New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-20
PAID MATOS FOR SAFETY.
REBEL SAID HE'D WIN.
Andrezos Last Witness to Testify
Here an AsphaH Case.

The charge Of the Venezuelan government
that the Asphalt Trust gave large sum OF
money to General Manuel A. Matos to promote
the rebellion against President Castro was
clearly set forth yesterday.
General Avery D Andrews. ex-adjutant gen
eral of the National Guard of New-York and
ex-PoIice Commissioner Of this city who is
now vice president of the General Asphalt Com
pany, testified yesterday before Acting Com
missioner Gtlchrist in the Federal Building, In
the suit Of the government of Venezuela against
the New-York and Bermudez Company. that
the trust gave to General Matos $13OOOO.
General Francis Vinton Greene and Amzi
Lorenzo Barber both ex-presidents of the trust
testified Tuesday and Wednesday. respectively
that the Asphalt Trust had aided the Matos
insurrection With funds. General Andrews sub
stdntiated the testimony of General Greene ard
Mr Barber as to the payment of money. but
declared that he did not know to what purpose
it had been put by General NIatos
He said further that the S13OO00 was given
to the rebel leader for the protection of the
trusts property at Guanoco. during the con-
tinuance of the rebellion, and for the protection
of it's rights thereafter in the insurrec-
ton succeeded The company. General Andrews
said took no action with regard to the armed
uprising and ordered Its employees In Venezuela
to maintain strict neutrality. Frank j Dupi-
gnac and Rufus B. Cowing. jr.. of counsel for
the plaintiff. seemed wholly unprepared for the
astounding testimony given voluntarily by Gen
eral Andrews.
The Venezuelan government has been trying
to prove that the asphalt trust purchased in
Europe the flbustering steamer Ban Righ used
by General Matos General Andrews said that
100000 of the money paid to Matos was sent
TO him in Paris in the form of draft drawn
clr
the trust to the order of NicoH. Anable & Lind
say The balance of the money. he said. was
drawn by General Matos in Paris on two drafts.
each for $4,000.
General Andrews was the first of the de-
PENDANTS witnesses who admitted that General
Matos called at the trusts offices. which at that
time were at No. IL Broadway, in this city.
when he came north in the summer of 1901. Gen
eraI Matos. the witness said made the demand
for money at that time. He was later enter
tained at dinner at Ardsley-on-t the Hudson by
Arthur W. Sewall, now vice-president Of the
trust on which occasion General Andrews is
stated to have been present. The demand Of
General Matos. according to the witness. was
considered and granted by the officials Of the
National Asphalt Company.
General Andrews read most of his testimony
from a prepared typewriter statement. outside
of which he refused to give many direct an
swers In trying to justify the action of the
trust in giving funds to General Matos, the
witness said:
For long while Affairs in TenEge aso had 6ssd 6sd
himself come into power at caracas as ii LnE Heau @
of revolution, and opposition to him sun con-
nTs6 db IN many ma PaPaS spha lake is situated
was constantly swept by reyog9nary % 3a9d afo 10
supply food to them in small quantities and some some
times to do other small services General Matos
was a man of the highest position In Caracas
son-in-law of Guzrnan Blanco md trustee O.
his vast estate. and was himself wen Rno"V 10 VA1 1t
eSueia Where ali his extensive interests in banks
in Industrial enterprises and in plantations were
Prior to General Matoss arrival in NewY0Tk I.oT
neither the officers of the National Asphalt I9 9a
oanve nor the officers of the New-H ork and BeI5
nudez Company had had any Teaois ol any sssSaIt halt
E1nanW MN which then controlled the Nc"-York
and BeTinGeez ctsd all their subordinates in Ven
a1s anu H ~ observe absolute neutrality in regard to
& e&lvIl neTaI Matos called the officers Of the
National Asphalt Company ana PoeserGt jted aIT The
t,as m and forces opposed TO General Castro ana
would rI the certain destruction of its rights
tnreaosnI saoI castro and those conspiring with him
for itS sPSLa Pnnsny therefore decided to give TO
General Matos the amount "nich ne 'SNeu 10 i'e''
100000.
IT, possible destruction of the company's
-. -afsrred to by General Andrews was
t,,e anticipated decision against it by the Vene-
z,alsn Supreme Court, in suit with the war
nar-ouinlan Company for possession OF the
asnbaIt lake. The decision. however. was ia
vorable to the trust.
General Andrews said that General Greene
uas nisinformed as regards his testimony that
the money paid to Matos was given for the
s,,nnort OF the insurrection. General Andrews
said further OF General Greenes testimony:
General Greene is mistaken in his impression that
,be Company was receiving the support of the De
partnent of State against the acts OF the Venezue
ian government at the time when the agreement TO
paw the money was made. As appears by Mr..
flaws letter of February 2 1901 the Department OF
state had refused to interfere with judicial pro-
ceedings He also betrays failure OF memory
win regard to the payment of the additional sum
of 5000 which he personally authorized knd ap-
proved
General Andrews was the last witness to be
examined in this country in the $1O,ooO,Ooo
damage suit.
The testimony taken here will be forwarded
Saturday 10 Caracas. where IT will be presented
sarly In November before the court