Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-10-21
ARMED THE BAN RICH
Ex-President Barber Exoner-
ated General Greene.
ASPHALT COMPANY AIDED MATOS.
Large Payments Made to Arm and
Equip Rebel Warship Used Against
Castro Administration In
Venezuela

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19.-Amzi L.
Barber, one time president of the Ma
tional Asphalt company, testified in the
case of the United States of Venezuela
against the New York and Bermudez
Asphalt company that to the best Of
his knowledge and belief that COM
pany did contribute materially to the
revolution organized in 1901 by Gen
eral Manuel A. Matos against the
Venezuelan government
The evidence was taken before AL
bert Harper, an examiner in chancery,
designated by the supreme court of
the District of Columbia. Frank J.
Dupignac and Rufus b. Cowing, Jr.,
represented Venezuela and Delaney
Nichol the asphalt company.
The testimony practically confirmed
that of General Francis v. Greene of
New York
Mr. Barber exonerated General
Greene from all connection with the
payment Of money in aid of the Matos
revolutionary movement and express
ed the belief that General Greene
knew nothing about such payment Of
money until subsequent to the trans
action. He was induced to make this
statement, he said, by conversations he
had had with General Greene, which
convinced the witness Of General
Greene's innocence of any completely
in the transactions between the New
York and Bermudez Asphalt company
and tho NTptoo rayolufiopiutS
Mr.. Barber testified that he resign
ed as president of the National AS
phalt company on Jan. 3, 1901, subse-
quently sold all his stock and now
had no interest in the company or in
its successor, the General Asphalt COM
pany. He declared that subsequent to
his resignation certain officers Of the
National Asphalt company, of the New
Trinidad Lake Asphalt company and
of the New York and BermudeZ AS
phalt company did contribute on behalf
of the companies large sums of money
to General Matos or to his associates
to aid a revolution against the cOnsh-
tuted government Of Venezuela and
that they furnished the money to pur-
chase, arm and equip the steamship
called the Ban Righ and further fur
nished money to Matos or to his as
sociates with which to purchase
large quantity of arms and ammuni-
ton which were conveyed by the
steamer Ban RICH to the, adherents of
Matos.
Mr.. Barber reiterated the statement
made in his affidavit that he had been
informed by Gilbert NJ. Furman of
New Jersey that he had been directed
by officials of the National Asphalt
company in May, 1901, to proceed to
Caracas to investigate the political
conditions and particularly make full
report to the company. Furman said,
according to Mr.. Barber, that he be-
came convinced that the government
of Venezuela could be oyerthrown by
the Matos revolutionists provided suffi-
Gent money should be furnished them
10 carry on their operations. He so re-
ported to the officers of the company
when he returned to New York and
recommended that the money be sup
piled to Matos. The decision to finance
the revolution was reached by the Off
GERS of the company, said Furman, on
his recommendation.
Mr.. Barber quoted George W. EllIins,
who in 1901 was a director of both the
National and Bermudez companies, as
stating that the New York and Bermu-
DEE company did assist the Matos rev.
with money and contribu-
TONS