The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-08-15


minister of public Improvements in Crespo's
cabinet, but an opponent of the new president
took to the hills at the head of 1900 troops
Crespo really was responsible for the curse OF
Castro, for had he selected a strong 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 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
tons that he took the field in person to stamp
it out. The two armies met in the mountains
near Victoria, June 49, 1898. Hernandez was
led into trap, given drubbing and captured
After the battle Crespo walked across the field
and was leaning over a 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 on Andrade to demand an important
position in the administration, as the
price Of peace. Andrade, to his credit be it
said louted him. Castro left the Yellow
house in rage, sought the councils of An
drades enemies and, after many confer
ences, a general insuTrection was arranged
for early the following summer. The pres
idency was to go to the leader who deye.-
oped the greatest strength during the cam
paign.
Castro learned that he was alone In the revo-
luton his promised partners having failed t.
take the field on account Of chickering's and
jealousies among themselves This discovery
and the addition of Ferrers forces gave him
his first really serious norion that he might be
come president and he marched forward in
frenzy of bombastic joy.
BY this time the people OF Venezuela be-
lieving that no one 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 l denied this right to cancel our
grant, especially as 1t contained clause which
stipulated that any disagreement between the
government and the concessionaire should be
referred to the Alta Corte Federale or SJ.
preme Court for adjustment
The troops were continually spying on us and
annoying us with fictitious charges, but it was
a .ear or more before the government angered
by its failure to get rid of me, resorted to ex
IRENE measures. A new governor Yns sent
down with strict orders to remove me, by force
If necessary. He advanced toward the house
with about Is soldiers I ordered my men
into the rife pits and met the general at
the gate.
The general could see my rifle pits. but
he did not know how many men they held nor
how we'll they could shoot After a short
consultation with his staff he gave the order
to advance, while he bravey directed opera
tons from the rear. AS his men crossed the
line and eight of them fell They continued to
advance and we fred again dropping nine
more of them. while several others were hit
That was too much for them, and they broke
and ran, leaving seven dead and ten badly
wounded.
In two or three days they came back with
their force slightly increased, and 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 for while, he marched
his troops away again.
That little encounter produced pronounced
respect for the Americans among Castro's SOL
diers. and they did not give US much trouble
afterward
This enforced idleness eventually became
intolerable, and early in 1906 the company in
the meantime having sent one of its officers tic
caracas to protect its interests, l returned to
New York, after having held the fort for ten
wears 81 came back much poorer in pocket
hut with fund of information regardinasAoa
ezuela and its people.