Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-28
Admonished by Secretary Hay.

Admonished by Secretary Hay.
Secretary Hay promptly communicated
that message to the President, and then
quietly admonished Mr.. Bowen that it was
scarcely becoming an American minister to
allow his predecessor to be traduced, the
honor of the mission being involved Mean
while an investigation was conducted here
which satisfied the authorities of the inno-
cence of Mr.. LoomiS.
But the rumors went on circulating in
Caracas, becoming more and more definite
in form as the State Department here in
creased its pressure upon President Castro
to secure a settlement of the asphalt case,
and finally Mr.. Bowen again took them up
and repeated them to Secretary Taft. The
Secretary felt that matter how Mr..
Bowen regarded it the matter was not per-
sonal to him and communicated with the
President the subject OF course hav-
ing thus become official,- the matter could
not be dropped. and hence the determina-
ton to bring Mr. Bowen to Washington to
explain his connection with it.
1t is not doubted that the President Will
promptly accept Secretary Tafts sugges-
ton and that Mr.. Bowen will take the
next mail steamer for this country. One
result of the last move in the case may be
the defeat of project which had been
formed to exchange Mr.. Bowen into an
other South American mission, which can
not be done unless he shows that he
was not culpable in the Loomis matter.
a Sweeping Denial.
Absolute denial of certain charges affect
ing his official integrity while u. S. minister
at Caracas was made by Mr. Loomis, the
acting secretary of state, in a statement
given out by him at his residence last even
ing. The statement briefly but emphatically
denies in detail and in totality each and
every charge. The issuance of this state
ment was not unexpected, as the acting
has had several conferences IN
the past few days with Secretary Taft. and
is due entirely to the wide publicity which
the charges have received. It is the opinion
of government officials that 1t was due to
the public as well as Mr.. Loomis that he
publicly and officially take note of them.
This he has done in the following state
ment
In view of certain charges affecting my
official character published in the New
York Herald April 20, and again referred to
in that papers issue of April u, and other
wise widely circulated, l think it proper to
make the following statement:
Those charges were IN substance: First,
that while acting in my official capacity
as United States minister to Venezuela l
obtained considerable pecuniary benefits
from the New York and Bermudez Asphalt
Company and that a check showing the
payment of $4,000 TO me by that company
is now in the possession of President
Castro.
This charge is an absolute falsehood l
never asked nor received, directly or indi-
rectly, in any manner or form, any money
or property other thing of varue or any
promise or suggestion thereof from the New
York and Bermudez Company or from any
one acting in its interest or behalf.
Gave Money in Exchange.
Americans who have lived in Caracas
know that rates of exchange between the
United States and Venezuela are high there
owing to unsettled conditions in Venezuela,
and that at times it is impossible to pur-
chase New York exchange at Caracas. on
my final departure from Venezuela as MIN
lister had money in bank at Caracas. L
wished to convert my Venezuelan money
into United States money and 1 exchanged
checks at the posted United States govern
nent rates, with the manager of the New
York and Bermudez Company at Caracas,
my check to the company calling for Nene-
Zuelan money and his check to me calling
for United States money. 1t was a simple
business transaction; American ministers
have similar difficulties in exchange and
similar transactions in many parts of the
world where exchange is huctuatlng or i'm
possible to obtain. The transaction was alb
soluteiy free from evil doing or evil infiu-
ence or suggestion or the thought thereof.
1.-The preposterous nature of this charge
affecting my official integrity is shown by
the fact that whatever l did, and all that
l did in giving my official support as Unit
ed States minister to the New York and
BermudeZ Company was done in obedience
to instructions from the Secretary of State,
and was approved by him after full reports
of the entire controversy from its inception.
The Other Charges.
1.-THE second charge made is that while
minister to Venezuela 1 purchased a claim
of 10000 bolivars (or $4,000 against the
Venezuelan government and then used my
influence minister to collect the fun
amount from the government 1 never pur-
chased or owned or had any interest in any
claim against the Venezuelan government
and l never prosecuted, in any manner or
form, any claim against the government
except in obedience to instructions from
the Secretary of State, after submitting a
full report of the case to him.
1.-THE third charge is that 1 agreed with
Mr.. Meyers to use my influence TO adjust
an obligation to the amount of s1000O000
for a consideration of one-seventh of that
sum, or nominally $1,400OO0
II never agreed or promised or suggested
directly or indirectly, in any manner what
ever, that would use my influence to ad-