The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-02-03
TWO Big STEALS.
History Of the Famous La Abra
and We'll Claims,
1T READS LIKE A NOVEL
And Shows Network Of Fraud, Perjury
and General Rascality.
FOR TWENTY YEARS

FOR TWENTY YEARS
The Cases Have Been Pending In Con-
Cress and settlement Now Seems
Probable,
WAsHINoToN, Feb. IA very inter-
esting week is promised in the proceed,
ings Of the senate. To-day a vote Will
be taken on the We'll and La Aora
claims bill, and that much discussed
measure, which has been the unfinished
business for two weeks, will be dis
posed Of The names of these cases are
probably more familiar than the facts.
Circumstances were disclosed in the
discussion, which, II woven into a work
Of fiction, would be deemed almost too
extravagant for belief The La Abra
case had. for its basis silver mine in
Mexico, owned and worked by COM
pany with headquarters in New York.
1t was charged and proved before the
Mexican commission by a chain of af-
fidavits that during the troubles which
attended the overthrow of the Max
imilian government the Mexican au-
thorities arrested the superintendent Of
the mine, drove out his American as
sistants, and took forcible possession Of
the property.
1t was shown that the profits Of the
mine were about 81, 900, 900 a year and
that at least 81, 900, 900 in pay ore was
lying on the dump when the Mexicans
took possession. On this evidence,
which was then unrefuted, Sir Edward
Thornton, the British ambassador TO
the United States, who acted as UNI
pire, gave n judgment against Mexico
for S75O,OO and Mexico paid the money
to our state department When about
a quarter Of this money had been dis.
tributed, somebody who did not think
he was getting his full share obtained
possession OF the letter press copy
books of the company kept at the mine,
and sold them TO the Mexican govern
ment These conclusively showed that
the mine had never been seized al
all, but that II had been voluntarily
abandoned because the ore was found
to be so valueless that 1t did not pay
the cost Of smelling. The whole claim
was shown TO be a fabrication Of the
ex-superintendent, who is now dead,
inspired by the establishment OF the
mixed commission to consider claims OF
American and Mexican citizens against
the governments Of the two countries
arising out OF the war.
The We'll claim had not even as much
foundation as this 1t was based on
the allegation that man named Benja-
min We'll, who lived In New Orleans
and was engaged in running cotton
through Mexico during the war, had
lost heavy mulo train and 700 bales OF
cotton at the time when cotton was
worth nearly forty cents a pound, by
their being captured and taken posses
sion Of by the Mexican Liberal forces
The proofs were complete. Sir Edward
Thornton awarded him $3.50, 900 in com.
pensation for his loss. We'll was mixed
up in business with a number of other
firms scattered over the south, who had
agreed to pool their issues. Here again
quarrel over the disposition of the
proceeds caused an examination TO be
made OF the books and letters OF these
firms and the fact was established that
neither mules, wagons nor cotton had
ever had any existence except in the
minds OF the men who supplied the
testimony on which the award was
made.
Seven hundred thousand dollars OF
the amount thus obtained in these two
cases remains undisturbed, a special de,
posit in gold in the sub-treasury in New
York Four successive presidents have
told congress that the national honor
demands that this money should be re.
funded TO Mexico, but no action has
yet been had. The bill before the sen.
ate provides for suit TO be brought be
fore the court OF claims to declare the
fraudulent character of the claims, so
that unexpended money can be paid
back 10 Mexico The indications are
that II will pass the senate by a nearly
unanimous vote. Its progress In the
house will be watched with interest
A curious fact was stated by Senator
Morgan in the debate that only very
few hundred dollars of the quarter OF q
million distributed under the awards
has reached the widow of We'll or the
stockholders in the La Abra Mining
Company. The rest has been absorbed
by claim agents and attorneys