The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 10, 1902, Page 1

=L SAN FRANCISCO, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1902. PRICE FIVE CENTS. ISH-GERMAN FLEET EIZES CASTRO'S SHIPS R the ONDON, Dec. 10.—A dispatch from Caracas, Venezuela, dated December 9th, says: “The combined British and German fleet to-day (Tuesday) seized the Venezuelan fieet, composed of four warships, in the harbor of La Guaira.f‘ It is reported also that an ultimatum will be delivered to-morrow (Wednesday) asking for an answer and a compliance with the demand of British and German Ministers.” : - - Venezuelan President Answers Ultimatu by Arresting Subjects of King and Kaiser in Caracas. Preparing to Offer Further Defiance to ‘ Powers by Expelling All British and German Residents. ARACAS, Dec. 9.—President Castro is ready for war with both Great Britain and Germany. As a defiance to those powers and an answer to their demands, he to-day caused the arrest of all of the British and German subjects in Caracas. It is the be- lief that Castro is preparing to expel all Germans and Britons from the country. The representatives of those countries have gone aboard warships of their respective na- tions. In the event of the crisis which now seems inevitable, the American legation will offer refuge to British and German residents. Minister Bowen already has been asked to take charge of the affairs of the British Minister and the German Charge during their absence from the Venezuelan capital. In view of the attitude of Castro and the events of to-day, the London and Berlin Governments must either carry out their threats to bring Venezuela to terms or retire from the field. : CASTRO DECLARES CLAIMS HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENTED President Castro received a press correspondent at Miraflores Palace to-day. questions the President of Venezuela said: “The Venezuelan Government has not received any ultimatum, properly speaking, but rath- er simultaneous requests from Great Britain and Germany. The claims ‘Great Britain asks. this Government to settle are small, and up to the present time we have not been aware of them. They never having been presented, Venezuela consequently never has refused to settle them. Great Britain’s action, therefore, is without justification. “Venezuela cannot decide on foreign claims before the revolution has been entirely crushed. At present the only aim of the Government is the re-establishment of public order, and other ques- tions must necessarily be subservient to this object. Nevertheless, to prove Venezuela’s desire to settle all pending claims in a conformable manner, the Government issued a decree during the last session of Congress, dated November 28, creating a committee to which all pending claims should be referred. No claims have been presented to this committee and no, claims have been rejected. There has been no denial of justice; why, then, should foreign chancellories intervene, thereby ig- In reply to noring action our laws and endeavoring to violate our national sovereignty? We cannot understand this SAYS THAT VENEZUELA WILL ENFORCE HER RIGHTS “What do you intend to do in view of the present attitude of the powers?” was asked. “Enforce our rights,” replied President Castro, “and explain to the world that Venezuela has laws, and prove that we have never denied our engagements.” | He replied, after reflecting: “The Venezuelan Government is astonished that, after the notes which were transmitted to it by the diplomatic representatives of Germany and Great Britain, these envoys should leave Caracas without awaiting the reply of the Venezuelan Government.” : Questioned as to what course he intended to pursue should the powers declare a blockade, the President excused himself from answering. No ultimatum has been delivered to the Venezuelan Government up tc 2 o’clock this after- or fail to reply to ‘the notes of Great Britain and Germany, it is noon. Should Venezuela refuse believed an ultimatum will then be delivered. Gl er Retribution. ASHINGTON, Dec. 5.— The arrests of the Ger- man subjects in Caracas to-day are believed to be in the nature of a retaliation on the part of President Castro for the ultimatum which has been sent to Venezuela for a settlement of the long standing claims of Germany and England against her. Inci- dentally such action by Venezuela will, it | is believed, involve this Government, the German and British representatives in Venezuela before leaving Caracas re- | quested United States Minister Bowen to | take charge of the interests of their coun- | tries in Venezuela. It was sald at the | State Department to-day that this request | would be granted, and the probability is that Minister Bowen already has taken steps toward that end. Considerable surprise is expressed here | over the arrests, as the result will be to | add to the serious complications already | existing. Owing to the late hour at which the Caracas bulletin was received it was impossible to ascertain whether any infor- mation had been received by the State Department from Mr. Bowen regarding the arrests. Senor Pulido, the Venezuelan | Charge d’'Affaires, also was indccessible. — . ! MAY ACT AS MEDIATOR. Minister Bowen May Proffer Services to Belligerents. