Nebraska Newspapers

    ' BUSW1" " "
WESTERN UNION'S
'Officers of HE OMAHA ! DAILY BEE
JUNE 10 , 3871. OMAHA , THURSDAY MORNING , FEBRUARY 17 , 18 8 TWELVE PAGES. SKtfGL JJW.E OEXTS.
SORROW IN SPAIN
Hews of Disaster to Battleship Maine
Oausss Deep Regret.
SEMI-OFFICIAL NOTE IS G.VEN OUT
GoTcrnmjnt Tenders Its Oondolonos to
Minister Woodfoid.
SORRY IT OCCURRED IN SPANISH WATERS
Orders Telegraphed Cuban Authorities to
Hcnder Assistance ,
RELIEVE THE DISTRESS OF THE INJURED
Dlroctoil ( o ViinilNh Onicprn mill Crew
of the -Mill lie nidi Kverj-
U'liloli Ther
May Aecd.
il. UOS , by Trees 1'ubllslilnp Company. )
MADRID , Feb. 1C. ( Now ; York World Ca
blegram Special Telegram. ) Intelligence of
< ho disaster an the Malno reached Madrid by
cablegram today , Marshal Blanco Informing
the ministers of war , marine and foreign af
fairs that the American cruiser had blown
up by "undoubtedly accidental causes , sup
posed to bo the explosion of the boiler of the
dyiiamo. " The ministers of war and marlno
went to the palace to convey the news to the
regent , who expriescd regret , concern and
much sympathy for the victims and their
families. Sagasta also went to the palace
and had a long Interview with the queen ,
during which It whs agreeJ that the con-
dolcnco and sympathy of the government
should bo conveyed officially to the United
States government.
The Intelligence of the disaster caused
n profound sensation In Madrid among all
rv classes , even in financial circles and on the
exchanges. Most of the people , like the
government , dcploro tlio sad event. I called
at the American legation and found It had
received no Intimation of the disaster yet ,
but all members were much grieved. Minis
ter Woodford seems satisfied with the march
of negotiations which have so happily ter
minated the Do Lome Incident.
EXPRESSES CONDOLENCE.
Admiral Camera , In the name of the
minister of marine , called upon General
Woodford at the United Statca legation this
afternoon to express the condolence of the
SpEiilsh navy on account of the catastrophe
to the Maine. No event slnco the beginning
of the present Cuban Insurrection has caused
ouch extraordinary and conflicting emotlcn
in Madrid. Many papers publish special
editions tonight. All comment on the event
In guarded language , congratulating them
selves that the catastrophe was accidental
nod expressing satisfaction a the alacrity
shown by the authorities in Havana to assist
tbo wounded Americans , who are considered
in Spain worthy of sympathy. The papers
admit that all Spaniards e < hall lay aside all
unnlcnsatit recollections of the conduct of
the 'Americans in the Cuban affairs In the
presence of misfortune deserving every pos-
elblo consideration.
All the Spanish official telegrams carry the
Imprcejlon that the explosion was purely
accidental. The Spanish admiral commandIng -
Ing says the Information given so far by
the cfficcrs and the Bailers of the Ma'ne
offers no explanation of the origin of the
lire.
lire.Tho
The Spanish note was handed Minister
Woodford today In accordance with Informa
tion previously wired. On high Spanish au
thority I am able to state that both American
notes contained nothing peremptory or com-
inlnatory , but were couched In friendly
terms , simply placing the facts before the
Spanish government , therefore making it
tnsy to answer. Expectations are that the
American State department will make
equally friendly and dignified explanations.
ARTHUR E. HOUGIITON.
SEMI-OFFICIAL , NOTE.
MADRID , Feb. 16. The following semi
official note has ( boon Issued :
"Tho news of the disaster of the Maine has
caused a painful lmpre ilon In Madrid. It
was at first feared that there had been same
act of Imprudence to which the catastrophe
was attributable. Afterward , as the details
arrived , the fcara dispelled and took the form
of fcallngd of sympathy and sorrow for the
misfortune which has occurred. The cap
tain gencrairtho commandant of the arsenal ,
the sailors of the cruiser Alfonso XII , the
crows of the merchant vcracls and all the
H ! * * . ? * available forces hastened to succor the In
jured , "
The government has expressed to Minister
Woodford the regret It feels at tbo catastro
phe , more especially oa It occurred lu wateru
within Spanish Jurisdiction , An admiral lu
full uniform , In the name of the minister
of marlno and the entire Spanish cabinet
called on General Woodford today and In
formed him that the government had telu-
gropbcd to tbo authorities In Cuba to do
thulr utmost to relieve the distress of the
injured and to ( urnlsli the officers and cruw
of the Malno everything which they may
need.
i 'The United States minister , General Wood-
ford , did not receive news of the lees of the
Malno from Washington. His first Intima
tion of the IIOWH came from the Spanish
rear admiral , who called at the United
BtatcH legation to expreca In behalf of the
Epanlih government regret for the disaster
which had befallen the American war ship ,
The details then reached General Woodford
In the dujpatchea of the A < * oclated Press.
MADRID PRESS COMMENT.
The Iraparclal published an extra edition ,
mylDK that the news had produced a deep
Impression in Madrid. The premier , Scuor
Sagssta , personally Informed the queen re
gent of the losa ot the Maine.
