Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-12-26

Caracus, Venuezuela, via Willem-
stad, Curacao,-The end of the rule
in Venezuela of Cipriano Castro has
come. The dictator, who has gov
erned the republic with a rod of iron
ever since he took forcible possession
Of the yellow house in Caracas in
1899, is now openly charged with con-
spiracy to compass the assassination
of man he left at the head OF the
republic when he sailed away, Nov.
%, from La Guayra, nominally to Sc
cure skilled medical aid in Berlin for
a malady Of long standing, and is to-
day thoroughly discredited.
The bank of Venezuela has cabled
its correspondents at Berlin and Par
credit given to Pres. Castro when he
left Venezuela for Europe and no one
in Caracas believes he will ever dare
return.
The Castro cabinet has been forced
to resign, and new and progressive
ministry has been appointed by Juan
Vicente Gomez, the acting president.
The attempt upon the life of Gomez,
for which Castro is by many held re-
sponsible, was frustrated by the cool
nerve and courageous daring of the
acting president himself
Alone and unsupported, he arrested
the ringleaders of the conspiracy
with his own hand, in the presence of
their armed adherents, and after this
action he issued proclamation, say
ing that not only had he saved his
own life, but he had maintained the
highest ideals of the chief magistracy
of the republic.
Already the new administration
shows signs of a desire aEd intention
to settle the disputes between Vene-
zuela and certain foreign powers that
have kept the republic in light of
unenviable notoriety for several
years past.
At a conference held in Caracas
between Acting Pres. Gomez and
Baron Won Seckendorf, the German
minister in charge of the interests
of Holland since the. departure of the
Dutch minister, M. de Reus, last sum-
mer, 1t was agreed to suspend the op-
GRAFTON Of the decree issued by Pres.
Castro prohibiting the transshipment
at Wtllemstad of goods destined for
| Venezuela
Pending the celebration OF treaty
between Holland and duly empow-
cred Venezuelan commissioner, the
Dutch warships that have been pa
trolling the Venezuelan coast for the
last three weeks will be Withdrawn.
The attempt to assassinate Acting
Pres. Gomez and several Of the min
listers was decided on Friday night,
Dec. 49, Gomez heard Of the plot
the same night, and the next morn
ing took the personal stand that
nipped 1t in the bud.
The men concerned in the conspir-
acy were Pres. Castro's closest friend
and best known adherents. Secret
cipher cablegrams have passed be.
tween Pres. Castro in Berlin and his
agents here since the popular anti
Castro demonstrations of Dec. 13 and
IA.
of the plotters in the residence in
Caracas of Garbiras Guzman, who
was secretary-general in the last
Castro cabinet, and who was placed
in charge of Pres. Uastro's personal
business in Venezuela when the pres
ident left for Germany.
The conspirators decided upon
a 80 lako -
sassinate acting Pres. Gomez and
other prominent men, seize the ad-
ministration of the country, and with
the army terrorize and overawe the
population.
Terres-C -Cardenas, who was at one
time minister of the interior under
Pres. Castro and later his personal
secretary, was the active leader of
the conspiracy. He was intrusted
with the carrying out of the plot. He
had as lieutenants the commanders
of three battalions.
In spite of the precautions taken
an intimation of what was on foot
reached the ears of acting Pres.
Gomez AS soon as he had satisfied
himself of the truth of the reports he
took immediate steps to Illustrate 4
the attempt.
EARLY Saturday morning he went
alone on foot to the barracks in Car
acas, where a mutinous regiment un-
der command of Pres, Castro's broth.
er was quartered. With unexampled
courage he entered the building and
placed the brother of the president
under arrest.
The cool nerve Of Gomez made 1t
possible for him to carry out this
dangerous maneuver successfully
He then went to the yellow house,
the executive mansion, where he had
brief interview with Torres-C Garden
as. The chief of the conspirators
maintained a defiant attitude and
denied the existence of any plot.
Gomez would not be deceived. He
seized Tones-C Cardenas by the shout
ders and, shaking him roughly, said
II have discovered your plot to as
sassinate me. You are my prisoner"
Torres-Cardenas tried to use his
revolver on the acting president, but
Gomez was too quick for him. He
pinioned the mans arms and called
the guard. Torres-Cardenas was
seized and disarmed and hurried
away to jail.