Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-28
WHY TRIP Is GUT SHORT
Assistant Secretary Loomis of
State Department the Sub
ject Of Charges
BOWEN is HIS AccusER
BOWEN is HIS AccusER
Charges That LOOMS Received $4,000
From the Asphalt Company Denied
by the Secretary, Who Explains His
Connection With the Transaction
Further Details.

Washington, April 2s.-The scandal
in the state department, growing out
OF the charges made against Assistant
Secretary Loonlis have spoiled Presl-
dent Roosevelt S hunting trip, ana
forced him to cut short his vacation by
Z week. simultaneously with the an
nouncement that the president will cut
his trip short, Assistant Secretary
Loomis last night gave out a state
ment categorically branding as false
every material fact in the charges
made in Caracas and transmitted by
Minister Bowen affecting the integrity
Of IIoomis' course while American min
lister at the Venezuelan capital. He
admitted he had received a check for
$4,000 from the New York and Ber-
mudez Company, but in exchange Tor II
he gave checks of his own equal IN
amount. He said that the transaction
was made when he was leaving Ven
ezllela for the. purpose OF exchanging
the Venezuelan money he had for AM
orican coin.
BY making the exchange with COM
pany doing business in both countries
he was saved much trouble. He paid
the customary rate of exchange. There
was in this transaction no thought, in
tention, purpose or suspicion of wrong
doing. Every action taken with re-
spect to the asphalt trust claim or any
other claims pending against Vene-
zuela, he asserted, was taken upon or
ders from tie state department, the
records Of which he claims will bear
him out
At the same time that Mr.. Loomis
made this statement it was announced
that President Roosevelt had decided
to shorten his stay in the west by one
week. He will start ON his return trip
May instead Of May Is.
The president is coming home on ac-
count of this scandal in the state de-
partment. 1t can no longer be kept
under the liel on which Secretary Taft
Is sitting. 1t is felt here that unless
he can back up the charges with some
thing worth listening to the only
course left for the president will be
10 QlSlIISSs lllul OuI VI
The statement given out last night
was prepared by the assistant secre-
tary after many consultations. with
Secretary Taft. Mr.. Loomis spent
nearly all day upon the prepare
ton Of 1t. His endeavor was to uss
all the words he could. think of to maxi
the denial strong. After he had pre-
pared it he decided that he wolld MOI
discuss any phase Of the subject.
Lay Blame to Castro.
So far as can be learned the assist
ant secretary has never offered any
criticism Of Mr.. Bowen other than thai
( he appeared to allow President Castro
! to influence him too much. The mos
priminent figure in the scandal is tina
same Cipriano Castro. He is the only
4 man who can laugh. When Franco:
= b. Loon1is became persona non grata tt
\ him he had Loomis recalled. Thef
came Bowen. Bowen went so far a:
to accept Castro's commission to coms
here and undertake the settlement o.
{ the claims Of Great Britain, German,
I and Italy were presenting to him GU
S,of the mouths Of cannon.
It is believed Castro now is of tht
opinion that he has got all there is II
/ Bowen out. of him and that the time
I has come for another American to 81
l sent to Caracas as minister. 1t is be.
4 lieved that Castrois influence cause
Bowen to commit the blunder of trans.
uniting TIE gossip that reflected 81
greatly upon the career of LOOMS.
May Switch Ministers.
.f It is known that for a long time tn,
president has had q mind to switch {
number oil the American ministers a;
South American capitals. The erup
ton In thu. Venezuela case will simply
hasten the general shake-up, with tbs
probability that Bowen will be sep
arated from the diplomatic service al
+ together, and John Barrett, now min
lister to Panama, will be used to fill the
vacancy.