The Epocha ga'ju ; "Whatever the rela-
'tlons between Spain and the United States ,
Ulirlatlan feeling and humanity compel us
to regret the catastrophe. The spectacle of
o many lives suddenly launched Into ctcr-
ulty Inspires companion. "
The Heraldo remarks ; "Although the
Americana try to represent us aa a people
devoid of virtues , we must face this horrl-
blu ml&fortuno sincerely and express feelings
of compassion , "
The Huraldo adda ; "In the face ot pro
vocative Americans we shall always remain
a proud people , but In tbo face of men In
misfortune , of whatever . nationality , our
hearts are alwayg full of pity. "
Admiral Chacon , the coiumander-ln-cblef
of the Spanlnu navy , In the course ot an In
terflow today , said the United States war
uhlp Malno had on board a "now explosive
based on gur.colton , manufactured by a ipe-
cl l process , " Sqh cxj.lonlves , he added ,
wore very dangerous , the slightest friction
causing an explosion , He believed the dis
aster was duo to such a cause.
All the members of the cabinet and of the
diplomatic corps left cards at the American
legation today.
El Dla expresses sorrow for the disaster ,
which It describes as a "very painful occur
rence to Spain. "
El Corrco Espanol urges the government
to Issue orders crohlbltlng the Vlscaya from
visiting Now York.
CO.M.MU.V1' IIV THU I.OXDO.V 1MIKSS.
1)1 HUH lor OIIIIMPK rrufnniiil Senmitlou
III the llrltlxli Ciipltnl.
( Cop\riflil , 155S , liy rrc I'ublliCilnir Company. )
LONDON , Feb. 16. ( New York World Ca
blegram Special Telegram. ) The Malno
disaster caused a profound sensation ! n Lon
don today. Although the dUrpatchcs from
Haverm published In the evening papers
wcro meager , expressions of sympathy were
heard on all sides. In the House of Com-
mccia lobby the scanty details available
were eagerly canvassed.
Lord Clmrlta Heraiford replied to Inquiry
early today : "I can only express my horror
of this apparently unaccountable calamity ,
Involving lots to so mcny gallant American
sailors. As to my op'cilon , what opinion
could I give , when even the captain of the
ship , who so luckily escaped , can give none.
The possibilities ot accident on war ships
arc numerous , but In most cases their origin
ecu be ascertained , as Joubtlccu this will
be. "
Ellison Macartney , secretary of the navy ,
snlil : "I could not venture an opinion and
experts to whom I have spoken today on the
aubjcct could only suggest that the rnaga-
zkic must have exploded. "
Admiral Field was equally non-committal
and It was nlalaly seen that thcu'e and other
naval authorities wcro reticent leal any ex
pression of theirs might favor the suspicion
that the catastrophe was not the result of
an accident. The hypothesis of malice Is
freely dUcussed among politicians ; Indeed , it
was the first thought , apparently , to como to
everybody's mind.
The newspapers nearly all deal editorially
with the subject , and the St. James Gazette ,
which Is particularly well Informed In naval
matters , says : "The fact that the ex
plosion took place beneath the men's quar
ters , which Is generally on the lower decks
In the fore part of the vessel , lends support
to the supposition that the mischief was
wrought by an explosion In the magazine be
neath the forecastle and as far as possible
away from the engine flres. It would re
main , however , to explain by what means
the magazine , always carefully guarded ,
could have been fired. It must be berne In
mind that the discipline upon American war
ships Is usually , to English ideas , rather
lax. Another suggestion Is that the accident
may have been caused , though the hour at
which It occurred seems to negative this ,
by some experiment carried on on board with
some high liquid explosives , recently In
vented. Another possibility which will
readily occur Is that the disaster was pro
duced by some agency outside the vessel ,
the explosion of a submarine mine or torpedo ,
CAlised accidentally or otherwise. This ,
again , naturally suggests the thought of
rage perpetrated by Spanish conspirators or
Cuban Insurgents Incensed , from whatever
motive , against the United States. "
The Evening Mews clearly fears aa out
rage , and says : "The circumstances sur
rounding the destruction of the Maine are
most mysterious , and It is a thousand pities
that such an untoward event should have
occurred nt the present Juncture. It is to
bo hoped that , until the cause of the disaster
Is made clear , the matter will be treated
with the reserve which the seriousness
merits. "
The Sun wrKcs In the same strain : "It la
certain that before the day Is out we shall
hear whispers' of treachery and dynamite ,
for the 'Maine ' was on too elaborately a
friendly call at Cuban ports and all official
explanations in the world did not prevent
( Spain from getting furious over the visit
or looking upon the cruise as a menace to
Spanish Interests In Cuba. The explosion
occurred last night and the imaginative
man will call up visions of the swarthy
Spaniard Immolating himself on the altar of
patriotism by proving to the states that the
Monroe doctrine does not apply to Cuba. "
MUJHT IIB UUU TO SI3VI3HA1 , CAUSCS.
IrvliiK 31. SfoU of L'lilnn Iron Worlcn
CIVVM HlH VIlMtH.
SAN FRANCISCO , Feb. 1C. Irving M.
Scott , vice president and general manager of
the Union Iron works of this city , which
built the battleship Oregon , upon learning
of .the lees of thoMaine , said. "While It
Is Impossible with the facts at hand to give
any definite reason for the accident , there
are several condltlms which may have oc
curred , any one of which might account for
the destruction of the vecsel. For Instance ,
flro In the coal bunkers where they abutted
against the magazine might have heated the
partitions BUfllclontly to explode the powder
In the magazine. That the explosion was uot
Ui the boiler room la evlclttit , for the ship
was at rest , and all her steaming
capacity was , therefore , under full
control. It might have occurred
In the forward torpedo tube comvartmcnt.
