Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-25
UNREST IN VENEZUELA
Country Preparing for castro's
Expected Death.
END BELIEVED TO BE NEAR
Well-Known Exile in New York Call
ed to Caracas.
ENEMY. .OF~e,THE PRESIDENT
Vice President Gomez Refuses All Re
quests to Come to Dying Executive =
Many Indications Of Trouble.


NEW YORK, January BILE
Excitement was caused in the Venezuelan
COLONY in New York yesterday by the re-
ceipt of cablegram from an official In
Caracas holding a very high Office. The
Sablegram !Nas addressed to a well-known
exile. an opponent of Castro. who was COM
PEELED Tor that reason to leave Venezuela,
and-who could not possibly return as long
as Castro retained power
This cablegram stated that Castros life
WAS q matter of days, or even hours, and
requested the exile to come to Venezuela
on the first 'stea mship. The gentleman who
received the cablegram Is probably the
most prominent opponent Of Gen. Castro
now in the United States. He will sail on
the next steamship
Gen. Gomez's Attitude.
Venezuelans here are keenly interested
In the situation in their country. They say
that Gen. Castro is Ill at Macuto a small
DR.. Ravenga, private physician of Gen,
Castro and secretary general Of Venezuela
1t Is asserted that DR.. Ravenga is really
ruling the country In Castros name. Also
at Macuto are Torres Cardenas and Manuel
Corrao. Gen. Gomezs..vice president, Is in
Caracas and has refused all requests to
come to .Castros bedside.
So far as is known the ma jority of the
n.
who. under the constitution should succeed
to the executive power. Gen. Alcantara
commander of the Venezuelan army, a
West Point graduate and man very pop
with the bulk OF Gen. Castro's fighting
force. He is regarded unfriendly to
Gomez, and it Is feared he may not acqui-
esce In the assumption by Gomez Of the
presidency. Gen.. Velutini second vice
president of the republic. very wealthy
man. with considerable reputation as a
fnancier. and who Is In a general way hos
tile to both Gomez and Alcantara. recently
went to Trinidad. where he has been in
communication with Col. Parades, who is
believed to be ready for a descent on the
Venezuelan coast, he having accumulated
arms and ammunition.
Favors Alcantara.
Col Matos, who so fierceiy contested with
Castro for the supreme power, and who
was formerly the wealthiest man in Vene-
zuela, is now in Paris and is believed to
favor the pretensions of Gen. Alcantara
Almost all of Col. Matos' property was
confiscated by Castro after the so-called
war of the restoration. A small part of
this fortune was returned to Col. Matos.
Ell Mocho, persistent revolutionist, is
supposed to be in Colombia somewhere, but
it is not believed that he would cut much
inquire in any trouble. that may arise over
the succession.
feOpie OF venezuela generally are eX-
tremely anxious that no revolutionary at
tempt of any kind shall follow Castro's
death. 1t is believed, therefore, that in
spite. of Gen. Alcantara's popularity and
possession of the best part of Castro's
forces Gen. Gomez 9w1ll be able to
maintain his constitutional rights to the
succession.
Incidentally it may be mentioned that
the Venezuelan gunbOat sRestaurador, for
merly Jay Gould's yacht, the Atlanta, Is
lying of Macuto. -afd 1t Is believed that
DIR. Ravenga and Castro's immediate en-
tourage will board her as soon as the
general dies, and sail for either Curacao
or Trinidad --.--
Clashes at La Guayra.
LA GUAYRA, Venezuela, January 81, via
San Juan, Porto Rico, January 23.-Further
clashes between the minister of war, Gen.
Arrange, and Commandant Baza, a distant
relative of President Castro. who as COM
manding, officer of. the Trinidad barracks
here, refused to permit the minister of
war to substitute on the night of January
4 %