The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-18
AN OLD FRAUD.
Judge HIgginbotham Talks Loud About
Orth and Venezuelan Matters.
Something About the Actors In the Big
swindIe, and How 1t Was Done.
rwashinVton capital.l

| He was large, lull- Douleu man, ana Dy
his side, evidently distressed at his paroxysm
] of wrath. were couple of friends, one OF
whom was furnished with an ear trumpet
appendage. He waved his hands aloft and
said, in an ante-room of one of the smaller
hotels: mo use talking to me about it.
I've stood this hypocrisy long enough, and
now I'm going to get my work in. Here
I've been for years past holding in my safe
at home letters and papers that would blow
this man Orth out of water on those Ven
ezuefan fraudsi"
my God Judge, don't talk so loud"
pleaded the man with the trumpet.
al don't care how loud i talk" persisted
| the Judge They can't use and then abuse
my confidence year in and year out, and
expect me to bear it without a kick. tell
you know the business from cellar to gar
ret, and could give the whole clique away
/ was on the point of doing il five years ago
when the bees were buzzing in Orth's bonnet
and we had 10 haul him of the ticket for
Governor. 1t was party policy that held me
back. tell you he got off too easy then,
my bows, and il ought TO have been lesson
to HIM 70 respect all who held the issues of
life and death against him, as / do. The
last straw has been placed on this camels
back, and If things don't run my way
mighty soon he'll hear something drop"
Impressed with the pungency of the
above remarks. delivered in such spirited
language took the pains to find the name
and whereabouts of the enraged orator, and
soon learned to my surprise that
1T WAS JUDGE HIGGINBoTHAM, OF INDIANA,
who lives in Orth's home at Lafayette, or
did until recently, and has for years been
one of the most prominent and influential
Republican managers in that part ofthe
State. He bears an excellent repu tation,
has never been criticised for any act but
very extreme partisanship, and has been for
a long time the attorney and trusted per-
sonal and political friend of Congressman
Godlove S. Ortiz The intimacy of his rela-
tons is quite enough to give a powerful
flavor of truth to any claim he makes about
being possessed of 0rths secrets, and, hear
ing his threat, it was impossible to throw
over board the hope that our country,
smirched and disgraced by these Venezue-
Ian frauds would before long, be
able TO vindicate her own honor and seek
revenge at the hands OF those who had
stained IT,
AS in every drama of fraud enacted on the
public stage, the spectator who views itfrom
before the footlights will fail to catch the
side remarks made on the wings and in the
green-room by the rogues in secret caucus,
and TO observe the artistic scene-shifters at
their work. What can he know of the del
icately arranged unweaving of the plot COM
pared with those who know the end from
the beginning? Years before any Commit
tee of Congress put its pitchfork into this
Venezuelan fraud the actors in il had ample
time 10 arrange how the drama should be
played-had the influence at court to help
them play it as decided upon; and what is
of more consequence, had mutual interest
in playing parts that would dovetail in the
plot. With all his energy, Mr.. Springer
failed lamentably in bringing this rascality
10 light, for the simple reason that he exam
ined no witnesses but rascals, and they all
had piece of the pork. Without arising to
rchearse all the details of this steal, let me
give some portions OF its unwritten history:
In 1866 a treaty was entered into between
this country and Venezuela to settle GER
tain claims of American citizens against the
latter Government. Andy Johnson, in graft
tude for Tom Stilwells espousal of him and
his cause, opened the way for him to square
accounts by giving him the Venezuela
Mission.
TOM sTILwELL WAS THE NABoB OF AMBER
son, INDIANA,
one of those plausible, imperial creatures
who can use the personal magnetism of
their natures and the assuming patronage Of
all lurking suspicion, and turn all about
them into plant instruments of their will.
| He had glorious, glittering reign, and was
| the very embodiment of American daring
and impudence. His expenditures and sup
posed resources were boundless. He levied
contributions on rich and poor to sustain
his pageants, and then credited his private
account with SO much fame. His end was
sudden and retributive. One morning a
bullet came along, and Toms career was
ended. The man was gone who could lift a
mortgage with an assuring wave of the
hand, and reason away debt with q cock
tail. Behind the death lay the facts.
Grouped together on a background of fraud
were broken banks, broken promises, broken
fortunes, broken friends Like Lorenzo, the
Magnificent, Tom had all this time been
simply gliding his subjects chains.
Previously the commission had been
formed by the appointment of General
David NJ. Talmage, of New York, on the
part of this country, and ]. G. Villafane on
the part of Venzuela. Talmage owned a
family and coal-yard, both large; was a
high liver, had magnificent command of
strong oaths, could drink and recover arms
like a thoroughbred, and was regular
"hurrah sort of fellow" Villafane was a
young, weak, unprincipled cur, who would
sell his native land for q pittance and
throw in himself W. II. Murray, a brother
in-law of Stillwell, whom the minister
chose for his Secretary of Legation, had a
slighter attack of principle than anybody in
the company. Here, then, was a combina-
ton and a crowd, indeed, to give the world
assurance of a job.
1T WAS THIS BROOD OF sHYL0cKs
that went under cover of the American flag
to make terms with weaker sister Repub-
lie spending her very life-blood to keep In
surgents from her throat
Mr.. Murray visited the claimants, and
stipulated that for En -er cent he would en-
gineeer their claims through the commits
sion; and it should now be stated, as it never
before has been, that only such claimants as
consented to Murray's attorney fee" were
recognized. In order to adjust doubtful
claims ali umpire was needed He was OBJ
tanned in the person of Juan Michado, who
had large wealth, plenty of leisure and
rather enjoyed doing a favor for such
"jolly dogs as Stilwell, Talmage and Muir
ray. 1t has been shown that every
lone of these American rascals had
bonds During a law trial in Ander.
son one of the witnesses produced $50, 900 in
these bonds as assets of Tom Sulwelrs per
sonal and defunct bank; Talmage disgorged
SO, 900 of them in the presence of Hon
Austin Blair, of Michigan, when Senator
Sumner, on the basis of letter received
IL -. Il