Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-07

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., October 3-The cable an
nounces that Gen. Alexander Ybarra has been
nominated as the peoples candidate for presi-
dent OF venezuela, and thereby hangs q roman
tic tale. When Judge Thomas Russell. of Bos.
ton, was United States minister to Venezuela,
Mr.. Evarts, then Secretary Of State, sent him a
sharp dispatch directing the immediate collec
ton Of claim against that government, which
had been allowed by arbitration Mr. Russell
replied that there were only two ways by which
the cleim could be collected; one was to send
an army and fleet down to enforce its payment,
and another to give half to Guzman Bianco. the
president of the republic, as q bribe
Through the carelessness of a clerk in the De.
partment Of state Judge Rnsseii's dispatch got
into print, and o copy was forwarded to Guz-
man Blanco by the Venezuelan minister here.
AS consequence OF his candor, the judge re-
cefved his passport and an intimation that it
would be well for him to leave Venezuela by the
next steamer.
Judge Russell had daughter of remarkable
beauty and social attractions. with whom
Ybarra was in love. Ybarra was the nephew
and pet of Guzman Blanco. and the latter. who
rules Venezuela with n hand of iron and blood,
was educating him to become his successor at
| the head ofthe government.
At the age OF twenty-four Ybarra was COM
mander-in-chief OF the army with the rank OF
general, a member of the cabinet, and a
sort Of deputy dictator. with authority second
for the girl caused him to resent the Insult to
her father, and he strobe into the presence OF
Guzman Blanco to angrily protest against the
to demonstrate with him, but the uncle soon
became as angry as the nephew aud told the
young man that he must choose between the
girl and his present position and political pros.
pects Ybarra Instantly replied that If he must
make such a choice he would take the girl and
breaking his sword over his knee threw the
fragments at the head OF his uncle.
That afternoon a decree was published an
| nouncing the dishonorable dismissal of Ybarra
from the army and his removal from the cabi-
net for insulting "that illustriOus American
GuZman BlancO, the pacificator and regenera-
tor of Venezuela, and there was a sensation in
the city OF Caracas more profound than had
been known for many day. The steamer for
New York was to sail the following morning
from Laguayra, seaport twenty miles away
and Judge Russell, with his family, was already
When morning came the four statues which
Guzman BlancO had erected in his own honor
were found removed from their pedestals and
half buried in the earth, heads downward, and
Ybarra was missing. With some OF his friends
he had worked all night in rainstorm to in
hict this humiliation upon his uncle, and when
the vengeance was complete had mounted his
horse and ridden To Laguayra, where he board
ed the steamer and sailed for New York before
the act was discovered.
No Boston girl could resist this sort of devo-
ton. and upon the arrival of the party at her
home Miss Russell became Mrs. Ybarra. For
five years the general remained in the United
states, teaching Spanish in Harvard at first,
and then engaging In business with q chocolate
establishment. for which he returned to Vene-
zueia two years ago to look after the purchase
OF cocoa AS long as he remained quiet and let
politics alone his uncle tolerated his presence at
Caracas, but has never forgiven him. Now
that he has become a candidate for the presi-
dency against Guzman there can be no doubt
that the old feud will be revived for Venezue-
Ian politics are of the most hysterical order
The next news will probably be that Ybarra
mas oeen killed, imprisoned or banished.