Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-27
SOME HINTS OF BRIBERY
Charges Against LoomIs Include Ono
to the Effect That He Accepted
Money From Asphalt Company
Allegations Laid Before State pc.
partment.

Caracas, Venezuela, April 26
Either the American minister should
be removed from Venezuela or the as
s!stant secretary of state should be
asked to step out of his office at Wash
1ngton, was the statement made yes
terday by dispassionate observer OF
Venezuelan affairs in Caracas.
Mr. Loomis was at one time the
American minister to Venezuela.
Briefly stated, the scandal, which is
now public property In this capital,
involves the allegation that, while act
ing In his official capacity, Mr. Loomis
obtained considerable pecuniary bene-
fits from the New York and Bermude1
Asphalt company and that a check,
showing the payment of $4,000 to
him by the company now Is In pos.
session of president Castro.
1t Is an open secret that the allega-
tions against Mr.. Loomis have been
laid before the state department in
Washington and that Secretary Hay
Acting Secretary Taft and President
Roosevelt are cognizant of the matter.
The scandal has been communicated
to various chancelleries of Europe by
the ministers accredited to Venezuela.
OF this fact am assured by certain
members of the diplomatic corps,
whose identity must not be disclosed.
Proof Not Conclusive.
As matter Of Justice to Assistant
1Secretary OF State Loonfs, 1t should
be said that the proofs of his alleged
monetary dealings with the asphalt
company are In no way conclusive, ana
rest entirely on secondary evidence.
1t Is, In fact, impossible to confirm the
serious allegations either from officials
of the asphalt company here, from
their opponents, or from the officials
of the Venezuelan government
| 1t should be borne In mind also that
the low political intrigue for which
Venezuela is noted gives rise to many
rash, intemperate charges, which un-
der no circumstances could be verified.
In fact, within only few months scam
dals involving no less than four diplo-
matte agents of foreign powers have
been circulated here freely.
In the case of Secretary Loomis the
statements assume far more serious
aspect than with others In conse-
quence of the credit given to them by
their transmission to Washington by
i Minister Bowen.
Other Charges Made.
Several charges in addition to that
already mentioned have been for
warded to the state department In
i Washington agains. Mr.. Loomis by
Minister Bowen. The great stress in
. diplomatic circles, however, Is placed
upon the one transmitted by cable that
Mr.. Loomis had received the check
: from the asphalt company while minis.
: ter at Caracas to represent its interest,
either in action brought against the
company during the administration of
! President CresDo or in the Felicidad
case. The check is said to have been
g found with the papers of the Bermuda
company by A. H. Garner when the
embargo was laid upon the asphalt
. mine, and to have been turned over ia
President Castro.
VI Another charge that has been made
against Mr.. Loomis is that while min
$ lister at Venezuela he purchased for q
s trifing sum a claim of 10000 bolivars
8 Cor $4,000 against the Venezuelan
: government, and then used his infiu
e ence as minister to collect that full
: amount from the government. The
report current here is that letter In
Mr.. Loomis' handwriting has been for
warded to Washington, specifying thai
one-half the money should be paid te
! him in cash and the balance in Venzu
2 elan government bonds, issued agains
: the salt Mines At that time the bonds
J. were selling at 35.