The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-10-20
THE ASPHALT TRUST
GENERAL GREENE GIVES iMPoR
TANT TESTIMONY.
Subpoensed as Soon as He Arrived
From Europe and Made an In
teresting Statement.

New York, Oct. 17-General Fran
els V. Greene, former president OF the
National Asphalt Co., and the New
York and Bermudez Asphalt Co., ar.
rived in this port from Europe today
and Immediately upon his landing OF
the pier, was served with subpoena
to testify in the suit brought by the
Venezuelan government against the
National Asphalt Co. to recover 3d.
100000, because of aid given, as al
legged by the government to the insur-
gent Mathos.
General Greene was hailed before
Deputy United States commissioner
Gilchrist and then gave the most im-
portant testimony yet ELECTED in the
examination now going on In this
country in the suit of the Venezuelan
government. He was asked but ore
question and that was, IL upon his
return from Europe in 1901, he had
any conversation with John M. Mack
Avery ID. Andrews or Arthur D. Sew
ell, as representatives of the Nationa;
Asphalt Co. in regard to the CORE
spondence with Manuel A. Mathos, or
aiding and abetting Mathos in his
revolutionary action against the Vene-
zuelan government.
In reply General Green made state
ment of considerable length. He said
that when he returned from Europe
in 1901 he was told that Mack, Sew
ell and Andrews had decided to sun
port Mathos in his contest against
! President Castro. He expressed the
opinion that this was great mistake
and was not acting in good faith with
the state department at Washington.
He was told that the Bermudez com
pany had already given Mathos 500.
900. Because of this statement, he,
General Greene, did not again venture
before the state department to press
claims of the National Asphalt Co.,
against the Venezuelan government.
He told Messrs. Mack, Sewe!l and
Andrews that the compact with Ma
thos would cost the company many
times the sum already paid; that tn
company was not in a position to eS-
pend this money, nor would 1t accom-
plish any good as Mathos could not
succeed and it would ultimately have
known that the company had aided
him and this would weaken its posi-
| tion before the Venezuelan govern
ment.
| II told them" said President
| Greene, that in my judgment the
proper policy for the company to pur-
sue was to continue to rely upon the
support Of the state department al,
Washington. This they said was i'm
POSSIBLE, for they had already made
arrangements to support Mathos, and
if he should succeed as they thought
he would. the company would then
| be able to protect its interests in
| Venezuela. In view of my position in
the matter very little was told me Of
what action had been taken in sup
port of Mathos.
"The business was transacted under
the direction Of Mack, Sewell and
Andrews and largely without nv
knowledge, and certainly without nv
knowledge as to any details. While
| was president of the National As
phalt Co. Mr.. Mack and his friends
controlled a majority Of the stock. He
was vice president of the company
and at that time virtually In control
of ii. The company passed into the
hands of receivers about two months
later and after that | had practically
no word in the management of the
company. My connection with 1t tor
minated few months later and for
more than three years | have had nc
connection with any asphalt company
of any kind whatever
General Greene was not subjected to
any cross-examination by James d
Lindsey. counsel for the National As
phalt Co. Rufus B. Cowing, Jr., l.
counsel for the Venezuelan govern
ment.
I'LL IITNll