The San Francisco call., 1905-04-29
VENEZUELAN
SCANDAL TO
Be PROBED
Bowen Will Be Re-
QueSted to Prove
Charges.
President Orders Inquiry
and All Washington
Is Aroused.
Assistant Secretary Of State LoomiS
and His AccuSer Have Not Been
on Friendly Terms.
speelaI p.spateh 70 rhe call.


CALL BUREAU. POST BUILDING.
WASHINGTON. April 2S.-President
Roosevelt is directing, by telegraph
from his hunting camp in Colorado.
an investigation of the grave charges
preferred by Bowen. Minister to Vene-
zuela, against the official integrity OF
his superior officer Loomis. First As
sistant Secretary of State. Secretary
Taft submits, all developmsnts-of-th The
case to the President and acts only
upon his instruction
Orders for Bowen to proceed home
Immediately will undoubtedly be
issued tomorrow and it Is ex-
pected that he will be here by
May 10. If, when he has left Cara
cas-, Venezuela does not become more
friendly in the matter of the asphalt
controversy, a climax will be reached
in the relations between the two Gov
ernments.
Throughout Washington interest in
the investigation is sustained at high
pitch. 1t is generally realized that it is
now in order for Loomis and Bowen to
fight il out, with the President as an
impartial Judge. In the highest official
quarters it is frankly stated that the
way Is clear for the termination or an
impossible situation.
Minister Bowen, weeks ago. while
Secretary Hay was still in Washing
ton. cabled from Caracas that it was
reported in the clubs and on the streets
that President Castro held check for
SO 900 made out TO LOOmis by the
Asphalt Company This drew from
Secretary Hay a rebuke to Bowen.
There is official authority for the
statement that Hay informed Bowen
he should not have reported the gossip
he ztD hoy hvr
cable Secretary Hay before doing this
conveyed Bowens dispatch to Presi-
dent Roosevelt
SAYS FULL PROOFS EXIST.
President Roosevelt investigated the
charge about the check. satisfied him
self ii was not we'll founded and left
Washington without any further ac-
ton In the case. He had not been
absent long when he received from
Bowen, of whom Taft was for four
years classmate at Yale. the further
charges.
OF these Bowen declared there was
documentary proof. He did not Dro-
duce the full proofs which he said ex-
listed. The charges were made by
Bowen In a personal letter to Taft. but
Taft decided ne could not consider
these charges personality. as he was the
acting head OF the State Department.
Out tIdI ltiCy 1A4AoA " CA14~4oA4I
gated
1t Is quite certain that Bowen will
not return to Caracas as American
Minister, except perhaps, to present his
letters of recall. for II Is understood
that, even II his explanation Is salts
factory and he is TO remain In the Dip
lomatic service, his usefulness in Car
acas will have been impaired and 1t
will be necessary to carry out the
State Departments original plan.
formed before the publication Of the
attack upon Loomis, and transfer Bow
en- TO either Colombia or Chile, or per-
haps to Brazil in the event that EN-
bassador Thompson is sent to Mexico,
as he desires.
NOT ON FRIENDLY TERMS
Much interest centers In the origin
of the feud between Bowen and Loo
mis-. When Loomis was Minister to
Venezuela, Bowen was Minister to
Persia. On his way to the United
stopped in Paris Loomis at that
time was in Switzerland. preparatory
to taking his new post at Lisbon and
is said to have been displeased by an
interview given by Bowen. saying the
United States would enjoy good rela-
tions with Venezuela; that all that was
needed at Caracas was a man of dis
cretion. Two years ago, when the al
lied powers, England. Germany and
Italy, undertook the blockade of the
Venezuelan coast to force the pay-~
ment of their claims against that coun-
try. Minister Bowen was high In Cas-
tro's favor. He was commissioned by
President Castro, with the permission
of the United States. to come to Wash
ington. representing Venezuela for the
purpose of treating with the powers.
Ah0ut the same time T.0Ou,ie bovy,a
on leave from Lisbon. was given
the post Of Assistant Secretary of
State. Loomis and Bowen met here for
the first time in the course of the me-
Continued on Page 2, Column 3.