New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-03
A PLOT TO KILL GOMEZ
Prominent Venezuelans in Prison
or in Flight.

-
are in circulation in Venezuela that the
government has discovered plot to kill
Vicente Gomez. the President of the re-
public, and the Governor of Caracas on
July Is Arrests and flights of prom
inent Venezuelans give grounds for &C
cepting the reports
President Gomez, who was then on
tour to Valencia capital of the State Of
Carabobo, returned suddenly to Caracas
and imprisoned General Zoilo Vidal Gel
Caribe'), President of the State of Ber-
mudez. one of the old enemies of ex-
President Castro and for a long time an
exile in New York. The government,
according to the reports from Venezuela,
is trying to hush up the occurrence.
General Tello Mendoza, who was Min
lister of Finance in President Castro's
Cabinet and afterward Governor of
Caracas, has fled to New York, sailing
from here on July 81 aboard the steam
ship Caracas. He made his escape from
Venezuela in q sailing sloop No ex-
PLANTATION of his departure was given
Another reluctant arrival from Ven
ezuela is Benjamin Ruiz, the we'll known
Colombian general. who besieged Porto
Cabello, defended by General Antonio
Paroles, in 1900 General Ruiz was ex-
PEELED from Venezuela and arrived here
on July 81.
Several private reports have recently been
received in this city of a growing political
unrest in Venezuela. The dissatisfaction
which has lately manifested itself, it Is
said, is apparent throughout the country
General Juan Vicente Gomez was for
rnerly the partner of President Cipriano
Castro in several monopolies voted by the
government. He also was First Vice-Presi-
dent in his government. Not until Cen
eIal Castro left Venezuela to go to Europe
for medical treatment did General Gomez
show any opposition to his friend and part
ner. Then he joined the general opposition
to the dictator When the people decided
that Castro should not return to Venezuela
they turned to General Gomez as his sue
cessor. because lie was then acting as Presi-
dent The Fenezueians were aware of gov
eminent abuses under Castro and partly be-
cause OF the relief from this lawlessness and
partly because President Gomez proclaim ed
higher patriotic principles than those which
actuated his predecessor the new Chief
Executive became at once immensely popu-
lar.
however, according 10 reports President
Gomez has fallen into the ways of Castro.
Having so reorganized the government and
distributed his army to assure the retention
of his post, he seems to have set aside his
promises of a square DEAL and taken
things into his own hands. politically and
commercially. 1t Is reported that the salt
and rum mOnopoies, besides some naviga-
ton advantages in the Orinoco, have fallen
into his hands. These monopolies are oper-
ated through Manuel Corrao. who was a
power in the Castro government and was
q partner of both Castro and Gomez.
A merchant Of this city who recently
turned from Venezuela said yesterday:
conditions there now are fully bad
as if not worse than. when Castro was
President Business is poor and one cannot
do anything without paying tribute. The
men higher up have left little for the out
slider and that little has to be dearly
bought"
AS told in The Tribune few weeks ago,
President Gomez has been having trouble
with the political elements. While some of
the former Castro adherents pledged their
others remained non-committal
out of allegiance to their former chief Go
mez has been unable to retain the support
of leading men of prestige who never were
friendly to Castro
General Jose Manuel Hernandez (El
Mocho), member of the Council of Gov
eminent and leader of the Conservative
party, Is now in Europe 1t was said that
he left Venezuela because President Gomez
failed to appoint any Conservatives as
members of his new cabinet. The reason
now given for his departure is that he left
to escape a demand to approve the grant
of the salt MONOPOLY
General Nicolas Rolando. Second Vice
President and a man of great political pres
tge is practically a prisoner. President
Gomez refusing TO permit him to leave the