The sun., 1908-12-27
CASTRO'S BROTHER GIVES UP
TURNS RIFLES AND ANMUNI-
TEON OVER TO GOMEZ.
Venezuela's Rev Ruler Takes Up His
Quarters in the CFespo PaIace-sults
Against Ex.Dictator for Vast Sums
He Cables Orders No One Heeds.

quarters IN tne CFebp0 Falaee-SuIts
Against Ex-Dictator for Vast Sums
i He Gables orders No One Heeds.
Special Cabls Despatch 10 THE SUN
PoRr OF SPAIN. Trinidad. Dec. 26.-No
one in Venezuela appears to question the
authority of Juan Vicente Gomez as
President Of the country. From every
quarter. including the officials appointed
by Castro and private citizens, comes
word that the authority of the new Presi-
dent 10 accepted.
Perhaps the best example of how
completely Castro has lost his hold is
the acknowledgment by Gen. Celestino
Castro. e brother OF the ex-Preeident
and chief of the Department Of Tachira,
that Gomez Is supreme. He has handed
over to the new military commander
OF that department all the government
property. consisting Of 5000 modern
rifles and $500, 900 rounds Of ammunition.
II there is anything necessary to show
that President Castro. is down and out
no one here can figure what it is. Presi-
dent Gomez took up his residence to-day
in the famous Mira Flores palace, which
was erected by ex-President Joaquin
Crespo. Singularly enough the widow
OF Senior Crespo has instituted a
lawsuit against ex-President Castro TO
recover the rent for two years for the
occupancy of the building by Castro,
who used it as his official residence from
the time when he made his victorious
entry into Caracas in 1899.
A number of other lawsuits have been
he 81
and it b estimated that his estate will
be mulcted to the extent of more than
81, 600 900 when these suits have been
decided.
The new President is making every
endeavor to place the country in sub
stantial condition and in peaceful rela-
tons both internally and with foreign
Powers. in the first place he has in
vited all Vefezuelas exiles TO return.
Then he has set at liberty every political
prisoner confined by order Of Castro
The freedom of the press has been estab-
lished and the iniquitous cattle monopoly
established by Castro has been abolished
The only political prisoners who were
not set at liberty by President Gomez
were those involved in the recent con-
spiracy to assassinate him.
The dispute between Venezuela and
the United States of Colombia, which
has been going on for a number of years
over q boundary line on the western
side Of the country. has been settled
and the Zulia River has been opened TO
navigation. Bartlett, who represents the
New York and Bermudez Asphalt Com
pany, arrived here day or two ago and
reopened the company's offices. The
, courts by Castro's orders fined this cor
poration IS, 600 900 because Of its alleged
participation in the Matos revolution.
Castro Is spurned by every one. Only
yesterday number Of students procured
a portrait Of the late President which was
hanging in the Vargas Hospital, and
burned it in the public square. The salt
transportation monopoly has been abol-
ished by President Gomez. and he also
issued decree allowing the transship-
ment OF merchandise at Trinidad. Navi-
cation on the Meta River has also been re-
established.
Several cable dispatches have been re.
ceived here from ex-President Castro
On December % Castro cabled to his Min
lister of Foreign Affairs Jose De Paul
saying:
Declare the Dutch warships pirates
Suspend the payments to the Powers
under the Washington protocol. an
forwarding you solution Of the diff.
Guilty"
Another despatch from Berlin which
reached here yesterday reads:
"If Dutch warshjp again appears al
La Guayra make an attack on one side
with three of our ships"
No attention was paid to these mes
saRes by the new administration.