The sun., 1878-02-16
C0yTESSED ON A DEATHBED.
non THE BRIBERY or THE TENEzUE-
Ian COMBUSTION VAS DOSE.
what was Disclosed Ivy Dying Mas who
mad been Forced into the Fraud-lnfcrma-
.lnn for The Com nmittee on ForeiEn KeIntions.

The Venezuela swindle II again before the
,,lie with now and interesting developments.
H. 1866. under II convention between the Gov
,runcnts of Venezuela and the United states. a
omission was organized TO hear and deter
mine claims presented 10y citizens of the United
s.ios against the Venezuelan Government
Gins were presented 10 the amount OF s3,OOO.-
a1nnd upward. and awards were made to the
AMOUNT Of 81 2533i03O. Strong circumstantial
evidence Of fraud on the part of the commission
vl, discovered shortly after lis dissolution. and
mc Venezuelan Government protested against
m, payment Of the awards. After n deal OF
diplomatic correspondence our Government re-
fused To reopen the case. and Congress in 1873
passed an act declaring the awards " final and
,uhsisting as against the Venezuelan Govern
rcnt."
One William ?. Murray. the attorney for GER
tain claimants made report TO his clients de-
failing the manner in which the fraud was per-
rotratcd. This report was addressed to Col.
Vim. H. Mobiles. one OF the persons interested
in the claims OF Bealcs. Mobiles and Garrison.
Col. Mobiles Is dead. Just prior to his decense
he called his brother. the Rev. J. c. Mobiles Of
Newark. n j.. to his bedside. and handing him
the report said Brother. want you to obtain
justice for the Government Of Venezuela from
tho Government of the United States. The
NfUtHu'idn 0ONffHHltHl hitS bccu Wf'uEchs
This report explains II all. was forced to as
sent to the wrong. and want to do all can to
make reparation. Take this and do with 1t as
you see ft. But promise me that you will use
it for the purpose indicated. win you pledge
me your word as brother TO fulfil my dying
rcqucst?" His brother promised him that he
would. Now" he continued: can die
happier. This matter has worried me so that
lavo had no peace of mind
The dying man further said that he at first
refused to be aparty to tho fraud; but that on
being threatened with the defeat of his claim
he reluctantly assentcd, This was after a
stormy conversation with other claimants in
turtlandt street in this city. shortly inter this
Interview with his brother. Col Mobiles died,
Secretary of state, Hamilton Fish. who warned
him against showing the letter 70 any one. say;
p.naltics " il he did SO. az Congress had passed.
llnnliiy act " forever disposing Of the matter.
Mr. Mobiles says that this threat on the part OF
stlled II Unknown lawyer Of this city who
tod him that Secretary Fish Ind misiniormed
him lis to the Inv and his liability.
Tho letter was then shown TO cx-Gov Joel
pirkcr of New Jersey. who pronounced II OF
great mportance II genuine.
LAWYER OF this city having recently received
l,tter from Mr. Murray with reference to the
griiilcntcs OF award issued by the Venezuelan
shown To rx-Gov Parker. who said that the
handwriting was identical. He added that our
hiNffnneHt fouln not Hl1Oru, after tnut letter
and report were shown TO them. TO refuse any
longer To set aside the awards.
The report and letter Were next presented to
the state Department, and Assistant Secretary
OF State Seward said that the newly discovered
evidence came within the rule laid down by his
father. the Hon. William II. Seward namely.
that positive evidence Of fraud would entitle
the Government of Venezuela to "a reopening Of
the case" He presented the matter to Congress
and bill was introduced by Senator Eaton to
set aside the awards and repeal the so-called
iinali,y act The biIl was referred TO the
have II under consideration.
