Venezuela--Caracas

Acting Chief of Staff John C. Bates sends Secretary of War Taft an extract from orders to Captain Frank Parker telling him to report for duty to the American Minister at Caracas, Venezuela, as military attache. Bates suggests that these “instructions may have been overlooked by the Secretary of War.” In a handwritten note, Taft sends the letter on to President Roosevelt with his impressions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-21

Creator(s)

Bates, John C. (John Coalter), 1842-1919

Secretary of War Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Loomis and Herbert Wolcott Bowen question William Worthington Russell about papers left by Loomis in Caracas, Venezuela. Russell states that the papers were left in the safe but Bowen contends that he found some of them on Russell’s desk. Russell denies opening any of the papers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-10

Creator(s)

Russell, William Worthington, 1859-

Secretary of War Taft discusses the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela Bowen’s claims against Assistant Secretary of State Loomis. Bowen wants to prove that Loomis took bribery money. Taft offers to carry out an investigation with witnesses to clear up any misunderstandings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-10

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

This transcript presents a governmental interview of William Worthington Russell regarding the Mercado affair, wherein government officials were accused of profiting off of economic transactions and the sale of Venezuelan salt bonds. Russell is interviewed by Secretary of War William H. Taft, Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis, and Herbert Wolcott Bowen regarding his position as Secretary of Legation in Venezuela, and regarding Loomis’s conduct when he was the Minister to Venezuela. Russell testifies that in the Mercado claim he acted in a friendly, unofficial capacity, and did not personally profit off of anything.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-09

Creator(s)

United States. War Department

Caspar Whitney responds to a letter President Roosevelt previously sent him concerning the libel case between Assistant Secretary of State Loomis and Herbert Wolcott Bowen. Whitney admits that he knows little about the case, but that he believes Bowen to be a good public servant.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-09

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Herbert Wolcott Bowen writes to William H. Taft regarding an incident in which Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis, when Minister to Venezuela, allegedly purchased the Mercade claim. Bowen asks Taft to send him to Caracas with Captain Parker and Consul Carlton Bailey Hurst under orders to take testimony of anyone acquainted with the case and to get certified copies of papers showing the bank and governmental transactions of Loomis.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-09

Creator(s)

Bowen, Herbert Wolcott, 1856-1927

President Roosevelt received Caspar Whitney’s letter about Cipriano Castro and the Venezuela situation and jokingly laments that he does not have the power to authorize kidnappings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

In response to a statement by Venezuelan president Cipriano Castro, Caspar Whitney offers to go to Caracas and “kidnap that son-of-a-gun.” He also tells President Roosevelt that he almost went to an event held for William Jennings Bryan by New York State Senator Patrick Henry McCarren, and comments that the convention is only two months away.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-15

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Chief Sanitary Officer William Crawford Gorgas informs the Assistant to the General Manager of the Hamburg-American Line of a yellow fever quarantine in several Venezuelan ports. Gorgas explains how the quarantine will impact a ship landing in Panama to view the canal work.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-05

Creator(s)

Gorgas, William Crawford, 1854-1920

Francis B. Loomis writes to President Roosevelt regarding public opinion of the President and the investigation surrounding Loomis and Mr. Bowen. Loomis mentions a quote from Judge Calhoun and suggests incorporating such a short statement in Calhoun’s formal report to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-26

Creator(s)

Loomis, Francis B. (Francis Butler), 1861-1948

Rudolph Forster informs William Loeb that the Venezuelan President objects to Germany giving an account and revision of a contract to the United States that the Venezuelan Government made as if “Venezuela had no legal capacity for contracting.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-15

Creator(s)

Forster, Rudolph, 1872-1943

William Lawrence Penfield asks if President Roosevelt would prefer the facilities needed for William J. Calhoun’s investigation to come through the regular legation in Caracas. Penfield indicates he would like to take his vacation after he meets with Calhoun and Elihu Root.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-13

Creator(s)

Penfield, William Lawrence, 1846-1909

Assistant Secretary of State Loomis forwards to William Loeb a message from Caracas, Venezuela, which may be of interest to President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-27

Creator(s)

Loomis, Francis B. (Francis Butler), 1861-1948

Caspar Whitney, editor of Outing magazine, tells President Roosevelt that he believes special envoy to Venezuela Herbert Wolcott Bowen to be innocent of accusations of slandering Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis in the newspapers. The scandal involved Bowen blaming Loomis for misrepresenting or compromising American commitments to defend the administration of Cipriano Castro from European intervention. Whitney warns Roosevelt against believing “the Asphalt people,” i.e. the oil interests, in the matter. Whitney also requests that Roosevelt contribute to the Outing magazine a book, article, or papers on deer or bear hunting. Whitney claims his magazine is the only one to preach Roosevelt’s doctrine regarding outdoorsmanship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-23

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-04-26

Creator(s)

Unknown

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Herbert Wolcott Bowen reports the awards of the mixed commissions paid to various countries by Venezuela. He does not believe this rate of repayment will be maintained, since President Castro is likely to violate his agreements with foreign powers. Bowen encloses two confidential reports. The first report, titled “Grievances Formulated Since the Blockade by the Legations Accredited to Caracas,” describes the complaints that several countries have against Venezuela and Castro. Grievances include the withdrawal of exequaturs, failure to pay debts, despoliation of companies, and assassinations. Based on the government revenue and expenditures of Venezuela, it is not clear what has happened to the surplus money, half of which would be a sufficient amount to pay off the debts. The second report, which is from the Italian Chargé, lists the complaints against Venezuela and notes that the Venezuelan people are suffering from monopolies and taxes. It asks, “Where do the 40 millions surplus go which should be in the treasury but are not there?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-20

Creator(s)

Bowen, Herbert Wolcott, 1856-1927

Wayne MacVeagh would like a meeting with President Roosevelt before a transfer is made from Caracas, Venezuela.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-26

Creator(s)

MacVeagh, Wayne, 1833-1917