That would readily account for the sinking
of the vessel. A torpedo fastened under
neath Ita bottom might have caused the
same results , and while It Is natural , under
the existing condition of affairs between this
country and Spain , that some enthusiastic
Spaniard , out of eplte , might have occasioned
It , or some equally enthusiastic rebel , with
an Idea of aggravating the relations between
Spain and America might have done It , yet
the very meager reports BO far received and
the specific request of the ship's commander
that Judgment be suspended , Indicate that
the calamity was due to eomo utterly un
foreseen accident on board the ship Itself. "
von THU woiiMinn MU.V ,
AVlio ' \ \ > rr Hurl Arc I'lueiMl III
lIuupllulN.
HAVANA. Feb. 16 , Captain General
nianco'a official cable message to Spain was
filed at midnight. Half an hour after mid
night thirty-six of the crow of the Malno had
been carried to the military hospital ot San
Ambroslo. They were all most seriously
wounded. Flvo others of the crew were
taken to tbo Alfonso XII hospital.
On board the Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII
twenty-six of the wounded were treated and
thirty-six were succored on board the City
ot Washington.
George Cowler , an accountant of the
Maine , Is among the men seriously wounded ,
The crew ot the steamer Colon caved tup
wounded men ,
The Maine , at tbo time of tbo explosion
WOB at anchor about 600 yard * from the
arsenal , and some 200 yards from the float
ing dock. The explosion put out tfao etrcct
lights near the dock , and blew down wires.
Admiral ManteroU and General Solatia put
( Continued on Seventh Page. )
CONSIDERS IT AN ACCIDENT
Secretary Loni * Takes a Conservative
View of the Disaster ,
OFFICIALS WAITING FOR PARTICULARS
For ( lie I'rcNcnt \ Other AVnr Slilji *
Will lie Kent ( < Itnvniut to
Tnkc ( lie I'lncc of tlio
i | .Mnliie.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 1C. After a day of
Intense excitement nt the Navy department
and elsewhere , growing out of the destruc
tion of the battleship Maine In Havana har
bor last nightthe situation tonight , after the
exchange of a number of cablegrams between
Washington and Havana , can be summed up
In the word * * of Secretary Long , who when
asked , as ho was about to depart for the day ,
whether ho had reason to suspect that the
disaster was the work of an enemy , replied :
"I do not. Jn that I am Influenced by the
fact that Captain Slgsbee has not yet re
ported to the Navy department on the cause.
He lu evidently waiting to write a full re
port. So long as he does not express him
self I certainly cannot. I should think from
the Indications , however , that there was an
accident that the magazine exploded. How
that came about I do not know. For the
prcccnt , nt least , no other war ship will bo
sent to Havana. "
The appalling nature of the disaster and
the gravity of the situation that would arise
should Investigation give a basis for the
undercurrent of suspicion of treachery and
foul play that ran through all minds had a
sobering effect on public men of all shades
of political opinion. The fact stands forth
and Is little less than remarkable that not
a slngla resolution was Introduced or a sln-
glo speech mnae In cither house of congress
save one of condolence with the families of
the killed offered by Mr. Doutelle and adopted
by the house of representatives. Public
men expressed their opinions with reserve
when approached , but everywhere there was
a demand for an Investigation and full de
tails , In the light of which the horror maybe
bo justly viewed.
THERE ARE iMt.VNY THEORIES.
Secretary Long undoubtedly summarized
the general opinion of the majority of the
naval experts In finding It Impossible Just
now to state the cause of the destruction
ot the Maine. There are a great number of
theories , but most of them are of a char
acter that makes it easy to prove or upset
them by a single Investigation by a diver.
Secretary Long has taken immediate steps
to make this Investigation. Late this aft
ernoon ho telegraphed to Admiral Slcard at
Key West to appoint a board of naval offi
cers to proceed at once to Havana , employ
divers and generally make such Inquiries
as the regulations of the navy demand shall
bo made In the case of the loss of a ship.
It Is expected that this work will take
Bomo time , and while there are officers who
say that In their opinion It will not be pos
sible , owing to the probably disrupted condi
tion of the hull of the ship , to make out the
cause of tUo explosion , the opinion of the
majority IB that the matter may be easily
settled by the examination of the ship's
plates lu the neighborhood of the hole which
sank It , whether they are bulged out , which
would bo the case If the explosion came from
the Inside , or whether driven In , as would
bo the case from the attack of a torpedo or
the explosion of a mine beneath the ship.
The large majority of naval officers are
Inclined to the belief that the explosion re
sulted from spontaneous combustion of a
coal bunker , the overheating of the Iron
partitions between the boilers and the mag
azine , or the explosion of a'boiler , though
the last theory finds llttlo support.
The list of survivors that came to tbo
Navy department this afternoon in answer
to telegrams was Inaccurate and made out
the less of llfo eight more than the summary
originally given by Captain Slgsbeo In an
earlier telegram , so Secretary Long tele
graphed for another corrected list , nnd also
ono that ehould tbow who were and -who
were not wounded of the survivors. It was
found necessary to do this , owing to the
great number of pitiful appeals for In
formation as to the safety of some unfortu
nate on the Maine that came from all parts
nf the country.
IT MAY DE RAISED.
