Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-18
VENEZUELA CLAIMS.

Intermediates
Reen Wriften by W. r. Murray OF 1Hts
city. ~ NJ
York Sun.
The de facto President, IN accordance Win
the request of the House OF Representatives.,
transmitted to-day to that body large mass OF
nancrs on the subject of the Venezuela awards.
Among them is a letter from Minister RUSSELL
dated March 9TH, last, in which he says that
Venezuela had refused to make payment ex-
cent on condition that the United States would
promise not to divide the money among claim
ants until final settlement of the question as
tn the allegation of fraud in procuring the
awards should be made. The United States re-
fusing to make any such promise, payments
were made on account OF the company OF
credit. Then the United States made peremP-
tory demand for unconditional payment. Ven
czuela at first refused, but then consented. 1t
is true that the note promising payment con-
tanned protest against division by the
United States among the claimants, but to this
Minister Russell replied that he should receive
the payment as the unconditional payment
which he had been instructed to demand, and
that the United States would be free to do as
seemed fit with the money received. :.
After this note the money was paid. Mr.
Della Costa, the Venezuelan Minister, IN let
ter to Secretary Evarts, dated Washington,
Nov. 8, 1877, says that his government had pro-
tested against the payment OF these awards,
and appealed to the justice and magnan1mlty
of the United States Government to grant
re-hearng as many of the claims were wholly
fictitious, and others greatly exaggerated, while
ten commissioners and the umpire acted from
fraudulent motives
To this the United States Government an
swered that the finding of such tribunal
could not be set aside except by the clearest
and most positive evidence of fraud on the
mart IF the commissioners or OF the umpire
The Minister says, in reply to this, that posi-
tive proofs have recently come into his posses
SION The Secretary would, he says perceive
by the correspondence on file in the State De-
on Foreign Affairs of the
previous Congress, that one William P. Murray
was the ostensible attorney before the Mixed
Commission and that among the claimants, on
account of whom awards were made, were
Beale, Mobiles and Garrison, the awards amount
ing to 1921, 900. Murray received one-haf OF
the proceeds for his fees, and secured the man
agement of the other claims through his IN
huence and relations with the commission, and
received about the same proportion of the pro-
ceeds. The Minister then proceeds to show
that briggs entered into contract with Muir
ray to act his agent, and also alludes to the
part taken by David Nj. Tamadge of the COM
mission, Representative 'orth and Minister
Stilwell in connection with the awards
Appended to the Minister'S communication
is the following letter as {. part of the proof
which he adduces to sustain his charges:
Err. MURRAY COL MOBILES.
ST. PAUL, Mimi. Sept 3, 1868.
DEAR COLONEL On the goth ut. / reached
Washington and on the 26th New York, where
| went for the purpose of closing up our Vene-
zuela matter with DR.. Beales. l had hardly
reached New York before received telegram
from Stillwell, which requesting my Immediate
presence at once left New York at moment S
notice for Anderson, intending to return to
New York. At Anderson l found my family,
and then, learning you were at st. Paul, came
to the conclusion it was just as well to report
to you, which would obviate the expense Of my
return to New York.
On my reaching Caracas two months elapsed
before Gen. Talmadge arrived, and two months
more before the umpire was appointed Dur
ing this time [ examined all the papers and cor
respondence on file at the United States legation
at Caracas and with the government of Vene-
zuela in regard to the contracts upon which the
claim was based. I found two mistakes had
been made in the management and prosecution
of the claims. The first was the filing of
claim by DR.. Beales for 5000, 900, and his
rcspondence with Culver, which Culver gave to
the government as soon as received.
The next mistake in drafting our petit
ton, relying almost wholly on the ocean
steamers contract for damages, whereas we
contract.
at once went to work to manufacture pub
lie opinion SO as to secure an award. Condo
was then the Venezuelan Commissioner. I
tried the usual appliances of talking up the
merits Of the claim to him. but it was mo 60"
1 then offered him, first $25,000, then $4,000,
for 5000, 900 award, but failed. l then felt
satisfied that unless Condo could be got rid of
I might as well return home Stillwell and
myself at once went to work at Falcon to Sc
cure Condos removal but Falcon had abro-
gated the contracts, and the filing of the claim
had become notorious in Caracas, Falcon not
only refused to remove him, but, as a matter
of fact, approved Of his course.
The flight of Falcon few weeks after, and
the assumption by Bruzual of the Presidential
chair, led to another offer on our part to secure
the removal of Condo. After several inter
views, it was agreed that Condo should be re-
moved provided Bruzual was recognized as
President, and the influence of the Legation
should be used to secure a 1,000-stand of rifles
and four pieces of artillery, which contract was
carried out by all parties.
The appointment of Mr.. Villafranc as COM
missioner led us to hope our trouble was at an
end, as had made him proposition before
his appointment, but I was disappointed, as
the success of the revolution suspended every
thing, and Villafranc refused to act any longer
as commissioner unless reappointed by Mona
gas. Monagas, on the other hand, would do
nothing unless the Legation would recognize
the government, which they were compelled to
do or let the commission go up.
The appointment of Villafranc closed the ne
gotiations with our Government My labor
was then with the Commissioners. Upon the
arrival of Talmadge at Caracas, to get him en-
listed agreed to give him one-eighth to secure
the removal Of Bruzual upon the appointment
of Villafranc. I promised him $25, 900 if he
would give us an award of 5000, 900, and finally
agreed to give the umpire $25000 for a $3.50,
600. These sums, amounting to $ll2, OOO paid
the several parties as I agreed before left Car
acas, leaving $137, 900. The original contract,
as you will remember, was one-eighth, and one
eighth of this was afterwards increased to one
half in the event of 5000, 900 award. here
with pay over 300, 900, which you can distri-
500 I retain as my fee. Yours.
W. P. MURRAY.
hereby certify that the foregoing is a true
copy of the original in my possession.
Signed] VIM. A. Pile.
The documents were ordered to be printed
and referred to the committee on foreign af-
fairs.
Mr.. Murray's Version of the Natter
Upon receiving the above in the N. Y. SIN a
GLOBE reporter was detailed to wait upon Mr..
Murray and ask him for his version of the af-
fair. Mr.. Murray read the article in question,
and when he had concluded, the reporter asked
What was the basis for the claim which YOU
represented?
Mr.. Murray.-It was a claim of Col. Mobiles, OF
this city, against the Venezuelan government fol
violation of contract made with Mobiles
Beals and Garrison, for the running of line OF
ocean steamers from New York to Laguira.
Rep.-Was the claim ever paid?
Mr.. M.-The Venezuelan government has
paid about 100000 into the Treasury Of the
United States: but it has not been divided