Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-08-01


minister OF public improvements In Crespo's
cabinet but opponent OF the new president
took TO the hills at the head OF 5000 troops
Crespo really responsible for the curse OF
Castro for had he selected strong man as
his successor the mountain brigand never could
have commanded force sufficiently powerful
to overthrow him.
Within month Andrade went through the
form of appointing Crespo commander in chief
of the army in order that he might clinch his
dictatorship. For a while Crespo contented
himself with enjoying his new title and direct.
ing operations from the capital but the Her
nandez revolution finally assumed such proper
lions that he took the field in person to stamp
1t out. The two armies met in the mounts aims
near Victoria June IL. 1898 Hernandez was
led into trap given drubbng and captured,
After the battle Crespo walked across the field
and leaning wounded man when
he was shot from behind and instantly killed
Some few months after Crespo's death, Cas-
tro, who had made himself governor of the
state OF Los Andes visited Caracas and
called Andrade to demand an important
position in the administration. as the
price OF peace. Andrade. to his credit be 1t
said houted him Castro left the Yellow
house In rage, sought the councils of An
drade's enemies. and. after many confer
ences. a general instruction was arranged
for early the following summer. The pres
idency was to go to the leader who deve-
oped the greatest strength during the cam
paign
Castro learned that he was alone In the revo-
luton, his promised partners having failed to
take the field on account of chickering's and
jealousies among themselves. This discovery
and the addition OF Ferrer's forces gave him
his first really serious notion that he might be-
come president and he marched forward In
frenzy of bombastic Joy
BY this time the people OF Venezuela be-
lieying that no could be worse than An
drade, and finding out as had Castro himself,
what powerful person he really was accept.
ed him as their master.
Almost the first thing he did was to annul
our concession, along with dozen others on
the ground that its terms had not been com
Piled with, as the beginning OF his war on all
foreigners. / denied this right to cancel our
grant especially as ii contained clause which
stipulated that any disagreement between the
government and the concessionaire should be
referred to the Alta Corte Federale. or Su.
preme Court for adjustment
The troops were continually spying on ia and
annoying US with fictitious charges, but II was
a year or more before the government, angered
by It's failure to get rid of me- resorted to er.
treme measures. new governor was sent
down with strict orders to remove me. by force
II necessary. He advanced toward the house
with about rs soldiers. | ordered my men
into the rifle pits and met tho general at
the gate
The general could see my rife pits but
he did not know how many men they held nor
how we'll they could shoot After a short
consultation with his stan be gave the order
to advance while he bravely directed opera
tons from the rear. AS his men crossed the
line and eight OF them fell. They continued 10
advance, and we fred again, dropping nine
more of them. while several others we're hit
That too much for them and they broke
and ran, leaving seven dead aud leu sAaly
wounded
In two or three days they came back. with
their force slightly increased aud the gen.
eral again called on me to surrender under
penalty OF being arrested as a disturbing fac
tor. ! gave him The same reply as before. and
after thinking It over tG~ a while. he marched
his troops away again.
That little encounter produced pronounced
respect for the Americans among Castro. sol.
diers. and they did not give IS much trouble
-sfterward
This enforced idlencss eventually became
intolerahle. and early IN 1905 the company In
the meantime having sent one OF It's officers 20
Caracas 20 protect its interests. I returned 20
New York. after having held the fort for ten
years | came back much poorer in rocket
bat With fund OF Information regarding Ven.
eEucla and It's people.