Ths Murray repor, Is conclusive proof Of one
OF the most bareiac"d frauds ever perpetrated
upon a weak government. When confronted
Win dn me letter. bn h hMurTay aeSordng to The testi-
did write Il. wrote it for Il, purpose"
After Gen; Pile. the agent Of yenezuela. who
has labored hard TO unearth this fraud had
M Minishcd bot his garsument before the committee on
iorncy for the claimants said 10 the commttee
n substance that as Gen; Pile had not shown
that ne amounts ni awaTded were unjust the
theory and fact. II the Commissioners and
umpire were bribed their acts were invalid. no
matter whether the proper sums were awarded
or not. But there is evidence positive and con-
elusive that the awards were grossly. unjust.
WIS originally claimed. The claim OF Beales
Mobiles. and Garrison was originally filed for
s2900OO. and me commission awarded them
filing Of this claim for 900 was "A mistake Of
management. II was recalled after the COM
The claim of w. f. Miller is OF interest as
showing the char ter 2f the awards made by
citizen and Snowman living in Caracns. yene-
zuela One Malansena. Venetian by birth, but
DOWN in the streets "c Of Caracas for eniicins f his
son away from his home. Malansena was
arrested and fined a nominal sum by the Jefe
ttrd. orr police mags Miller was incensed
because Malansena was not punished more Sc.
y,r9ly Under tie plea OF q denial Of justice. '
Miller through Murrny hi"d n claim against
the Venezuelan Governlnent and obtained an
award of 81 500. Aud yet the attorney for
tie claimants wants 10 know Of an instance
wncrc the commission awarded to anybody a
dDllnr thut they were not honestly entitled to.
Another instance may serve to give point 10
tins inquiry. The claim Of Clemcntia Ramirez
a. Nict was settled uInicahly for 81 sos 96
81 23l was paid to the claimant. and treasury
warrant was issued for the balance, s., 467. .96.
Ihc warrant remaining unpaid at the time OF
q organization of the mixed commission Mr..
Murray agreed to undertake its collection for
tWo-nrhs OF the amount obtained. Under his
sA.linl manipulation. the claim sweled TO ti5O.-
iNlNt. ana the comm isslOn awarded the claim
W. aiter the claim had been iiauidaiei and set.
It'd 10y mutual agreement for less than $1,000.
nnd after portion OF this amount had been ac-
one other set Of claims deserves attention.
Is Tat Of Mrs. Hammer, Mrs. D. Brlssot. and
Mer" Killed, how or by whom docs not appear.
II" widows claimed damages from the Govern
n"nt # Venezuela. Mr.. Paenzueia was the at
made rul" that attorneys should not appear
ir claimants. Mr.. Murray represented
tlms"li as H." Secretary of the
hit"d States Legation. and in order
L. secure Ills Influence he was offered fifty per
cont. OF the claims II Ire would represent and
collect them. Something like sl50.O00 was
awarded on the three claims. The conn iss ion
adlnurned Aug. T. 1868. That night Murray
LEFT Caracas under cover Of darkness, taking
wiih him these entire awards He anerward
returned 10 Mrs. Hammer one-half is25 900 Of
h'r riaim, but kept the oiu re amount awarded
10 the two other women. These two widows are
now supporting their orphan children by wash
ihg clothes at Cuidad Bolivar Venezuela. They
Appealed 10 our Government tor redress, and
lhe American Consul told them that they must
into our courts, 2 500 miles away 10 obtain
relief After the certificates OF award were
Issued. Murray. Tamadge and StiiWel tried 10
PERSUADE the United States Government to take
u" certificates and give them United States
Government bonds in their stead. The manner
~ which the umpire WAS selected is interesting.
The Rus sian Minister in Washington was 10
hlpoMt linn under the treaty the Comm ission-
,i7 not lelng able to agree upon a selection
Juan v MafhndO. Jr., a worthless fellow. was
APPOINTED by the Russian Munster. under the
linprcssiOn that he WIS the same person as
Juan MachadO very worthy resident Of Nene-
zlrh. This deception was "A part of the plan OF
IL" ,consplrators. Murray originally tried u
got his brother in law. Stlwell. appointed COM
missioner instead Of Tamadgc, but failed.