Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-27
Venezuelan Court Assesses Dam
ages Because Of Aid Extended
For Matos Revolt
VERDICT IS FOR ss'o00'o GOO
$4,000 900 More May Be Added-Aet'on
i. Result Of Long Fight Against
ca.tro Administration Principal
Proof From American Witnesses
How Company Aided Revolt.

NJ u
Tra mission)-venezuela hasSassessed
% fine Of S5,ooo,Oo0 against the New
York and Bermudez Company for aid
ing the Matos revolution. A commits
sion of experts is to fix other sums
to be paid by the asphalt company
which probably will amount to. Slo,-
100000 more, or S15,o0oooo in all. the
$4,000, 900 represents the cost to Ven
ezuela Of subduing the revolution.
The decision, which was HANDED
down last Monday comes three years
after the beginning Of the trial by the
asphalt company which was announced
by Judges Juan, Liscano OF the clvll
court Of first instance. The Judgment
is appealable to the supreme court.
and from there to the court of cassa-
tioE.
Court Decision Fixes Damage.
The court in its decision says:
administering justice in the name
OF the republic and by authority OF
the law. this complaint is declared to
5be well founded. and in consequence
the New York and Bennudez Company
is condemned to pay the sum Of boil
WARS 24,17s.s3S (s5.O0o,o0o). which is
the amount Of the errogations made
by the national treasury for the pur-
pose of suppressing the revolution, as
las been proved in the records, and
Also to reimburse the nation, according
to a Just assessment by experts for the
following damages and injuries:
l. The discredit which. because OF
war. the Venezuelan nation may have
suffered in the conception of other ma
tions with whom relations of an inter-
national or mercantile order existed.
2. The loss of Venezuelan citizens
withdrawn from commercial pursuits,
Agricultural industries and from the
activity of the republican life because
Inf the war.
5. The necessity for the creation OF
war tax which produced $350,00O in
1904 and $2.500,O00 in 1905.
4. The decrease in the customs rev.
enues was from s6,O00,O00 in 1901, and
;4,O00,0O0 in 1902, to $3,000,000 in 1908,
tel years during which the revolution
led by Gen. Manuel Antonio Matos de-
veloped Its greatest strength.
s. The decrease In the revenues OF
the states was from $2,000.000 in 1901,
to $1,2b0,00O in 1902, and 100000 in
1908. )
All OF which is established by proofs
appearing in the records.
s'Inasmuch as, in the judgment OF
this court, there does not seem to have
been any tmprudence on the part OF
the defense, it is declared that there Is
no special condemnation in costs"
II was from American witnesses and
from evidence taken before American
Judges in the United States courts that
the Venezuelan government obtained
its most important proof OF the part
alleged to have been played by the as
phalt company in the Matos revolution
and the furnishing of the money with
which to start the fight.
Comm enting upon the courts decis-
ion In the New York and Bermudez
company case and the present atti-
tude OF the state in supporting the
claim Of the same company, signed
article published in the government
newspaper Ell Constitutional yesterday
says:
"It now remains I'd be seen II the
state department again will convert
itself into the protector, defender and
tutor of adventurers who have con-
fessed their guilt, and who are legiti-
mateiy chastised by the legislature OF
all the civilized nations, including the
United States, in which abound SEN
Stences perfectly analogous to that now
suffered by the guilty company in the
Venezuelan court"
The Venezuelan asphalt case repre-
seats some of the most strenuous eff
forts Of venezuela's strenuous ruler,
President Castro, The asphalt COM
pany, in reply to Castro's charges,
claimed the Caracas officials tried to
extort 100000 from it. The matter
was the subject Of much negotiation
and bitter recrimination. The govern
ment In its suit against the New York
and Bermudez company asked s11,00o.-
900 damages.