Tbo naval constructors , in the light of the
dispatches thus far , say It Is by no means
certain that the Maine cannot be raised and
again carry the flag. They say that while
It Is a big Elilp , others as largo have been
raised , and at Havana the now floating dry
dbck would receive It If It could once be
gotten above the water.
Captain Slgsbee evidently Is taking an In
terest In the future of the ship , for ho sent
a telegram to Commander Forsytho at Key
West , that was promptly transmitted to
Secretary Lcag , suggesting that a Ilght-
liouso vessel , or some such small vessel , bo
otatloncd In Havana harbor to watch over
the wreck , The latter , oven If beyond rcsur-
rectlcn , contains valuable ordnance and other
property that doubtless can bo secured by
divers ,
It Ui said at the Navy department that this
disaster is the greatest of the kind In naval
history since the sinking of the big DritUsh
war ship Victoria by collision with the Cam-
perdown In the Mediterranean off Malta ,
June. 1893. By that accident the Urltlsli
admiral commanding , twenty-two officers
„ „ , ! TIC mnn Inat their lives.
The Spanish legation was early advised of
the horror by Captain General Blanco , who
expressed his profound regret , and addej
that the occurrence was a chance accident ,
the undoubted cause being an cxplcolcn of
the boiler of the djnamo , This was the
only specific cause assigned from an official
source during tbo day.
M. du Bose , the Spanish charge , called at
the State department to express his profound
regret , and the entire Spanish staff left their
cardo at the Navy department aa a mark of
personal condolence. At all of the foreign
establishments there WMB the dcepwst Inter
cut and solicitude over the affair , and during
the day Ambassador Cambon of France , Sir
Julian Pauncefote of the British embassy and
others called at tbo State department to ex
press their regret.
The disinter Is remarkable la that only
two officers lost their lives , and these were
of junior grades. They wore Lieutenant
Friend W. Jenk-Ips and Assistant Engineer
Darwin It. Mcrrltt , The former waa unmar
ried , but leaves a mother and sister. The
latter , It 4s thought , also was unmarried ,
but the department waa unadvised concern
ing bis faulty ,
The following cablegram was received by
the State department from Consul General
Lee at 9:30 : tonight : ;
HAVANA , Feb. 16. Profound sorrow ex
pressed by government and municipal au
thorities , couauU of foreign natlonu , organ
ized bodies of nil ° ort9 and citizens gener
ally. Flnijg nt half must on governor fren-
crnl's palace , on shipping * In harbor nnd In
the city. Uuflnrs-t su'rtadrd , theaters
clooixl. IJend number nboilf 2CO. Officers'
quarters being In. rear nHil seamen's for
ward , where explosion tools place , accounts
for greater proportional lo.'fl ot pullora
Funeral tomorrow nt 3 p. m. Officers 'Mer
rill nnd Jenkins Mill tninslne.
Suppose you ask that nnval court of In
quiry bo held to ascertain cause of explo
sion. Hope our people nlll repress excite
ment nnd calmly nwnlt decision. LEE.
WAITING FOH NEWS.
Hard work and harder waiting and ex
pectancy marked the evening for most of
the department officials .whose duMms con
nected them lu any way with the Maine dis
aster. Secretary Long , who had been
aroused nt 2:30 : when the news first re.ichul
Washington , was thoroughly tlre.1 out and
went to bed unusually early. Hu turned
over to Lieutenant Whlttollsco t'je rcceh'-
Ing of all dispatches relative to the disaster ,
with nrdcrs to make public everything re
ferring to the nfflilr. Very Uttlo wna re
ceived that would throw light on thu situa
tion , but nearly 100 private telegrams weru
received from families and frlcnrH of the
officers and crew , begging BpcclHo news
from loved ones on the , lll-fate < ! ship. Ht-
pllnj were ten Jo to such Inquiries as could
bo answered. It was hoped by ilio Ocpirt-
mcnt that a list ot the Injured among the
survivors wouid bo secured promptly , but
ulthough a request for 'this was cabled to
Havana nt 4 p. m. no response was re
ceived , i
The State department was on the alert
for news both from Havdna and from Minis
ter Woodford at Madrid , but beyond a second
end mesbago from General Lee , expressing
the hope that public excitement In tlio United
Statea would be repressed , and citing addi
tional courtesies at the hands of the gov
ernment , llttlo else was-mentioned. A num
ber of naval officers volunteered theories In
support of the accident hypothesis , all of
'which , In the absence ofiany facts on which
to base a reasonable opinion , were decidedly
unsatisfying.
At the Whlto House ( ho president ppcnt
tlio evening until midnight In his office.
There was no official conference on the dis
aster , however , and but ono caller , Sen
ator Fairbanks of Indiana , who merely dis
cussed the catastrophe Incidentally with the
other business which brought him to the
Whlto House. The president displayed the
keenest Intcrcrt In tbo terrible Glory , anil
the deepebl sympathy wllh Jthc sufferers , and
11 waa at his suggestion tlic order half mast.
Ing all government flags wan Issued.
The president has ordered that tomorrow
and until further orders , the flags at all
navy yards and on naval vessels ut ports ,
army headquarters and on all public build
ings shall bo 'half masted.
Late tonight the following dispatch from
Captain Slgsbee at Havana , addressed to
Secretary Long , was received :
"All men whoso names have t ot been ssnt
as saved probably are.lost. . . Have given up
Jenkins and Merritt'-as Most. Bodies are
still floating ashore Utfs * afternoon. I keep
nine officers , one private'and Gunner's Mate
* * "
Bullock hero with me. "
Captain Philip of { he Texas , now at Galveston -
veston , states that the drafts of twenty-one
apprentices , which werp carried from New
York for the Malne , are still on board the
Texas.
