Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-07
STICKS TO HIS POST.
Castro Declares False Story of His
Abdicati0n.
HAS NO THOUGHT OF RESIGN[NG.
Venezuelan President, However, Be-
+. set with Troubles on All Sides
, Financial Panic at Caracas
His Pos iAiOn Critical.

cate or resign the presidency of Ven
ezuela is untrue. A correspondent
saw the president with regard to this
matter Sunday. The president
laughed when questioned, and then
said, thoughtfully:
"Iou are at liberty to say that I
have fought during two years to re-
tain the supreme power which was
invested in me by the people Of
than l will resign. The Matos revo-
luton, without assistance from for
eign powers, will soon be past
story
Foreigners Astnnished.
The course pursued by the allied
powers in maintaining the blockade
of La Gulara has caused astonish-
ment among the foreign residents of
this city. When the Dutch steamer
Prins William V. arrived off La
Guyara to take on board the Euro
pean mails, the authorities at La
Guyara sent the mail out in small
boat. This boat was stopped by the
British cruiser on blockade and the
mail bags were taken on board the
warship. The postal clerks who were
in the small boat say the mail bags.
Notwithstanding their protests, were
opened on board the cruiser.
Caxtro's Position Critical.
Washington, Jan. 5.-The aggressive
movements of the Venezuelan rev.
olutionists are being watched closely
here. Late unofficial advices indicat.
ing great activity on the part of the
rebels and reporting menacing
movement toward Caracas, give the
impression that President Castro's
position is critical. 1t has been con.
fidently hoped there would be a ces.
sation of the hostilities against the
government so that there might be
prompt action with respect to arbi.
tration of the claims against Vene.
zuela by the European allies.
Financial Panic.
Willemstad, Island of Curacao. Jan.
b.-There was a financial panic at
Caracas Saturday afternoon. A large
number of small traders and private
depositors went together to the
office of the Bank of Venezuela for
the purpose of exchanging the bank
notes for silver. The bank refused
to exchange more than $40
worth of notes for any one person.
and at four o'clock in the afternoon
closed it's doors. The panic contin.
ued. Bills issued by the bank are
now selling for so per cent. of their
face value. The leading firms at
Caracas, Notwithstanding the present
situation, have presented no notes fo1
redemption, as they are all interested
in supporting the bank.
Castros Troubles.
Willemstad, Curacao, Jan. 5.-Presi-
dent Castro's position is daily becom-
ing more critical. Beset by foreign
enemies at1oat and by domestic foes
ashore, the Gordon is rapidly tighten
ing around him. Its treasury bank
rupt, the Venezuelan government is
now without money, and the outlook
in Caracas is ominous. When the end
comes, which now appears inevita BILE,
Gen. Castro must probably yield to
his enemies. The National bank OF
Venezuela now has in it's Golfers only
So, 400 in cash, and the other govern
ment resources are about exhausted.
1t has become impossible to serve
adequate rations to the troops under
arms, and for the first time since
1892 the soldiers in the field can
neither be paid for their services nor
properly fed. 1t is clear to those who
understand the situation that a most
serious financial crisis is impending.
When the facts become generally
known nothing can prevent panic
The government in this imminent
crisis is short of ammunition, the
blockade having cut off all POSSIBLE
ity of restocking it's arsenals. The
revolutionists are very active, and
Castro's fall from power either by
abdication or enforced deposition
seems inevitable. The revolutionists
have thrived through the collision of
Germany and Great Britain.
Gust ON House Seized.
La Guayra, Jan. 5.-One hundred
and fifty German marines were land
ed at Puerto Cabello at daybreak
Saturday morning. They took pos
session of the custom house and the
wharves. The landing took the
people by surprise, but the alarm
was spread, and intense excitement
took posse of all the inhabitants.
Barbados were thrown up in the
streets and the people assembled
under arms, prepared to offer re-
sistance. Commodore Scheder, the
commander of the German fleet, sent
q note to the American consul inform
ing him that the occupation of the
wharves by the Germans was only
for the purpose of protecting Ger
mans who were to take Venezuelan
ships, which had taken refuge inside
the harbqr, to the open sea, and to
make the blockade effective. This
had calming effect on the people,
who at first believed that the allies