The New York herald., 1878-03-03
A NATIONAL DISGRACE.


THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE FRAUDULENT
VENEZUELAN AWARDS or TALLMAGE, STILL
WELL, MURRAY A co HOW COAL AND HAY
DEALERS BECAME DIPLoMATIsTs -pLAcKMAIL
LEVIED UPox THE CLAIMANTS.
To the EDITOR OF HgRALB:-
Ever since April. ls6s when the United States and
venezuslan Join. Commission abruptly broke on its
unfinished work at Caracas, and D. NJ. 1amage, the
United States Commissioner, suddenly cft few days
aiterward on learning the commoou and feeling cx-
cited la that city when what had been done became
known--evcr since then and from the ,ims when. two
weeks aiterward stiwcl the United States Minister
taere, and ". p. Murray twho had passed himself OF
Secretary Of Lcgat,op likewise suddenly departed
for the United May 1861 tho government OF
Venezuela ceased protest against the iraudu
lieut. character OF many OF the claims allowed, against
the enormity OF the amounts awarded-in almost
evcry exaggerated Tor the purpose Of giving the
Commissioner, Minister and Murray larger amounts
and against the enforcement OF these awards
When Partridge succeeding Stilwell as Minister, ar
rived Ia Ca, acas 1862 these protests wore renewed
while na4n; first pay yment account, and request
ing that the amount might not bo distributed among
those persons who had no right 10 share them (ra.
mage Co.., because. that government alleged, they
payable to bearer issued by them, and representing
together the whole amount awarded IN cacn case
NO CHANGE POSSIBLE.
Mr. Fsi,, then secretary of State, replied that tho
liability oil Venezuela liked beyond appeal by tho
Judgments OF tho commission and uinpre, taat they
coaId not DC rcoponcd Tor any reason gwen nor any
tact hitherto alleged but not proveu that tme had
been gwen 10 Venezuela Ior the eshibIuon oil the
proofs Of the frauds by her alleged that sufficient
proof had not bcen forthcoming. and that IN such
Vonezuela must continue 10 pay tho instruments
when due Mr. Partridge lett Venezuela on being ap-
ponica 10 Brazil, anu Mr.. Pe. OF Missouri, VINO
cecded him al Caracas, went out IN 1871. Ho again
brought tue knowledge OF our government In WASH
inglou from lime TO time the new aud overw heming
proofs they were discovered OF the completely Of
TAimage stlwel and Murray, and which showed
tho whole history OF the proceedings oil that commis
sion Vcaezuln, on each new communication made
by her. renewed her protest. Yet, notwithstanding
these, Mr.. Godove :. orlh, oi indiana thea Of the
Foreign Affairs Com mntlee ia tho House, brought In
Joint resolution, which passed Congress In ls72. de-
caring Tho awards against Venezuela valid and to be
sustained Upon this there was q division OF tho
sums then in The Stale Department. paid by yenezucia
aud OF which Tallmagc stilwoll aud urray received
their pro rata shares the certificates respectively
hold by On death OF sslwell (who died lnso
vent) mis- administrators found among his papers
tihcates of Tor $50 900, which had been
pledged to the Bank oil Andersonve as security for
loan advanced TO Stwel, and y number OF cttcvs ad
dressed BY Murray 10 s.llwe, givipg iuIi account
OF Too mode In which the spois wurc arranged. These
papers proofs, with others exhibited by the vcn-
ezuelan Minister, induced q now inquiry, started
chiefly the petition OF Seth briggs and Others to
whom had been awarded large amounts, and who de-
oared that OF their cor,hcatcs onchalf mad becn
tanned by Tamage and Murray who had received their
lDriggs Company'sI money upon them. Amonx other
new proofs It was shown that Could've s. Orth, who
had been out as Minister yionna aud ihefo 70.
signed 10 become the candidate Of The republican
party for the Goyernorship OF Indiana mad been 70.
tanned by Talimage ~ his counsel 70 have those
awards sustained, had made application to Tho State
Department Tor Information the interest ol Tall
mage, who had paid him largo lee therefor In these
saino ccriincA,es tue vniidisy OF which had been
by Congress IN 1874 These and other proofs were
all exhibited before the House sub-comniiItos (Ar.