-
Iliirrlnoii HOIII-H It Wa mi .Vcclilunt.
INDIANAPOLIS , Hid. , Feb. 10 , When ex-
President Benjamin Harrison was asked by
the Associated Press for n statement regard
ing the destruction of the United Slates
battleship Maine , he said : "The occurrence
Is a most terrible and shocking one. It
is to be hoped that nn Investigation may
leave no doubt that It was an accident. If
there should be any room for suspectlag foul
play , It would be very unfortunate. "
sim : oi < ' IIHUYFUS CASE.
Clmrn > Mailo tlml JCYVNre I'xlns '
MlllloiiH of .Miniry.
( Copyright , IMS , by I > TCRS Publishing Company. )
PARIS , Feb. 1C. ( Now York World Cable
gram Special Telegram , } Henri Rochefort
was seen today at his residence In the Rue
Pergoleso and asked to give his views on
the Dreyfus affair and the Zola trlaU. SI.
Rochefort declared himself unaffected by the
revelations of the Zola Irlal , adding wllh
flercu animation :
"The government of President Fnuro
favors revision of the Dreyfus trial to please
the Jews , who have oriarmoud Influence In
France , but popular opinion Is too strong to
suffer It. General Blllott , minister of war ,
originally favored H , but now refuses to go
against the army. ThO'.whoIo campaign is
a campaign of money , the Jews having made
forced contrlbullons all over Ibo world lethe
the cxtcnl of $2,000,000.
"Zola is moved by vanity , as ho thinks
himself the first ' man In Iho world. Being
rich , ho was 'probably not bribed. But ho
has not proved anything , and If ho appeared
alone In the Paris streets , ho would be torn
to pieces. Colonel Plcquart slolo Eslerhuzy's
letters to enable the forgery of the Dordeau
to bo made. There Is,1 no use of Mmo.
Dreyfus appealing to French pity , as the people
ple are solidly against her. Secret papers
exist , but they are of no .Importance , as
the guilt of Dreyfus was proved two yearn
before his arrcet , The Americans and other
foreign supporters of Zols are prompted by
detestation of Franco and' ' a desire to BOW
discord In the French anw * Zola will cer
tainly bo found guilty ana sent to prison
for three months. The French ministry Is
not imperiled , as the whole chamber has
been bought by Jewish' money In view of
the general elections. " jl
Emllo Massard , owner lof La Patrlo , the
chief anti-Dreyfus paper , , and president of
the military prtes syndicate , eeen at the
office of La Patrle , eild : "Speaking for
my chief editor , M , Mlllevoye , and myeelf ,
I am sorry to see tbo nunnfrr In which for
eigners , Americans especially , blindly take
Dreyfus' side. The eecret package contalna ,
w-e know , a piece of paper elgncd by Emperor
William ordering the German embassy here
to compel Getto Canalllo Dreyfus to deliver
hlu promised Information , Wo have hinted
twice at Its existence , but each tlmo the
German government has'denied It through
the agency ot Havas.
"If that secret paper' ' were .produced It
would mean war within two months. The
people of Paris do not understand the gravity
of their position nor perceive the meaning
of the mobilization now going on In Ger
many , ostensibly for China , Revision of the
Dreyfus trial could bo had only by another
court-martial and 'before ' that tbo court of
cassation would have reven-ed the decision
of the court-martial of 1691. Nothing short
of a change of the constitution could tiring
tbo c so to a JudlcliI .trial , Dreyfus must
have been convicted oq overwhelming evi
dence , aa the members of Eoolc St. Cry and
Polytechnlque form a regular free masonry.
I have no ID-will whatever against the Jews
w Jaws. "
SAVED FROM THE WRECK
Boat Load of Survivors of Disaster Arrlva
at Key West.
PURSER TtLLS STORY CF EXPLOSION
ThliiUn II Dlit Wet OrlKlnntp from
Torticilo Outxlilp ( tic
MM ! of ( InIn -
, Jurcil Men.
KEY WEST , Kin. . Feb. 1C. The steamer
Olivette , with sixty-two survivors of the
Malno on board , arrived hero at 10:30 : to
night , seven and a half hours from Havana ,
Of the number twenty arc wounded , ten
seriously and one fatally. Captain Merrill ,
with company A of the First artillery , took
possession of the dock before the veEjcl'a
arrival , and kept back the excited crowd ,
which Included half the population of Key
West. The majority were Cubzns anil
mulatto . No cue not In uniform was
allowed to go on board. The Associated
Press correspondent saw Purser Denlson of
the Olivette , who gave the following brief
account of the disaster :
"Tho explosion Is an absolute mystery to
every one. It occurred In the forward
magazine , which Is just forward of amid
ships and below the water line. The coal
bunkers ar'o outside , but separate * by two
feet of space. 'According to custom the
magazine was Inspected at 8 o'clock In the
evening , and the temperature found to bo
G9. The magazine was locked and the
keys given to Captain Slgsbee. The men
went to their hammocks In the forward
part of the ship soon after 9 o'clock.
"Tho explosion occurred at 9:40 : , and bonce
the awful and overwhelming loss of life.
No one can yet give a connected account.
About ten men who were In the forward
part of the ship were saved , and of these
several had their hammocks slung on the
lower deck. The explosion split the big
ghlp In two and threw these and one marine ,
who was sleeping on the superstructure ,
forty feet In the alp and Into the water.
