The Washington times., 1905-04-27
.BOWEN'S CHARGES
FAIL TO PRODUCE
REPLY BY LOOMS
Assistant Secretary Will
Not Discuss As
phalt Check.
BUT ANDREWS EXPLAINS
Transactions Represented to
Be a Mere Exchange
of Checks.
BUT ANDREWS EXPLAINS

Assistant Secretary of State Loonis
today refused absolutely to discuss the
charges contained In a letter to a New
York newspaper from Caracas alleg-
ing that while Minister of Venezuela he
received a check for $4,000 from the
New York and Bermudez Asphalt COM
pany for services in their behalf
Mr.. Loomis returned to the State De-
partment today after an absence of sew
eral days, at Washington, Conn, where
he attended the funeral of Senator Platt
as the representative of the State De-
partment.
Charge Against Loomis.
During his absence mail dispatches
from Venezuela have been published
which refer to a scandal in which Mr..
Loomis is said to have been involved
and the statement is made that Minis
ter Bowen has cabled to the State De-
partment making charges against Mr..
Loomis on the ground that there is evil
dence to show that he received pecun-
iary benefits from the New York and
Bermudez Asphalt Company, whose in
terests it was his duty to protect at. the
time he was Minister TO Venezuela. This
charge together with other allegations
is said to be In the hands of President
Roosevelt. Upon the Presidents return
TO Washington a public statement on
the subject may be expected
Mr.. Loomis' reply to all questions ON
the subject today was: Il have nothing
whatever to say on the matter" He is
apparently unruff1ed by the publication
or the charges.
Official Washington Stirred.
official Washington has been consid-
erably stirred by the publication of the
sensational Caracas stories. 1t is real
lied that Minister Bowens action in re-
porting to the State Department the
gossip concerning Mr.. Loomis said to be
current in Venezuela, was a step which
will make it obviously Impossible for
the minister and his superior to remain
In the same branch Of the public service.
Either Mr.. Loomis or Mr. Bowen. OF
roth, may be compelled to retire from
public life. 1t is little doubted that an
investigation will follow that already
said to have been made by the Presi-
dent
Has Presidents Esteem.
In this connection it is noted that AS
always enjoyed the esteem of President
Roosevelt and IS closer to him than any
other assistant secretary in Washing
ton- Mr.. Hay is more interested in Far
Eastern politics than the wrangles of
Latin America and Mr.. Looms has be-
come potent adviser of affairs diplo-
matte III the Western Hemisphere
Between Bowen and Loomis President
Roosevelt, it is asserted. has a decided
preference for Mr. Loomis. 1t is said
the President considers Mr. Bowen tact
less and unnecessarily brusque. When
the minister was il Washington two
years ago rs representative of Vere-
zuela, in negotia tions with the powers
which we're blockading that country, he
and the President did not get on well
together
Secretary Taft has declined to discuss
the Caracas stories in any way
Andrews Explanation.
In defense of Mr. Loon7is the state
ment is made that the $4,000 check aI-
legged TO figure in the asphalt scandal
was one which he drew in exchange for
his own check on an American bank.
General Avery d. Andrews. vice presi-
dent Of the Bermudez company. # is
said by Mr.. LOOMS friends, has already
convinced Mr.. Roosevelt that there is no
t9sis for accuse tions. The President
and General Andrews were police com
missioners together in New York and
are warm friends.
The generals explanation IS said to
have been that Mr.. Loomis when he
started to Caracas obtained from tie
company an order on the bank of Ven
eZuela for 5000 Of Venezuelan money.
giving in exchange his own check on an
American bank.
In diplomatic circles the stories g
published have caused n sensation. Some
of the diplomats pretend TO find in these
accusations the explanation of the
United States attitude in not Furnishing
Castro for sending an impertinent
answer to the note in which this Gov
ernment demanded that the case of the
New York and Bermudez Asphalt Com
pany be submitted to arbitration.
SI.a5 to Baltimore and Return, s1.2s.