The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-23
Venezuelan Scandal a
National Disgrace"
LOOMS is ATTACKED
Bowen Admits that the Department Of
State Tried to Bride Him. Says
LOOMS Used His sspubIic Po-
sition TO Fill His Pri-
vate Purpose.
vate Purpose.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, June 21.-Herbert w.
Bowen. formerly minister to Vene-
zeela, today made public a long state
ment in reply to President Roosevelt's
letter dismissing him from the diplo-
matte service.
Mr.. Bowen declares that the Vene-
zuelan scandal constitutes "a national
Disgrace" He asserts that ''the
LOOMS scandal pervaded Caracas
and constantly grew worse and
worse Mr. Bowen says that shortly
after he called sthe matter to the at
tention of the department of State he
received a cable offer from Washing
ton of diplomatic promotion that
would remove him from Caracas.
81 admit" he declares, that l re-
garded the offer as an attempt to
Uribe me, yelled under the offer of a
higher position and inspired by Mr..
LOOMS. j make no doubt that in the
course of the recent inquiry it has
been sufficiently plain that l did not
think Mr.. LOOMS an honest man, and
that l did not believe his conduct as
minister to Venezuela had been hon
orable.
When he went to Venezuela i'm 1901,
as successor to Mr. Loomis, Mr.. Bowen
declares he found current rumorS
seriously affecting the honor and in
tegrity of his predecessor, both as
man and as representative OF the
United States government. Epitomiz-
ing the rumors, Mr.. Bowen says:
Mr. Loomis, while minister, was
reported. - have used his public po-
sition TO ill his private purse by OBJ
tanning interests in concessions and
in various claims against the Venezue-
Ian government. He was commonly
thought also to have been In the pay
OF the Bermudese Asphalt Company.
and to have made use of his own Off
cial position to give color to the be-
lief that the United States govern
ment was especially favorable to the
side of that company in its contro-
versy with the Venezuelan authori-
ties 4as
Referring to the documents left by
his predecessor in the legation at
Caracas and forwarded by Mr.. Bowen
to the State Department., the latter
SAYS:
Il cannot better express my own
feelings in regard to their contents
than in the words of the Secretary of
State who i'm his letter acknowledging
their receipt, said:
81 have been greatly surprised and
panied in reading the documents you
sent me- -
Mr. Bowen tells of sending to the
State Department information of the
report current in Caracas, that IAN
discriminating check to Mr.. LOOMS
and letter from him to the govern
mental custodian of the Asphalt Com
pany property promising that the
United States would not intervene in
Venezuela, We're. in the hands of one
of President Castro's friends"
After his refusal to leave Caracas,
Mr. Bowen says there began to ap-
pear from Washington such false and
misleading statements in our papers
as Bowen has asked to be recalled:
he wants to sever diplomatic relations
with Venezuela; he advises that
naval demonstration be made in Vene-
zuelan waters; he is at swords points
with Castro" False reports of this
sort are ordinarily contradicted by the
Department of State, he says. I'm
this instance they were not"
With regard to the Mercado claim,
Mr.. Bowen gives the text of a letter
which was among the papers he found
i'm the legation archives. This letter
is addressed to w. w. Russell. and
sa.'S:
Dear Sir: In reference to the por-
tion of Mr.. Mercado's claim which I
bought, | want to state that the only
terms of settlement which ] will &C
tept other than full cash payment
OF about 30.4Do BOllVarS In gold, are
the following; 4 will accept 10000
Bolivars in gold and 10000 Bolivars in
salt bonds at the rate of SO per cent,
or five per cent below the quoted
market rate. provided it does not go
below so per cent.
Very truly,
(Signed.) IF. B. LOOMS"
Mr.. Bowen underlines the words
(which l bought in the letter. He
also gives the text of letter from
Charles r. Mayors. addressed to
Francis B. LOOMS and referring to
services rendered by Mr.. Loomis in
securing a contract for furnishing
loan to Venezuela.