NO DYNAMITE.
"In the magazine were twenty-live tons
of coarse powder used for charging the
big guns , there being no djuamitc , detonat
ing powdci1 nor torpedo heads , and nothing
In fact that could bo exploded by concus
sion. In the main magazine aft the high
explosives wcro stored , and this magazine
did not explode. There are no electric
wires connected with or near the magazine.
It la not believed that the Maine was de
stroyed by a torpedo underneath , as , if this
wcro the case , the hold would have been
torn In on the bottom and tlio ship would
not have t > ccn , riven to atoms , 03 was the
case. The aft part of the ship sank In
three minutes , and the officers and sur
vivors iOf the crew escaped half clothed.
Pieces of the wreckage , flew a distance of
COO yards. Ono large piece of cement
struck Iho quarter-deck of the City of Wash
ington of the Ward line , which anchored
ahead of the Maine , twenty minutes before
the explosion. "
Following la a list of officers and men who
arrived on the Olivette , furnished the Asso
ciated Press by Joseph M. Mann of Provi
dence , n. I. Mr. Marn was assisted In the
list by the lieutenants on board , principally
by Jungen , and the list may be depended
en as official :
Officers Lieutenant John Hook , Lieu
tenant C. W. Jungen , Lieutenant J. J.
Bland In.
Naval Cadets A. Dronson , Boyd , Washing
ton cud Crcnshaw.
Passed Assistant Engineer F. C. Dowers ,
Assistant Engineer Morris , Pay Clerk Mc
Carthy , Carpenter Helms , Gunner J. H.
Hill , Boatswain Larkln.
Lleutentnt of Marines Catlln , Sergeant
Mechan.
Mess Attendants John Turpln , Harris ,
Kushlda , F. Awo.
Wardroom Cook Toppln , Gunner Mate
Williams , Apprentice Willis.
Marines McKay , Peter Larson , L.
Moriserle , A. Hallberg , G. David , William
Gartrell.
Peggy , the capta'n's pug dog.
Lieutenant George P. Blow , LleutentiH C.
P. Melville. Uodcn , Dan Durcken , McCann.
THC WOUNDED.
A. J. Dressier.
Charleo Bergman.
W. H. Thompson.
George Schwartz.
H. Tackle.
Marino F. Thompson.
H. Hutchlns. ,
Marino McDermott.
J. Herbert , ellghtly.
A. Ham.
P. J. Foley.
George Fox. ,
M. Flynn.
William McN'air. I
Charles Galpln.
Joseph Lutz.
M. Lananau.
Joseph Kane.
Carl Christiansen.
A. Johnson. ,
John D. Load.
J , Panck.
0. Anderson.
C. Lohman.
Calvin Cook.
Henry Williams.
\ \ ' . II. niphflnls.
Mlclsleson.
LIST OF CASUALTIES.
The authentic figures given of the casual
ties are 101 saved and 251 dead.
It was a find scene at the dock tonight as
stretchcru were carried to the waiting am
bulances by artillerymen and sufferers ten
derly placed on seats for conveyance to the
marine hospital. The brave fellows bore
their sufferings admirably and some limped
through the lane of eager faces with their
arms In filings , beada bound and bloodstained
bandages on legs or trunks.
The crowd bad been yelling only as ex
cited Cubans and negroes can yell , but a
great hush fell upon the assemblage as
the head of the procession filed from the
deck house , at the eight of the actually
wounded leading. Excited women grew
hysterical and many a Latin prayer wag
heard from lips that had been shouting a
moment before.
Kvery possible arrangement for the com
fort of all who were disembarked had been
made , and all who could talk praised highly
the kindness of the Spanish officials who
opened their hearts and wardrobes to the
survivors.
Uoats from the Spanish crulier Alfonso
XII were among the first to reach the
Maine , and Captain General Blanco placed
all bis resources at the disposal of General
Leo ,
THE BEE BULLETI
Weather Forecast for Nebruka
Cold ' \Vft\p. nlth a
1. Sitln Kiprr < r * Hyitimthy. |
Secretary I.OMR on the Situation ? "
Survivor * Arrive nt Key > Vc t.
Vhlcl Description of Mnlne nlmMtrr.
S , I/ontl Intercut In Mittiio Accident.
NcbniRkiitm lliutllnp nt WinliliiRtoii.
0. Wmtrrn Union Cano In Court ,
Curio * for the r.iponlllon.
Sale nt thn Kuuna * I'aclHc ,
1. IMItorlul mill Comment ,
0 , Arktuimii nnit ttio Kxpoiltlntii
Music fur Onmtrt'n Ills Sliotr ,
0. Council UUifTft I.nc.il Mutter * ,
lotrit I.cgMntlvo I'roccvillni ; * ,
7. General No\v of tlio rurthcr Went ,
8 , Sunn of Vctrrnim' Meeting C lines ,
lucrva u In Flro Kluhn.
W , In the Vlrlil ot r.loctrlrlty.
Hartley IlomlMimi on the Dofonnlvo ,
1'rosroM of tliu Kmtiu-r Trl.il.
.M n llraton mill Koliboil.
It , Cinumvrclal nuil I'limiicUl News.
IV. "Tho SlRii of th Serpent. "
Trmitpriittiri * lit Oninliiit
Hour. DTK. Hour. Den.