Springer, 0i Illinois, chairman) in 1904
Mr.. ORrH's REriRxMEsT.
Those things becoming known TO The public, Mr..
Orth vas compeheq 10 Withdraw from the canvass IN
lndiaaa ana the printing oi mat HOUSE report, IN
Aug0sA 1916. just beioro the rising o Congress, ex-
htLils< tne remarkable aauiss'ons Of TAiilaags on
EXAMINATION betore the subcommittee, In answer to
The questions OF Hon. Mr springer, chairman, anu the
letters oil Murray TO Stlwcil ana Others which had
whole plot The part of Iailinags ard Machadv their
participation In the proceeds with Stiiwcll and nun SELF
IN iine the whole scheme ut different stages irom
the time when Murray thought II would bo botter
perhsps 40 prevent the confirmation o rAllnage by
the senate, and ior you (snlwciD TO have the oom-
viii make all mo money!" down " the different
opinions expressed OF eacn 0thcr by these virtuous
persons whom they camo to ''dvvy"-ali these re-
markxuie Things were no brought ~ Iignt As Con-
grcss then adjourned there was not time Inc
Dl recomriended by tho committee for tho annulling
Of those awards And tho excitement Of tho ensuing
elccIi0n-November, lSI6-and The great contest
during the whole o the nna session Vi that Congress-
Deccm ber March, lS1T-whch excluded from consider
alton all the question OF the trcsidenLial returns
caused the matter 10 be temporarily lad aside Since
then, however, new proofs nave come TO light CON-
hrming all the f0regoing, and now Mr. Dala
Costa has brought forward a letter from W.
7. Murray 10 Noble, one OF tho c,Alm-
The government OF Venczucis now ielt great conh-
dence that ~ lust on sucn proofs as these, justice
would be donc ana since tner publ cat0n Judge Rua
sell, the United States hiaister succeeding Piie has
returned to VcneZ ieia with the ASSURANCE we hope
from our government that right Will now be done.
The long array OF iacts SHOW IN Inc various reports
from the committees IA Congress IN relation To those
awards since ls7lindeed since ls89-is TOO extended
ivr repetition here. But they are ihere SOL form win
overw neming proof, and ior present purposes tnay
may shortly be sta,ea as iolIows;-
AN AsrUrE COAL DEALER
In 1866 DAVID u. IaiuAaso, coal dealer In New
York PIne slrect), residing at Flushing, l., who
had been in the Quartcrmascr's Department during
civil war, went Out 10 Venezuela lv put up gas
works IN Caracas Being entirely ignorant oil the Ian
guage he there mpoyou ono Juan y. Macuado (who
WAS u manufacturer ol hmpWICh ana Cotou yhtusJ
his interpreter, agent and business manager Az that
H. ID. Culver was untcu states mister hbre, and
having Just negotiated Convention for JOINT conins-
scttio the claims IN dispute, nc lCuIycrj was
anxious 10 resign ms place Minister 50 rs TO be ap
pointed the commissioner under tnat convention.
Fo. good REASONS, however, winch became kuown 10
The then Secretary oi State (Mr. Scward Mr.. Culver
was informed that his resignation Was acsircd, AM
he was-and Tor equally good rcasons--not appo 10 tod
UDltc States Com IL 5sioacr
nE BLOOMS our As A DirLoMArisr.
Tho JOINT Commission BUSINESS Ia Caracas, under
similar conventions. ad Uecn Ia several INSTANCES
very prontabc business " various persons who were
fortunate enough to be engaged In H. ana In then
late case there large sum OF money was stated TO
have been made by each Ut the csnimissioncra THIS
success was much talked OF IN Caracas at The time
Ihoso and many other things were interpreted ny
Mr. Macnado TO SIR Ixliniggs. AZ any rate as soon
the TACT o the United States Convention for a new
CON mission wus known there Mr Taiimaec immcdi.
lef All nis A Inn @ IA