Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-23
Failure Of Coup d'Etat Completes
Downfall of Absent President.
GOMEZ TAKES EFFECTIVE ACTION
he Personally Arrests Two Men
Appointed to Kill Him.
GOVERNMENT TO BE REoRGANTZEl
Special Diplomatic Agents to BE sent
10 Europe 10 NeEOtiate settle
ment of All IHterns stional
DfmcultteE.

CARACAS. Monday, Dec M.--via vii
1emstad. Curacao. Dec. 22.--The downfall
of President Castro IN Venezuela com
pieted Saturday last with the Illustration OF
q desperate plot TO assassinate Juan Vicente
Gomez. the acting president
Secret cablegrams have passed between
President Castro in Berlin and his agents
here since the popular anti-castro demon
stration OF December 70 and il
A prominent lawyer has filed accusations
in court charging President Castro with
completely in the attempted assassination
and proposing his Impeachment.
The Bank Of VenezuelH has cRbed its
correspondents at Berlin and Paris can
ceiling the unlimited letter Of credit given
to President Castro when he left Venezuela
for Europe
Plot TO XIII Gomez.
There was a meeting Friday night Of the
plotters at the residence in Caracas Of
Garbieras Guzman, secretary general in the
last Castro cabinet and who was placed in
charge Of President Castro's personal bust
ness in Venezuela when the president left
! for Germany. The conspiratnrs decided
upon a coup detat. They determined to
sassinate acting President Gomez, Jose
de Jesus Paul, the foreign minister Gen
eral Leopold Baptista and other prominent
men, seize the administration OF the coun-
try and with the army terrorize and over
awe the population.
| Torres Cardenas, who was at one time
minister Of the interior under President
Castro and later his personal secretary,
was the active leader Of the conspiracy.
He was entrusted with the carrying out Of
the plot He had as lieutenants the com
manders OF three battalions. In spite of
the precautions taken an intimaton of what
was on foot reached the ears of acting
President Gomez. AS soon as he had satis-
fled himself of the truth Of the repot Is
he took Immediate steps to frustrate the
attempt
Conspiracy QnIcl<ly Frustrated.
| Early Saturday morning he went alone
on foot to the barracks in Caracas, where
a mutinous regiment under the command
OF President Castro's brother was quar-
/ tered. With cool courage he entered the
building and placed the brother OF the
president under arrest. The nerve uf Gomez
made it possible for him to carry out this
dangerous maneuver successfully. He then
went to the Yellow house, the executive
mansion. where he had a brief interview
with Torres Cardenas. The chief Of the
conspirators denied the exisr-nce OF any
plot. Gomez would not be deceived by such
assurances He seized Torres CardsnaB by
the shoulders and shaking him roughly said;
y have discovered your plot TO assassin
ate me You are my prisoner"
Torres CardenRs 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 Carde-
mas was seized and disarmed ana hurried
away TO jail.
These two arrests, made single-hRnded
by Gomez, broke the plot Gomezs friends
came forward quickly 10 his support
Orders were at once issued and carried out
rapidly for the arrest OF Garbieras Gtzman,
Lopez Baralt. minister Of the interior in
the cabinet that was forced TO resign De-
cernber IL Senior Bsrmudez, director OF the
national telegraph system; Commander
Casanova, Commander Anguio and other ad-
} herents Of Castro suspected OF completely.
AS soon as the news Of the sensational
occurrences became known throughout the
city an immense crowd gathered In the
Plaza Bolivar and gave unmiStakable
D evidence of it's satisfaction with the turn
D affairs had taken.
People Greatly Pleased.
There is to be a general reorganization
of the government. The fail OF President
Castro leaves no obstacle IN the way OF
settling the various International questions
confronting the republic.
Jose de Jesus Paul, the former minister
, Of foreign affairs who played a prominent
! part in all venezuelas foreign relations
. for the last six months has been commits
: stoned 10 go to Europe 20 settle all out
standing disputes with foreign powers. He
will leave here December a. Senor Paul
has advised the diplomatic representatives
here that measures TO preserve order and
protect the interests OF foreigners viii be
taken.
The new governor Of Caracas ia AEuiles
, Iturbo.
a Proclamation of New President.
Acting President Gomez issued q prOols-
nation yesterday as follows;
:, Fellow patriots: / assume charge OF the
= presidency Of Venezuela under the terms
Of the constitution. ] undertook these
duties without personal ambition. From the
| first ] endeavOred 10 cOnciliRte the Espir-
: Rtions Of the people with my high obliga-
tiuns, and TO this end ] established, in ac'
oordanee with our national institutions an
administration that recognized AL per
=, sOnal and public guarantees.
Unfortunately, my good intentions met
with inc0mprehensible hindrance on tins
part of a few persons who called them
1
1t only did these persons block the carrying
n out by me Of my legal duties, but they
Is stopped TO conspiracy and elaborated &
n dabolical plot against my life.
d This conspiracy was crushed yesterday
when ] personally faced the plotterE and
y imprisoned them BY 30 doing ] Bavet
q more than my personal existence; / main
p tained the manly prestige of the chic
mRgistracy Of the republic, which il is my
= ambition 10 convert into fountain o.
y good for all Venezueians
7 have constituted a cabinet represent
= ing the public opinion OF Venezuela AMI
! with the collaboration Of my ministers
intend 10 enforce the constitutional guar
antees; 20 respect the autonomy Of TN
B. various states Of the Venszuelan repub
lie; TO protect industries against Odiou
manipulation: 70 find . dSoOTORs and pa