R n. in - ! > 1 | i. in -lil
it n. in. -I ) il p. in 1(1
7 n. in ito : i p. in is
N it. 111 : to -i p. in is
it n. in iti n p. in is
10 n. 111 ill ( I D. in IS
11 n. 111. . . . . . : tr 7 it. 111 -in
1in. . I- H p. in M
i ) n. in n
Forecast Official Welsh nt 7:30 : received a
message from the Chicago ofllce , directing
him to display the cold wave and norther
signal. A decided drop In the temperature
with snow flurries and high north wind , Is
looked for. /
TAliK WITH CAPTAIN
CoiitiiiniMlcr < ; | VCN Xo CIIIINU
for ( lie i\nloxlon.
NEW YOIIK , Feb. 17. A dispatch to tlio
Herald from Havana Bays : The officers of
the Maine fall utterly to account for this
disaster on the theory of any Internal ex
plosion , but they also agree that no torpedo
could have caused the damage that this
explosion wrought. Then , too , the finding
of n. largo diamond-shaped piece of cement
which went so high In the air as to crash
clear through the deck of the City of
Washington In Ha descent adds another
puzzling feature to the case. An Internal
explosion would not have hurled It so lilgh
In the air.
The captain choked down his emotion and
I asked him of the disaster. "There la very
little that I can tell jou , " he replied. "I
was In the cabin at the time. I had Juat
finished a letter to my family when the
enormous crash came. The ship lurched
heavily to port , and I know In an luatarit
what It all meant that It meant that my
fillip had blown up.
"All the cabin lights were put out , rud
as i groped my way out of the apartment I
met ray orderly running toward me. Reach
ing the deck i gave orders to peat sentries
to keep silence and to flood the magazines.
The magazines were already flooding them
selves. I saw then that the disaster was
complete ; In fact , I noticed a few of our
men struggling In the water.
"Only three boats were left of the number
wo carried. These , the gig-barge and second
end whale boat , were lowered as quickly as
we could get them In the water. There
was a big hole knocked in the side of the
barge and It Is a wonder that It did not
sink with the few who had climbed Into It. "
"What do you think caused the explo
sion ? " I asked Captain Slgsbee.
"You will have to excuse me from answer
ing that , " ho replied.
An'ectH Alilc-rli'llli .SVrurlllc-H.
LONDON , Feb. 1C. American securities
opened firm on the stock exchange today ,
owing to the belief that the Cuban difficulty
was ended , but later they fell rapidly ow
ing to the news of the disaster the United
States battleship Maine In Havana harbor.
.Merrill IN mi Iowa Mnn.
RED OAK , la. , Fob. 16. Lieutenant Dar
win E. Mcrrltt , now mlfslng from the bat
tleship Maine , was born In Red Oak , May ,
1871. Ho la the son of Hon. W. W. Merritt ,
an early settler and prominent citizen , now
serving aw postmaster ot this city.
OrilerN ( lie iKIiiKT nt Hnlf .IlimJ.
NEW YORK , Feb. 1C. Mayor Van Wyck
IIQH ordered the flag on the city hall to be
lowered to half mast out of respect for those
killed on the Maine.
U13ATU IS Tim UKSU1.T OK J'OISO.V.
Coroner Holiln tin Impii'st on tlir Hc-
innliiH of ( iiiH LrflIcli. .
GALLATIN , Mo. , Fob. 10. The coroner's
Jury , called to Investigate the death of Gus
Leftwlcb , editor of the Gallatln Democrat ,
found that the editor died of polsrn adminis
tered by persons unknown. Before hlo death
Editor Leftwlch particularly Instructed that
no Investigation ba held. It was shown to
day that tbo poison was administered In
coffee drcnk with breakfast.
Maria Leftwlch , the dead man's 1-1-year-
old daughter by a former marriage , ad
mitted that before her father's death ho
charged her with having poisoned the cof
fee. Other testimony showed that on the
morning of the polton'ng Mr. Leftwlch ate
breakfast earlier than bid wife , whcrc-aa it
had been customary for Mrs. Loftwlch to
eat flrbt. The daughter has not been friendly
with her stepmother , but had always been
on the best of tcrma with her father.
FKK.VCll I.IXU STKAMKH IS LOST.
Wrecked on Ciiiiury IHIIIIIH ) | ivltli
lirrnl I.OMN of 1,1ft * .
TENERIFFE , Canary Islands , Feb. 1C.
The Conipagnlo Generate Transatlantic
line steamer Flachat , hound from Marseilles
for Colon , was totally wrecked ou Anaga
Point , this Island , at 1 o'clock this morning.
Its captain , second officer , cloven of Its
crew and ono passenger were saved. Thirty-
eight of the crow , and forty-nine paHscngcrB
wcro lost.
The Flachat was built at Stockton , Eng
land , by Pcaree & Co. in 1880. It was a
eturn screw , Iron veisel of 1,239 tons net and
2,175 tons gross register. It was 300 feet
long by 30 feet beam and 25.5'feet depth of
hold.
Miiri'iiK'iitx of Ocean Vi'vxrlM , Fell , 1(1 ,
At New York Arrlycd-iMnJeHtlc. from
Liverpool. Bailed St. I'Mul , for Southamp
ton ; Drltannlc , for Liverpool ; Wreternland ,
for" Antwerp ; liurgundla , for Mnr olllcH.
At Southampton Arrived Huvel , from
New York ; Purln , from NCJ.V York , Sailed
Travc , tor New York.
At ijuccnstown Arrived Teutonic , from
Now York.