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9. — Minister Bowen at Caracas has cabled the State Department confirming the news that the Eritish Minister and the German Charge d’'Affaires withdrew from Caracas yester- day, after presenting an ultimatum. Before they left these officials requested Mr. Bowen to take charge of the interests of their countries in Venezuela. This re- quest will be granted, as there is no war- rant for a declination in such cases, and the United States legation in Caracas will extend protection to British and Ger- | man subjects when called upon until a normal state of affairs is restored. This is not likely to be the end of Min- ister Bowen's activities, for from the tenor of some of the communications he | has made to the department it is inferred that if he sees an opportunity to use his good offices as a mediator between Pres- ident Castro and the British and Ger- man representatives he will promptly avail himself of that opportunity. _The State Department is not encouraging him in this attitude, preferring to avoid all entanglements, but, being on the spot and willing to do what he can to prevent a crisis, Mr. Bowen may be allowed some measure of discretionary power. The State Department is perfectly aware of the intextions of the British and German Governments, having been sounded in advance, and it has seen no reason to interfere at this stage, if at all. THOSE UNDER ARREST. Germans Far Outnumber British Subjects in Caracas. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—There are comparatively few white British subjects in Caracas—probably less than fifty. The Caracas-La Guaira Ralflroad is a British concern and its general manager and other high officials are Englishmen. There | are some English engineers on the line. ! arrived here from Venezuela, brings Other Englishmen in Caracas are em- e President was asked what reply the Venezuelan Government would make to the re- uests handed it by Germany and Great Britain. ; This ultimatum would be transmitted by Admiiral ass, commanding the combined British and German fleets, or by the captain of the British cruis- ployed in commercial and industrial pur- suits and Englishmen are found among the clerical forces of commercial houses. The Germans in Caracas are much more numerous. They are found at the head of important commercial houses and banking institutions. The German custom of bringing out clerks from the Fatherland accounts for the presence of many young Germans in the Venezuelan capital. The railroad from Caracas to Valencia is a German concern. It is probably officered by Germans and Germans are employed by the railroad company in many capaci- ties. There are also a number of German merchants and German clerks at La Guaira and German subjects are found in almost every important town of the re- public engaged in commercial pursuits, The census of 1894 places the number of Germans ir Venezuela at 962. DEFIANT AND INDIFFERENT. Castro Is Prepared to Expel German and British Subjects. KINGSTON, St. Vincent, Dec. 9.—The British cruiser Indefatigable, which has re- ports that President Castro of that country is defiant and indifferent to the threatened blockade. It is asserted that President Castro is prepared even to ex- pel the German and British residents of La Guaira and to close that port. The Indefatigable left the British cruiser Retribution and thé German cruisers Vinga and Gazelle at La Gualra. There are at present five British men-of- war at Port of Spain, Trinidad, ready to leave there on short notice. LUDINGTON 5 SUPPLIED WITH DATA Perkins Presents the Transport Question. Gives Figures Support- ing San Francisco’s Claims. California Senator Confident Present System Will Be Continued. SAN FRANCISCO PRESENTS CASE 70 PRESIDENT IR T AN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9, S 1902.—Hon. George C. Per- kins, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: Kind- 1y present this to the Presi- dent: We respectfully request that the present limited trans- port service be retained here for the following reasons: | Comfort, health and safety of the soldiers, convenience to Government in maintaining its present depots of supplies and routes of transportation and as a matter of economy to ! prevent heavy loss through in- ability to dispose of present fleet and consequent rapld de- terioration. GEORGE A. NEWHALL, President Chamber of Com- merce of San Francisco. A. SBARBORO, President Manufacturers’ Producers’ Association, A. A. WATKINS, President Board of Trade of San Francisco. GEORGE W. MceNEAR, President The Merchants’ change. ANDREW M. DAVIS, Vice President Merchants' sociation. s 3 g ALL BUREAU, 1406 G STREET, N. W., WASHING- TON, Dec. 9.