahent Of interest, especially on
the 10000 Of certificates rAlmadse yet holds,
belonging To Driggs. lhe Secretary 10 consider
ing the question Of payment, owing TO oharges
Just recitsd. Orb, whom asked by the Secretary
| of tue lrs-sury for whom be appeared when ap-
plying for the interest on the certificates, said
and dsmoDs,rstsd snss ORTIZ r. silg pssssnssd
Talmadge OF one OF the Ring.
Brisss mentions as another suspicious cir
oumstancs that Messrs. Talmadg St Iweil, and
Murray ali wont to Caracas, the capital of vsn-
| szueia tosetbsr, but prior to going sought out
claimsnts, and executed with them contracts
for huff they should recover. Outsids of tnis
no claims were to be considered. Eighty four Of
| the csrtincats were found In Stilwelrs bank.
interests, supporting nim at the time the COM
Caracas as Minister. and, rs witness under.
stood, obtaining interest on some of csrtinc tes
ln etlwelrs possession. summer was very
though he was displaced as Chairman of the
| Foreign Affairs Committee ostsnsioly because
| ness, his denunciation OF the mixed Commis-
sion .t Cafsccas really had as much to do
with bis displacement, for OF her memb bers Of the
| committee stood oy Morton and the Com mis-
| sion. An investigation which was begun never
| amounted 10 anything.
| Witness related IN connection with the m an
ner pursued to defrAud claimants that on one
| occasion btilweli went to Que OF tho claim ants
| Mrs. Hammer, whose husband was killed by
| insurrectionists, representing himself as Murray
| and saying that he mad greet Inn uence with the
United states Minister aud the com IN ission, ana
| obtained frem her . power Of attorney. The
| commission awarded TO her S50,OO0, half OF
| whicn went to the Ring
| when the Americans arrived In Caracas prior
to the sitting Of the Com misson, ali claims
were found In the Legation, already IN ads up
| by the claimants themselves. The umpire was
| private oitixsu and the copylst and clerk Of
| SnlwelI, who declared he would have no other
| The Venezuslean Government does not AK the
| abroRation OF the treaty, out revision of tts
| fraudulent nndings. 1t objects TO paying over
t600O00 GO the Commissioners for sitting upon
| raised claims. That Government also claims
that the court SO constituted was not . compe-
tent one, and hence Its findings were void.
briggs asked for the appointment Of a com ala
| sion TO investigate the whole business. Tho
ramincations Of the joo are merely outlined In
DrIggss testimony. 1t is Understood that m uch
Of the correspondence between Morton, Still
wsli and tue other ooDfeaerstes 10 In tho pos
| session of the witness, and that bloody. shirt
L LII. a IL