Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1902 — CRISIS IN VENEZUELA. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA.

The Government Forces Preparing to Make Their Last Stand. Dispatches say that the greatest crisis since the outbreak of the Venezuelan revolution is fast approaheing. The govern-

inent forces are in flight everywhere, and disorder reigns. Castro’s soldiers are deserting in great numbers to the rebels. It Is said that Castro intends to move his entire strength to the vicinity of Valencia, join forces with the few remaining troops un-

der Gen. Garrido, and make one last stand before the caffitol. The insurgent leaders are elated and declare that the government is tottering before its fall. They assert that numerous victories claimed by Castro were really defeats for the government, and they predict the early and complete overthrow of the Castro administration. Recent advices confirm the dispatches from Willemstad of Sept 12. The battle which, as then announced, began Sept. 11 in the vicinity of Tinaquillo, Venezuela, between about 4,000 revolutionists under the command of Gens. Mendoza, Batalin and Riera, and government forces* of about the same strength, led by the Venezuelan minister of war, Gen. Garrido, resulted in the defeat of the gov-t eminent forces, and not in a victory for the latter, as announced in a dispatch from Torres Cardenas, secretary of President Castro, which set forth that Gen. Mendoza’s army had been annihilatedSept. 8 near Tinaquillo.

GEN. CASTRO.