Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-17
Against the Further Rule
Of President Castro.
wild Rioting In Caracas Mob
Fired on by the Soldiers.
More Disturbance Expeeted-.Cas.
tro's Rule Probably Ended.

Caracas. Venezuela, Dec. 14.-Nla
Willemstad Curacao, Dec. 16.--T'he
people of Caracas rose today against
President Castro. An infuriated mob,
unhindercd by the police, swept
through the city. wreckins the prop
crty of his henchmen and his closest
friends. The people rounded up all the
statues ana pictures Of President CAS-
tro from the clubs and other semi
public buildings and burned them with
rejoicing on the Plaza Bolivar. CaSjro's
rule in Venezuela probably is ended.
In spite of Hollands warlikc activity
on the coast there have been no dem
onStratiOnS against The Netherlands; :;
they all have been directed against
President Castro ana Acting President
Gomez. Further dangerous domonStra-
tions are anticipated no official act
dcposinG Castro from the Presidency
has yet been taken but such a step is
expected at any moment.
An enormous crowd Swrllc;l by peo-
| re from the outlying country gath
cred in the streets soon after day
lreak, the people began marching UP
ana down the main thoroushfareS and
| it was easy to see that their i'll tenn
|
| police stood by and made no attempt
whatever to restrain the mon.
| The first building to be attacked and
| looted was that Of the lottery monop-
oily. The offices Of the state enterprise
| that has enriched itself at the expense
Of the people were rdnsackcd and pill
| iaged Furniture was broken and
| thrown 10 the street and thousands OF
| lottery tickets We're destroyed. The
| crowd then moved to the printing office
| Of FL Constitutional. the organ of
| President Castro. OF which Gurier-
sindo Rivas is editor and pillaged it
| completely. A steam laundry belonging
| to Senior RivaS also was wrecked The
| crowd went to several drug stores be-
| longing to Senor Thielen. a son-inlaw
of Gen Tello MandeZo, and turned
| them inside out.
| General MendeZO was at one time
| minister of finance and public credit
under Castro. He was also the Presi-
dents private secretary for a number
| Of years and has been regarded as one
of his staunchcSt supporters. He is uni-
versally hated by the enemies of cas-
tro and his unpOpularity and his close
connection with the President account
ed for the anger of the populace
against the property of his s',l-in-
law.
The statues and pictures of Pres
Castro We're made into a huge bonfire
on the Plaza Bolivar. The crowd
cheered as the fire ragged
1t was after | O'Clock by the time thc
crowd had gotten thus far in its depra-
dations. 1t paused in default of other
fields for its destructive energies 1t
was then that q detachment of troops
was called out for duty on the streets
and Acting President Gomez issued
manifesto prohibiting further mani
feStations. These measures had the
desired end for the mob Quilted down
and then dispersed.
The attack yesterday on the offices
of FL Constitutional when the crowd
was curbed by a detachment Of sol
dierS, who fired into the demonstrates,
resulting in several fatalities The
paper has suspended publication ana
Caracas is practically without news
paper
The funeral of MarcanO Rojas, one of
the men killed in the fighting OF yes
terday. has been fixed for tomorrow.
when further disorders and rioting are
expected.