At Bremen Arrived Weimar , from New
York.
At Liverpool Sailed ABsyrlan , for Phila
delphia.
At London Sailed Kensington , tor Phila
delphia , i
AWFDL LOSS OF LIFE
Two Hundred and Fifty Men Sloop in
Havaua Harbor.
BUT FEW SAVED FROM WHECK OF MAINE
Human Boinga Torn to Shreds by thft
Fearful Explosion ,
THRILLING STORY OF THE DISASTER
Anguished Cries for Help from the Ship's '
Bravo Craw ,
WOUNDED MEN SUFFER ON IN SILENCE
MiiKiilllcrtit Ilnttli'Hlilp C'oiniilctelr
" \Vri-oUiMt ! > } the Force of tinK \ .
liloxlou Siuiiilnriln .loin lu
Work of UCNCIIC.
( Coiiyrlsht. ! ? > , 1-y ITCJS I'ulillnhlnir Coiw ny. >
HAVANA. Feb. 1C. ( Now York World Ca
blegram Special Telegram. ) PttEwengerfl on
the stuunslilp City of Washington saw the
explosion on the Maine and heard n. shol at
05 : lasi night. II inlghl have como from
anywhere. After a ten seconds Interval they
felt the City of Washlnglon jump , and eaw
n volcano of flro and showers of berths ,
bodies , Iron and gtma. The explosion raised
three things up and then the Maine plungeil
dlagctially to the bottom. It settled slowly.
The night was lildcoua with the cries of mci :
In agony. "God help us God help help
help , " wes shrieked from hundreds of
threats. It was very dark. After the first
shot the passengers of the City or Wash'
Ington hid time to go to the portholes before
the great explosion occurred.
Other witnesses who wcro looking at the
Malno say they flint eaw flames without
noise shooting high from the center of the
ship. Then came the explosion after an In
terval sufficient to eay : "My God , the
Maine's blown up. " All agreed that the
Malno was raised almost out of the water
and that It went partially to pieces.
KraM pipe , angle Iron , etc. , fell In a.
shower on tlm decks ot the City of Washing
ton , BO Injuring two boats that when loworcil
they were useless. The City of Washington
lay at anchor 300 feet from the Maine.
CRIES OF ANGUISH.
Out of the dense smoke came anguished
cries for help. Simultaneously with the ces-
satlon--of- falling fragments searchlights
were thrown on the wreck and Its load of
agony. Spanish beats -from the shore Joined
those of the Washington alongside at once ,
but the icgular ferry boats , passing soon
after the explosion , did not stop to offer
aid. The officers of the ship say the cx-
plcslon was in the central magazine. The
theory of a central explosion agrees with the
accounts of the spectators on the Washing
ton. All but the surgeon wcro talking In
the ward room of the Malno at thn moment
of the explosion. Then came the stupendous
shock , hurling articles about Ul all direc
tions.
All know the war ship was gone nt the
first Instant. The common Impulse was to
lower boats an3 save life. All the officers
below rushed on deck , but could get no
further forward than the middle superstruc
ture on deck. All agrco that a double ex
plosion occurred , from the natural result of
an underwater explosion of the nifitjarliioa.
About twenty men In the quarter watch
were almost all blown Into atoms. Only n
few , pltlahlo few , of the 300 Jacklcs ever
got up from ibelow. The water rushed over
them and many wcro stunned and drowned ,
but not mangled. The officers en deck nar
rowly escaped. In the Junior officers' moss
all had. . to clatnber out through water and
wreckage waist deep. One ladder from the
after torpedo compartment was .lumnitd
with men struggling up for life. It IB a
sure thing that the amldtihlp principal mag.
azlno did not explode. Otherwise all the
anchor officers would have been blown lo
atoms.
MOVING THE INJURED
The Spanish marine - la
co-pa actively en
gaged In moving the Injuicd tailors to San
Ambroslo hospital , The vlctmn ! aiv ICI'IIB
collected from the Alphonso XIT. from Iha
Machlna anJ from the City of Washington.
There were some awful cases of laceration
on board the Machlna.
Altogether fifty-nine Bailers are Fbvi'd.
The others are now sleeping under Havana
harbor. The number of officers known to
be saved IH twenty-four out of twuntj . ! * .
The total loss will surely reach 2VJ lived.
Havana Is stirred to Its dcpthn , Span
iards of all classes seem sincerely dorr } .
Palace officials and Captain Genera ! Blanco
express great sorrow ,
The wounded men boar thMr agony llku
men of steel. One Bailer with his 'eg ' honen
vlfclblo through tbo pulp of lacerated fU'uli
said : "Hurt ? Yes ; but do you think I'll
show It ? "
The explosion shook the city tlroughout
and extinguished all the light i within
seven squares of the water front.
The Maine's magazlnca were rpportul
locked luut night at 8 o'clock anJ the ktya
are yet hanging In Captain SlgBbe'c cabin
on the Maine.
Captain and officers are very 'han'rfful 10
the Spanish officers for th ! r extreme./
prompt assistance. Whatever the primary
cause of the dlcastcr , It la certain thf.t tl'O
Maine's forward magazine explolcd and
tore morn than 200 tailor * nbo/a It lota
ghredfl. SYL.VE3TBU
( HVKS our iioyrisii OK THIS cuuw.
\nineM of dm MIMI nltli Tiielr J'lnco
of Ilirlli.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 16. The Navy de
partment thU Afternoon compiled and eave
out full list of the men on the Maine ,