The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-11-14
CHARGES AGAINST
CASTRO'S AGENTS
Include Extortion, confiscatlon,
FalseTestimony and BIackmail
BASED UPON LETTERS
ARE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY NEW
YORK AND BERMuDEz As
paALT COMPANY IN
STATEMENT.

New York, Nov Allegations
that high otfIc ais In the Venezuelan
government deliberately attempted 10
extort from The company the sum Of
$500 900 are made IN statement given
out today BY the New York and Ber-
mudez Asphalt company in reference
"a The suit brought by the Venezuelan
COVE nment for $11,000D00 damages
for aiding in the Matos rebellion
The means used by those officials,
according to the allegation. included
blackmail, eonhscation of the COM
pany's property, the manufacture of
false testimony and the making Of de-
crees thout regard TO law The al
legations made in the statement are
based upon letters which 1t Is declared
were reee.v wed from A. p Garner, now
receiver holding the companys prop
erty for the Venezuelan government,
but who in 1900 was the companys
agent at Caracas, and the representa-
tive Of Col Victor NJ. Baekus, who
was sent to Venezuela in 1909 as an
independent agent by The asphalt com
panv. The statement concludes with
an exhaustive review of what II de-
scrihes as "the asphalt companys ac-
mal rela iona 10 the revolution
In III connection II is explained
that 100000 was grn to General
Matos by the officials Of the National
Asphalt company on the Generals re-
ouest. Further sums. aggregating
100000. were paid the revolutionary
leader soon afterward. This money
was paid, the statement says 70 guar
lnsee protection of the company
property at time when the territory
4 IL WHICH the company's property Is
located was in control of the reYoiu-
ionists. The statement maintains
\ that ths company at all times observed
absolute neutrality, even going to mo
: axtent Of paying customs duties 70
both the government and the reYolu-
} tionists when the custom houses We're
/ controlled by The insurgents
Extracts from Mr. Gamers letters
4 are published. declaring President
r Castros agents were demanding
h money and by the payment of $780,
+ 300 the case OF the company would
o be nut through in such way as to
Il insnre against any further diff culties
G in the matter Of rights and properties
O Col Victor M. Backus. of lndianap-
. ols was sent a. an independent agent
to ascertain the true surroundings
o "'ro this end" the statement says,
q Colonel Backus represented himself
=. as the representative of American
q leapitalists who were seeking invest
ments in Venezuela. One of the fraud
(, lulent titles 10 various parts OF the
! company's property most actively used
: as club to extort money from the
company was Ia Venezuela Col.
/, Backus therefore entered into nego'
= tiations with Senior Figuera. one OF rhe
. grantees. He promptly found that
Senior Flguera was only a stalking
= horse for persons higher up senor
Fieuera profsssed to act not only for
y himself, but also as the representative
'e ~ Senior Felipe Arocha Senor Arocha
!" was a foster brother OF Mrs. castro
% wife of the Pres dent. and resided at
IMiradores. the Presidents palace On
'u January II. 1901. Senor Arocha wrote
o' Figuera a letter suggez'ing that Col
e. Raclns come to Mirahores for con
IL ference. Col. Backus then had an in
er terview at the palace with Arocha and
OF General Rarret de Nazaris. Mrs. Cas-
Oh tro's secretary. During the interview
ne The TWO latter persons were IN con
~ stant consultation with President Cas-
's' tro. who occupied the adjoining room
ID. and who once appeared Il the door
way"
As a result OF the conference th'
ng .-a,ement says. the agreement wa
ge made whereby Col Backus was to pay
e-- TO Mr. Arocha S2loooo for La Vene
We yuala mine
ic II was ar this time. the Statement
Of continues thar Gen Matos arrived II
as New York and declared that he ha'
ng united all the force opposed to Presi
it dent Castro. and asked for money
Ter and. being canfTon sJ with a formid
me lbfa revolutionary movement WhicI
oy. uarid De friendly or hoziile. accord
APP f-r 10 the c1mpany's action. his de
vas . ...-..t.l5.7 a, fh