Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-06-03
CASTR0'S AMERICAN
ALLIES ARE ACTIVE
venezuelan Presidents Interests
Are Looked After While He
Enjoys a Rest.
ASPHALT CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
Two Rival Concerns Are Fighting for
the Rich Beds of Mineral Pave.
ment MaterIal-Lake Seized That
Belonged to New York Company
by the Dictator.
ASPHALT CAUSE Of THE TROUBLE
Especial to the Daily Pr,.s.)

Especial to the Daily Pr,.s.)
NEW YORK, June 2.-Presdent
Castro's business interests are be-.
ing we'll looked after while he is
enjoying a vacation from the Official
cares CT Caracas.
a statement given out today by
the New York and Bermudez com.
pany. whose asphalt lake was sc
qnestratcd' by Castro in 1904, put-
ports to Show that the Venezuelan
president! has twb very energetic
American allies. One of these is
mining asphalt in Venezuela, aud
the other selling it in New York for
Castro's profit. The statement ex-
plains as follows how these two AM
orleans became associated with Cas-.
tro in the asphalt industry ut the
expense of the real owners of Der
mudez lake:
When the plot to get possession
OF the company's property was nc.
lively taken up by Castro early in
the spring of 1904, new and important
interests were introduced or The
new allies of President Castro. the
principal ones are AMI l.. Barber.
the promoter Of the unfortunate AS
phalt Company of America. and AM
brose II. Garner. fer many years
managing director in Venezuela, I'M
der Barber, of the New York and
Bermndez company
Coveted Bermudez Lake
Barber. Garner and others, who
had been dropped during the reor-
ganizatiun of Barber's unfortunate
flotations. formed the Pan-Amcrican
company and leased asphalt deposits
in Mexico. They soon found 1t nee.
essary to secure new sources of sup
ply, and then turned with coyetous
eyes to BermudeZ lake. which had in
the PAST been the source of fruitful
promoters profits to Barber.
for Trifle.
"The sequence of events from that
time to the present shows the work.
inss of carefully laid scheme of
spoilation.
I'm March, 1904, Garner appeared
in Caracas in consultation with two
attorneys. who were well known TO
be intimate friends of Castro's and
bitter enemies OF the Bermudez com.
pany. by which they had been for
merly employed.
"In April, 1904 Garner Is back
again in New York, and his associate,
Barber, induces the board of estimate
to SO change the city's paving speci-
ffcatisns rs to exclude all but Venc.
2uelan asphalts At the same time
the word was passed around by Car,
ner that he was going to spring ii
great surprise on the Bermudez COM
pany, that he was soon to return to
Guanoco to take charge again. Be-
fore the Seizure of the asphalt lake,
BARRIERS advance information enable |
him to offer Bermudez asphalt for
sale In New York
Telegram Starts Trouble.
HedH" WINE Il telegram nau Deen
sent to Caracas from government
agent at Guanoco, saying that the
company had not lived up to the
terms of its concession. This ten
word dispatch. which was made the
basis for the seluestration Of the as.
phalt lake. synchronizing with the &C.
tivities of Barber and Garner. consti.
tnted the first step in the judicial
travesty since enacted in the Vene-
zuelan courts.
Garner. as receiver Immediately
began shipping asphalt. 1t was de.
livered. not to the Bermudez COM
pant which in spite Of the receiver,
ship still'st owned the property, but
to Barber, Gamers partner in the
Pan-American company.
1T thus appears that Castro's chief
ally in the despoilation OF the New
j