New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-08
A SCANDAL IN MADRID.
THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN ACCUSED OF
RoBBNG THE CITY.

ciors of Madrid Will result in the DEFINITE over
throw Of the Cabinet. None OF the storms which
the Ministry have been called upon to weather
has been of so serious a nature as the present:
for it is not only the policy, but also the personal
integrity and honor OF certain members of the
Cabinet which are at stake. Both Senior Segasta.
the Premier. and Senior Capdepon, the Minister
If the Interior, are intimate friends Of ex-Mayor
Abascal the principal culprt, who was rela-
lively moor man when he became Chief Magistrate
Of the CITY few years ago, but who now is known
70 possess one Of the most enormous fortunes IN
Spain. Neither Segasta nor Capdepon can have
been ignorant Of the sources OF the wealth. WHICH
enabled Senior Abascal TO entertain them with such
magnificent hospitality at his splendid country
scat. and Notwithstanding the fact that the Mayors
conduct was the subject of some exceedingly
violent debates in the Cortes last spring, which re-
srTtod in the appointment of a Royal Commissioner
70 investigate the charges against him and ms
Aldermen the Minister of the Interior has been
indiscreet enough to spend considerable part OF
rho summer on the estates of his friend Abascal
Indeed, so warmly has the cause Of the latter
heen espoused by Capdepon, Segasta and couple
Of other Minister'S that it is difficult to understand
how the Cabinet can remain in office under the
circumstances.
estv Of the municipality had long been matter
If general notoriety, vet il was only in March last
that public attention was attracted thereto by
the efforts of Mayor AbascaI TO negotiate munich
nal loan of $4,000, 900 in London and Paris, 1t
is possible that if he had attempted to raise the
money in Spain the affair would have escaped
discussion: but the fact that he had sought 10
obtain the money abroad caused the question to
and
nress as TO whether the municipality of Madrid
was vested with sufficient powers 10 hegotla'e
loans in foreign countries and thereby to AFFECT
eitLcr favorablv or unfavorably Spanish credit
beyond the frontiers. The matter was put to the
vote in the Cortes and by large majority IL was
decided that the Ayuntamento, as the munich
palty is called, had no authority 10 mortgage the
citv revenues TO foreign bondholders. At the same
time il was asked in Parliament how the necessity
could have arisen for the negotiation of such a
large loan, the city taxes and imposts being eN-
ceedingly heavy and productive of a revenue more
than adequate for the lawful needs OF the muhicl-
pality
Charges were made both in the Chamber anG
in the newspapers to the effect that the emptiness
of the municipal treasury was due to gigantic
frauds and shameless robberies of the city funds
which had been perpetrated by Mayor Aoascal
and his brother Aldermen Abascal Immediately
offered his resignation, but was persuaded by Pre-
mier Sagasta and Senior Capdepon to remain in
office With the object, however, Of quoting
nopulor clamor. Senior Aguilera. the Civil Gov
ernor of Madrid, was invested with the powers OF
q ROYAL Commissioner for the purpose of investi-
eating the charges against the municipality vi
course in appointing Senior Aguilera. who, as Gov
In Minict NJ
the Interior. Senior CapdepOn believed that he had
effected a masterstrohe, and that the Royal Com
missioner. being aware of his chiefs intimacy with
Mayor Abascal, would indefinitely prolong the
inouirv and in every way seek to conceal the
shortcomings of the Ayuntamento. In this, how
ever, the Minister reckoned without the influence
now exercised by the press in Spain. Not day
passed without the newspapers reminding the COM
missioner that the eyes of the nation were upon
him. and that he was expected to perform his
drtv in n conscientious and thorough manner
The editors of the various journals, following the
oxonnle of America set their reporters to work
n buut rp instances of malfeasance and dlShon-
estv on the part of the city administration. and
daily informed the public in print of the result
Of their search.
Being shrewd enough to realize that it would De
most advantageous in the long run to perform his
duty without reticence or conjunction. Governor
Aguilera set at work, and by July % had COM
pleted not only his investigation, but also his
renort of which he was careful enough to make
several COPIES One of these found its way into
the columns Of the Imparcial,' the leading news
paper of the capital and the journal which had
taken the most prominent part in the campaign
| aqainst the Ayuntamento. The contents OF the
| report are simply astounding, and suinclehb u
send tn, members of the municipality to the pen
! tentiary for the remainder of their days. large
part of the city revenues is derived from the ocTo
| ducS imposed on produce and in fact on all xmas
| of goods entering the precincts of the metropolis
| The report however, shows that immense guam
| titles of goods have been smugged IN Dy the
| municipality without any payment. In the month
of June alone 900, 900 kilOs of petroleum were
| brought into Madrid duty free, the loss 10 th'
city treasury representing sum OF ABOUT |oo,VV'
pesetas To such extent was the smugghhs
carried on that the returns OF the rallrOaus u
dutiable goods brought into Madrid Dy then
| during the last year are more than four tmeS "a
great as the quantities on which oc'rol dues nave
been paid Vast sums of municipal moneys nave
been wasted under the head of indemnities in case
Of unnecessary appropriations, and real estate III"
hcen acquired in the most Instantaneous quarter
| of the city and at most exaggerated prices
Moreover. only the friends of the Ayuntameht
were successful in obtaining the payment OF I'M
interest due on their city bonds; the others wer
informed on presenting their coupons that Tn
treasury was empty and that no money renlain''
for the purpose. Hence, it comes that an enormou
number of coupons remained unpaid, ana Una
the Spanish capital, like that of Italy, Is on tn
| verge Of bankruptcy. Immediately on the puon
cation of Governor Aguileras report, the Govern
ment. thoroughly alarmed by the storm OF popuh
indignation which its appearance aroused removed
from their Offices Mayor Aboscal and t"ehty-elgn
Of the Aldermen, who have since been crllhlhai' i.
rahohIv with The object of silencing the attack
of the Imparcal' on the Cabinet for its f9rme
altitude toward the accused Ayuntamento, oeno
Mellado, the Editor of that paper, mas pJS ,a al
nointpd bv ROYAL decree to the vacant once .