The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-22
BOWEN REVIEWS
LOOMS ATTACK
Ousted Diplomat Speaks in His
Own Defense in Venezuela
Scandal.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
New York, June 22.-Herbert w.
Bowen, ex-minister to Venezuela, who
was dismissed from the diplomatic SER
vice by President Roosevelt for bring
ing what the president and Secretary
Taft regard as false and malicious
charges against Assistant Secretary of
State F. B. LOOMS, his predecessor as
American minister at Caracas, today
made statement in his own defense
1t is mainly a further attack upon Mr..
Loomis
Mr.. Bowen declares that the "Vene-
zuelan scandal constitutes a national
disgrace He asserts that Hthe Loo
mis- scandal pervades Caracas and con-
stantly grows worse and worse. -
Sees Attempt at Bride.
Mr.. Bowen says that shortly after he
called the matter to the attention Of
the department of state he received
cable offer from Washington of diplo-
matte promotion that would remove him
from Caracas.
~ admit, ), he declared, "that = re-
me, yelled under the offer of higher
position and inspired by MI. Loomis.
l make no doubt that in the course
OF the recent inquiry it has been suf-
fciently plain that I did not think Mr..
LOOMS an honest man and did not be-
lleve his conduct as minister to Vene-
zuela had been honorable
Wants Another Inquiry.
Mr.. Bowen said the recent depart
mental inquiry should not prevent an
open, impartial and full investigation
into all the facts.
nsHppressji9n Of the trqth will never f
evil will never crush. No official, how
ever high, should shelter a wrongdoer.'
The ex- minister recites the history of
the scandal from, the time he went to
Venezuela in 1901 as the successor of
Mr.. LOOMS. At that time, he said,
he found many rumors seriously affect
ing the honor and integrity Of his pred
| ecessor, both as man and as a rep
resentative of the government. he
! goes on: .-.
Stories About LOOMS.
! The stories of the alleged corrupt con-
duct of Mr.. LOOMS were a continual
source of modification. He was reported
while minister to have used his public
position to fill his private purse by obtain
| ing interests in concessions and in va
rious claims against the Venezuelan gov
eminent. He was commonly thought also
to be in the pay of the Bermudez Asphalt
company and to have made use of his Of
fetal position to give color to the be-
lief that the United States was especially
favorable to the side of that company in
it's controversy with the Venezuelan gov
eminent. .-.-
Mr.. Bowen found in the archives Of
the legation documents which he says
incriminate his predecessor in the
asphalt scandal. This was in Febru-
airy, 1904. 81 made no charges against
Mr.. Loomis,'' says Mr.. Bowen, but
simply transmitted the documents to
the secretary.' -.Ia -Ees
! After referring to the appearance of
Mr.. Bowen says:
To say that instigated these charges
is the product of vivid Imagination. II
was right after this that I was summoned
by the state department to Washington
and departmental inquiry was made
into Mr.. LOOMS conduct in Venezuela
and I was dismissed from the diplomatic
service. Yet am neither responsible fol
Mr. LOOMS unsavory reputation III ca.
racas nor for the circulation Of scanda
lous reports about him. He established
his reputation himself while living there
as American minister from 1897 to April
1901, and the statements charging hin
| with dishonest and dishonorable conduc
were made with such detail Of circum
} stances that mere denial by me was use
less What was needed was not their de
NAL but their disproof.
Letter Left by Russell.
With regard to the Mercado claim
Mr.. Bowen gives the text of lette
which was among the papers he fount
in the legation archives. This lette
is addressed to w. w. Russell AM
says: 49,.
Dear Sir: In reference to the por
, ton of Mr.. Mercado's claim which
E bought, I want to state that the onl
terms of settlement which I will accept
,, other than a full cash payment of abou
&c, 400 bolivars in gold, are the following
will accept 10000 bolivars in gold an
\ 1040O bolivars In salt bonds at the rat
of 80 per cent or s per cent below tn
quoted market rate, provided it does nc
: go below 80 per cent Very truly your:
F. B. LOOMS.
Mr.: Bowen underlines the word
(which bought in the letter. H
\ also gives the text of letter fro1
Charles R. Mayors, addressed to Fra1
a els B. LOOMS, and referring to sery
! ing a contract for furnishing a loan t
Venezuela.
\ Mr.. Bowen Is statement closes as TO
lows:
Mr.. LOOMS explains that If this cor
8 tract which was to give a million ar
s. a quarter, had gone thru he intended
resign.
Voices a Warning.
= The conduct of the man who as Amer
81 lean minister was willing to participa
e in such transactions as the foregoing
$ considered by his official superior
81 merely indiscreet, and he is retained
81 the public service.
81 My personal fate and fortune are
s little interest to the public. But it do
= concern the whole country that it's di]
: lomatic representatives abroad should
x men of clean character and unsulli
reputation, and every American citiz
III should be especially concerned when
Il man, who as minister to a foreign stat
has been the cause of grave scands
affecting his personal integrity and Il
= honor of his government, is promoted
z the high office of first assistant seer
81 tary Of state and controls diplomatic n
81 gotiations with the very government
"a whose capital he caused the scandals al
gained tainted reputation