Bisbee daily review., 1905-05-05
WHY BOWEN RETURNS
Charges Against Predecessor Which he CCuntelanCed

caracas, e0eZuSla, AlaN 4.-MlnlS- ter Bowen, who sailed for New York, on call from Secretary Taff to report at Washington to answer to cnaIges which briefly stated involves scan iial which he has given ear to with reference to former minister Loomis.
 The scandal which is now public property in this capital, involves the allegation that, while acting in his official capacity, Mir. Loomis obtained considerable pecuniary benefits from the New York and Bermudez Asphalt Company. and that check showing the payment of s10,000 to him by the company now is in the possession of President Castro.
 It is an open secret that the ale cations against Mir. Loomis have been laid before the State Department i'll Washington and that Secretary Hay, Acting Secretary Taft and President Roosevelt are cognizant of the mat ter. The scandal has been commu- nicated to various chancelleries of Europe by the ministers accredited assured by certain members of the diplomatic corps. whose identity must not he disclosed.
 AS a matter of justice to Assistant Secretary of State Loomis. it should he said that the proofs of his al leged monetary dealings with the as phalt company are in no way con elusive and rest entirely on second ary evidence. It is. in fact, impos sible to confirm the serious allega- tions either from officials of the as phalt company here, from their oppo- nents. or from the officials of the Venezuelan government.
 It should be borne in mind also that the low political intrigue for which Venezuela is noted gives rise to many rash. incorporate charges. which un- der no circumstances could be veri- fled. In fact. within only a few months scandals involving no less than four diplomatic agents of for eign powers have been circulated here freely.
 In the case of Secretary Loomis the statements assume a far more se- rious aspect than with others in con sequence of the credit given to them by their transmission to Washington by Minister Bowen.
 Several charges in addition to that already mentioned have been for wared to the State Department in Washington against MT. Loomis by Bowen. The great stress in diplo- matic circles. however. is placed up on the one transmitted by cable that Mir Loomis had received the check from the asphalt company while min ister at Caracas to represent it's in- terest. either in the action brought against the company during the ad ninistration of President Crespo or in the Felicidad case. The check is said to have been found with the pa pers of the BermudeZ Company by A. H. Garner when the embargo was laid upon the asphalt mine. and to have been turned ever to President Castro.
 Another charge that has been made against Mir. Loomis is that while min ister at Venezuela he purchased for trifling sum claim for 10000 bol- ivars Cor s4,000) against the Venezu elan government. and then used his
  full amount from the government. The report current here is that g let ter jr Mir. Loomis' handwriting has been forwarded to Washington spec flying that one-half the money should be paid him in cash and the balance in Venezuelan government bonds is sued against the salt mines At that time the bonds were selling al 8.
 Still another document that has been transmitted to Washington ;;S apparently the draft of a contract. entered into between Mir. Loomis and one Meyer under which Mir. Loomis. then American minister. agrees 10 use his influence to adjust out of the heavy outstanding obligations of Ven ezuela to the amount of s10.000,000 for a consideration of one-seventh of that sum, or nominally $1.400, 900. These latter two documents are said to have been found among papers in the American legation in Caracas by Minister Bowen.
 While on the surface a prima facia case has been made out against Mir. Loonis. it is impossible to verify the charges in quarters which should pos sess the knowledge here. Robert Kenn Wrieht. managing director of the New York and BerBudeZ Conpa- ny in this city. when asked as to the payment to Mir. Loomis said: "The stories charging MT. Loomis with hay ing been in our employ and having received money from the Bermudez company are of course. known to me. and l have looked over the records as a matter of curiosity. I can as- sure you that there is not the slightest evidence of any such payment as is alleged"