—Senator Perkins had an interview with Quar- termaster General Ludington to-day regarding the question of the transportation of troops and supplies to the Philippines, present- ing figures prepared by San Fran- cisco commercial organizations tending to show that the operation of the Gov- ernment transport service was more cconomical and advantageous for the War Department than would be the transfer of the business to a private concern at Seattle, which has submitted a bid. Sen- ator Perkins and General Ludington went «over the subject thoroughly, but beyond the presentation of this phase of the ques- tion nothing new was developed. Regarding the allegation that the spect- fications of bids for transportation busi- ness advertised by the War Department in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle were not uniform, Senator Perkins said he has looked up the matter and read the advertisements for bids and finds they were exactly alike in each case, the same bids and specifications being publisheéd in each of the three citles. Secretary Root, for family reasons, may be delayed in his return to Washington, but is expected to be prepared within a few days to decide the transportation question finally. : Senator Perkins continues hopeful that when the entire subject is placed before Secretary Root he will see the wisdom of continuing the present transport system, at least for some time to come. e COMMERCIAL BODIES ACT. Place Before President Fact Pertain- - 240 and As- Patro]map Sn OFFICER ALEXANDER ARRESTED ON CHARGE OF TAKING A BRIBE owball Resigns on Account of Present Police Scandals, W hile Lulu Wilson, Star Witness, Is Spirited Away & HE arrest of Policeman Ernest J . Alexander = for accepting a bribe, the disappearance . of | Laulu Wilson, the star witaess against him, and the resigna- tion of Patrolman Snowball, who, with five other policemen, was re- | moved from the tenderloin district for | certain irregularities, were the Important developments in the police scandal yester- day. Alexander was arrested at his home, as it was believed he intended to.leave | the city, and was locked up in the City | Prison. The Wilson woman, evidently be- | coming alarmed,. left her lodgings and| cannot be found. Captain Martin's men | are of the opinion that she is still in the | city, being cared for by Alexander's | friends. Despite the strenuous efforts made by the heads of the Police Department to keep the story of how Alexander was | trapped a secret, it leaked out last night. . R. P. Luce, a young electrician who is employed by ‘the city, was the first person | to inform Chiéf Wittman of the grafting propensities of Alexander. It happened this way: About three weeks ago Luce was in the Olympia at Eddy and Mason | streets when a well dressed young wom- an, who afterward proved to be Lulu Wil- scn, addressed him and asked him to buy a bottle of beer. After a brief conversa- tion the woman told Luce that she was ing to Transport Service. President Roosevelt’s attention was called yesterday by a telegram signed by representatives of every commercial body in San Francisco to the reasons why- the present limited transport service between Continued on Page 8, Column 1. -woman referred was “Jim"” Culllnane, afraid to go home. When asked for an explanation she repiied that she had been threatened with arrest by a policeman whom she knew as “Jimmy the cricket.” LUCE ACTS AS ESCORT. Learning that the officer to whom the | | | 2 —p ELECTRICTIAN EMPLOYED BY THE CITY WHO WAS INFORMED BY LULU WILSON THAT POLICEMAN ALEXANDER COMPELLED HER TO BUY IMMUNITY FROM ARREST. . — e Luce volunteered to escort her to her room in the Golden State at Eddy and Mason streets. On the way to the lodg- ing-house the woman told Luce that she had been in the habit of giving money to Pcliceman Alexander for ‘‘protection.” She sald the amount exacted from her euch week by Alexander was $250. Two days later, while the woman was walking along Turk street, Alexander met her and advised her to rent a room in the Queen lodging-hduse at 13 Mason street. ) He explained that he could give her bet- | ter “‘protection” if she changed her lods- ings. The woman took his advice and changed her abode on the following day. Perhaps Alexander would have contin- ued extorting money from the woman had not Luce, who was deeply im | pressed with her story, informed a trus | ed friend of what he had been told. The friend, about a week ago, after satisfying | himself that the woman was telling the l Continued on Page 2, Columa & |