The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-03-01
LOOK FOR
FIGHT.

Tuesday, Feb. ga correspondent
4 OF the Associated Press has just
returned from a ten days stay in Cara
cas- Venezuela where he went to inves-
t,gate the Venezuelan situation The out
look az one seee Il at the Venezuelan
capital. is not good. There is feeling
of apprehension in the air The Castro
government becomes more unpopular and
hostility to it is talked rather freely and
the substantial and solvent people Of the
community condemn the Governments
attitude toward the New York and Ber-
mudese Asphalt Company. The New
York and Bermudese Company, the cor
respondent is informed Is quietly gath
ering a strong force Of well-armed and
well-drlled men at the asphalt lake.
These men are under the command OF
Major Rafferty,. formerly of the Seven
ty-first New York Regiment, brave and
efficient officer. They will resist all en-
croachment whether made by the Gov
eminent or revolutionary troops. The
United States gunboat Scorpion has been
ordered to the pitch lake, with orders
not to allow the company to be dispos-
sessed prior to the conclusion of the Ju-
dicial investigation of the case now be-
ing made in Washington.
The Venezuelan Government is endeav-
the New York and Bermudese Company
to resort to the tribunals. The refusal
of the company to adopt that course is
based upon the knowledge that in Ven
ezueia the President or dictator changes
the judges in a night and imprisons
them II they do not give the judgments
they are hidden to give.
The correspondent talked with five
diplomats in Caracas They all asserted
that the United States Government act
ed with great prudence and with a de-
gree of forbearance that almost ceased
to be a virtue. They spoke highly of
the skill and tact with which Minister
Loomis had met a delicate and difficult
situation.
The diplomatic side of this business is
most important and difficult. The Unit
ell States after receiving all the official
record and facts in the controversy be-
tween the Venezuelan government, de-
cided to make a thorough investigation.
and sent for a complete set of the laws
of Venezuela, some sixteen volumes.
Pending the outcome of this investiga-
ton, they asked the Venezuelan Govern
ment as a matter of courtesy between
friendly nations to kindly suspend the
operation of the decree dispossessing the
New York and Bermudese Company un-
til AN investigation could be made This
the Venezuelan Government declined to
do. The request was repeated and again
refused. 1t was then made third time
in an emphatic manner by Minister
Loomis in fact ii was put as a sort
of vigorous demand the third time, but
the result was the same. Then a pro-
test was made and that was ignored by
the Castro Government though it had
ample power and authority to meet any
or all Of these demands. If 1t saw fit.
The trouble over the asphalt Is only
one OF large number of incidents in
which the Venezuelan Government has
recently been guilty of grave offense to
the United States. Three months ago
the consular agent of the United States
at Barcelona was thrust into prison
without cause. The United States Gov
eminent demanded an apology, but has
not yet received it. A year earlier the
same consul was arrested and threatened
with torture If he did not pay a large
sum of money to local military officials.
A few months ago German merchant
at Barcelona was tortured by officials
there for the purpose of extorting mon
ey from him. The German Government
sent cruiser there at once and got sat
isfaction and kept the vessel four
months In Venezuelan waters.
The italians have had men-of-war in
Venezuelan waters most of the time for
a year.
Last year the American consul at
Guayara was attacked and his life
threatened. The United States Govern
ment has never received satisfactory
reparatlon for that.
UNJUSTLY IMPRISONED.
II, c. Bulls of Asbury Park, n j.,
after having endured Imprisonment for
more than five months in Maracaibo,
Venezuela, has returned home to press
claim for $4,000 damages through the
United States Government against the
South American republic.
Mr.. Bulls was appointed mechanical
and electrical engineer of the Maracaibo
Electric Light Company two years ago.
In political uprising he was compelled
to climb telegraph pole and seek pro-
lection under an American flag, which
he tied to the pole.
The police last August found a quaint
ty OF ammunition in the electric plant
with which Mr.. Bulls was connected
and he was arrested. charged. as he sup
posed, with being in league with the
revoiutionists. He declared his limo
cence. but repeated appeals to the Amer
lean consul were unanswered. The au-
thorties. thinking he had no friends,
caused his removal to a military prison,
where he was kept FIVE months ncommu-
nioado. Mr.. Bulls struggled letter to
the American Minister in Caracas, and
twenty-four hours afterward the Ven
ezuelan Government compiled with
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