New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-18
ADMITS AID TO MAT0S
GREENE BLAMES TRUST.
Important Euidence for VenesueId
at ASPHALT Hearing.

General Francis vfnton Greene. ex-president
| OF the Asphalt Trust and ex-Police Comnlis-
| sioner OF this city, who returned from Europe
| on Monday testified yesterday before Act
| ing Commissioner Gilchrist, in the Federal
Building that the National Asphalt Company
Cthe trust gave its aid,to the rebellion OF Gen
| eraI Manuel A Matos against President Castro
of Venezuela This statement was given by
General Greene in the damage suit brought by
| the Venezuelan government to recover $1,000
600 from the trust for the devastation wrought
In the two and half years Of fighting.
Several witnesses have been examined in this
city on letters rogatory issued by the High
Federal Court at Caracas. but none have given
testimony that pleased the counsel for the plain
tiff Frank ]. Dupignac and Rufus B. CoWlng, Jr'
as much as did that given by General Greene
Delaney Nicoll and John D. Lindsay. who ap-
peared for the defendant. after consultation
decided not to cross examine tbs witness
Seventeen questions put to General
Greene by MI Dupisn-Sc, but it was not until
sixteen of them had beer asked that the I'M
portant evidence WAC adduced- General Greene
gave his placs OF residence as Buffalo, "here
he makes his headquarters as president OF the
Ontario Power Company and Of the NeW-1orh'
Lockporr and Ontario Power Company he
said that he had been president Of the National
Asphalt Company from January l to DECEMBER
!, 1901. He was also nSIa8lIlk uioCtOh u '--o
New Trinidad Lake Asphalt Company. sub
sidiary concern.
General Greene testified that he was in Eu~
rome in 1901 but that he had neither directly
nor indirectly personally officially, any part
in the rebellion of General Matos, or gave TO
the latter any aid, pecuniary or otherwise les
timony in support of this statement had ALREADY
been given by other witnesses. From his direct
LooV-tedge the witness said he could not state
that the National Asphalt Company or any Oh
its subsidiary companies had aided the lnSur-
rectfon He said that if any disbursements OF
the trusts funds had been made for that pur-
bose they were probably entered N the account
known as government relations" He said that
he never saw General Matos at the Office Of the
asphalt company.
The sixteenth question. the answer to Wnlch
PROBABLY figures Importantly in the case OF the
Vene zuelan government. was as follows.
state whether when the witness returned
from Europe in 1901 he knew that john NJ
Mack, Avory D. Andrews and Arthur w SeWail'
or any one Of them, as representatives OIL 'iie
National Asphalt Company. or OF any OF the
companies allied Herewith. were in communica-
ton with said Manuel A. Matos. or were aldlns
him with money or in any other manner.
General Greene read the question over care
fully before answering. then raised himself In
his chair, and with great elaboration, weighing
every word before uttering 1t. he said
Ny only knowledge Of the matter comes from
what was told to by John NJ. Mack, avery
D. Andrews and Arthur w: oeWa tz w w i Ienn
from them that they had decided 10 supper
General Matos in his instruction against Presl-
dent Castro told them that thought that
they had made mistake and that what they
had done not acting in good faith with the
State Department at Washington. which. there
tofore, on representations made by officiaIs OF
the company. and by myself to Secretary Hay,
had supported the company IN It's protests Tor
the protection Of its rights and property
1 told them that Il impossible for me TO |
make further claims at the State Department
in behalf of the company, and never went to
the department again. l told them, also. that
a mistake had been made because of the great
cost TO the company Of such movement, which
spent which was 100000, as the company was
not in position to spend it.
! told them that no good results could come
from it, that Mates could not win, and that 1t
would ultimately become known that the COM
pany had aided the rebellion, and that it would
weaken its case in Caracas. l said that the |
proper course to pursue was to rely on the sup
port OF the State Department That inn
possible they said as arrangements had already |
been made to support General Matos. and that
If he was successful they would be in position |
to protect their interests in Venezuela
In view Of my position in the matter very little
told to me Of what actually done in
supporting MatoE. This business was transacted |
under the direction of the officers above named |
and largely without my knowledge
While president OF the company Mack |
and his friends held large part of the stock |
He vas vice-president of the company, which |
two months later passed into the hands Of a re-
ceiver. My connection with the company ter |
minated two months later, and have not been |
connected with the asphalt company for three |
years.
The instructions Of the Venezuelan court de- |
mand that all the evidence taken here be for |
warded by the steamer sailing Saturday To-day
Amzi Lorenzo Barber. also ex-president OF |
the trust will be examined in Washington.