New-York tribune., 1918-06-17
Editor Who Escaped Prison
Says Germans Dominate
Government
U. S. Agents Get Story
Carlos Lopez Bustamantc Tells
How His Newspaper
Was Suppressed

Carlos Lopez Bustamantc, a Venc-
zuelan editor who was arrested and i'm
prlsoned for several months at Caracas
because of the pro-Ally editorials of
his newspaper, arrived here yesterday
on steamship from Caracas. He said
he had an abundance of information
against President Gomez and the Vene-
zuelan government, which he will pre-
sent to the State Department.
According to Bustamente. the Repub-
lie of Venezuela is under the domina-
tlon of Germany and is aiding Ger
many in her U-boat activity off this
coast. The people, he said. were strong
ly pro-Ally, but their sentiment had
little weight because of the powerful
pro-German and anti-American spirit of
President Gomez and the little group of
politicians that surrounds him.
Bustamante went to the Hotel Seville
after announcing he would give out a
detailed statement of his Imprisonment
and outline some of the facts which
would show sympathy on the part of
the Venezuelan President for the
Kaiser. Soon after registering, how
ever, he got into communication with
representatives of the State Department
and the Department of Justice, and up
to late hour last night had not re-
turned to the hotel.
He said he would not deny there are
U-poat bases In Venezuela, but at this
time ne was not prepared to make
was arrested by government Off
clals about five months ago." said the
editor. "They sent troops to my o "a ce
and put me in Jail without stating the
reason. protested that | had some
rights, and one of them was the right
to know the reason for my arrest. I
demanded trial, but this was denied
me: No friends were permitted to
visit me, and l was unable to com
munlcate with my wife and children.
me government Rad nothing specific
upon which to hold me, but assumed
1t was because of the definite pro-
A:lly attitude OF my newspaper through
Its news and it's editorials.
"This pro-Ally spirit of nv news
paper, was supported by the people
and that was one reason for it's sup
preston. The plant was confiscated. |
recall that about a month before nv
arrest several German agents came to
me with a proposal to buy the paper.
They offered 100000, but I informe d
them it was not for sale, and if so it
would not be sold to them.
Several days later the German
agents again came to my office and in
formed me that if 1 did not cease nv
pro-Ally. attitude I would soon regret
it. told them l feared none of them
and would continue to conduct the
paper along the lines it had been fol
lowing. | detied them to compel me
to change. Within a few weeks |
was arrested and the paper suppressed
Bustamante said his wife and chill
dren had been spirited away and that
the efforts of the American consuls at
La Guayra and Caracas had been un-
successful in finding them.
Through the aid of friends he said
he escaped from prison and procured
passage on the American ship which
brought him here. He said he was able
to smuggle aboard quantity of
documents and other evidence to prove
to the State Department in Washing
ton that German money was being
spent in Venezuela like water, and that
the propaganda was receiving the sup
port of the Venezuelan government and
its president.