The Washington times., 1906-02-08
DIPLOMAT TAIGNY,
FIRED BY CASTRO.
| CALLS UPON ROOT
Visit of French Charge
in Venezuela Was Per-
SOnal Call.
SAYS ENEMY Is GREEDY
RapaciousneSs for Money
Has Caused Preying on
Foreigners.
SAYS ENEMY Is GREEDY

VI ~ = AL ="
N. oliver Taigny, former French
charge d'afaires at Caracas, and the
immediate victim Of President Castro
wrath against France. had conferences
today with the Frencn ambassador, n
Jusserand. and with officials at the
State Department
Il. Taigny's visit at the latter place
was entirely personal. lie has no Off
cial diplomatic standing in this country.
and it would violate one Of the nicetics
Of diplomatic etiquette for the United
states, being friendly with the NeEe-
zuelan government, 10 receive officially
the representative Of q THIRDS govern
ment who was only recently elected
from Caracas
NeVertheiess, u Taigny was given A
cordial weicolAe. His treatment at Ia
Guaira on January "A last when by
Castro's orders. he was refused pcrfnis-
sion TO return ashore from the French
liner Martinique has caused in high
places the IiveIiest private sympathy for
"a IaiBny ana unofficial condemnation
o. castro arrogance
Experienced and Interesting.
The Frenehman has an interesting
personality. He has had much exDerf-
ence in the French foreign service.
having at one time been assigned 10 the
embassy mere and by the recent irving
episodes in Venezuela. has leaped into
the limeiight Of International news.
F1is nFSt-nand account Of the Eenr-
zueian situation viii be given the closest
consideration by the State Department
efIlbOdying, a. il does the dafa 81,
ealGh slaliil = 7 france VIII shape her policy %
TeIallatlon against castro
81 IalSny Is naturally 4 cheerful at,-
loreat, and discusses the character o.
President Castro without personal r,rsi1f-
dice lie agrees, however. with the eS-
~ss5il1Lsilel ~ opinion OF foreigners VINO have
known sSe venezuelan potentate that
castro : most contrary. not to saw
impossible, Parsonage. Mr.. Taigny ex-
presses the opinion that Castr0's con
hSc4i0TE methods with foreign corees-
siOns have been due 10 his righteousness
Tor money, not TO a mere impulse to
NEEDLE, This has led him TO increase
The taxes right and left. rega ardIese OF
charter rieATs s.d Tr,s.s+f~,,e- - 60
Of the cOncessionaries
France Waits on Algeciras.
The development Of the French Vene-
zuelan plan is expected here in A short
time. The very peaceable progress Of
I the Alseciras conference, IL continued
according 10 Indications. viii remove the
one obstacle which has been assigned
as causing the French denberauon in
I getting back" at Castro.
/ Without the necessity Of devoting her
self 10 home affairs, France viii be rree
I to unravel the Venezuelan muddIe.
! There is nothing to indicate that
France will not pursue the plan already
adopted. of blockading Venezuela and
possibly attempting an invasion.
Odd Whims of Castro.
castro is-weii. he is Castro"' This.
accompanied by a shake OF the head. a
shrug of the shoulders and 81 helpless
wave Of the hands. was the answer or
NJ. Oliver Taigny. former French charge
q afaires in Venezuela. to a question
His experiences in Caracas and off II
Guaira do not seem to have left an un-
pleasant impression on NJ. Taigny. While
evidently feeling keenIv what his coun-
trvrnen consider an affrcut offered to
his government by President Castro IN
the latter's treatment Of the French
charge. so far as his personal feelings
were concerned he seemed to have been
amused rather than otherwise.
Tells of His Experiences.
Recounting the story of his departure
from Venezuela. NJ. Taigny said:
Il went down to La Gusira from the
capital. and boarded the Martinique at
9 O'Clock. I wished TO get news. as
had been without any for several davs
and besides" added NJ. Taigny. laugh
ing Il wanted to taste French cooking
once more.
no intimation had been made as TO
any irregularity in my doing this. In my
capacity as the representative Of France
had been accustomed to go frequently
aboard vessels flying the French fass
on their arrival in port. Nothing was
said about a permit and none had ever
been required of me
How Castro learned of my boarding
the vessel J do not knOw-not from the
customs officials | think who would
not be likely to report the circumstance
as IL was by no means unusual How
ever that may be. at noon a policeman
put in an appearance and asked me for
my permit. had none. OF course, and
he ordered me ashore. Naturally, I de-
clined TO obey, and he iert
Castro Threatened all.
During the late afternoon a police
official came to the ship and brought
message from President Castro to the
effect that if / dds not go ashore he
would put IN jail NJ HeIlmund. the
agent of the French line. who is a Hol-
lander
ihIohSh hI Moit@tt, the nlteu states
consul at la Guayra, / tried TO get some
information as to Senor Castros pur-
pose but none was forthcoming The
only word that reached me from him
was TO the effect that a French cruiser
would take me off the Martinique at 4
0 clock on Monday afternoon. We wait
ed until midnight Monday and no criffs-
er putting in an appearance / directed
the captain of the Martinique TO convey
me 10 Curacao.
castro is always after money. money
There did not use TO be any tax on
the cable company. Castro's last de-
mand was for $3.50 Increase on the
sum which the company had paid the
year before "
4