THE OMAHA DAILY BEE ; TUESDAY , MAUCH 20 , 1808.
TESTIMONY BEFORE COU
retailed Statements Relating to the Wi
of the Maine.
BEAR OUT THE FINDINGS RETURI
VoYTC-Uon , Cnptnln
C'oimnl l.er , Diver * nnii Other *
Tell What Thcr Know
of the Matter.
( Continued from Second Page. )
on board ship. Every possible care
taken to avoid accident. All visitors \
scrutinized before being allowed to comi
board the ship. Nobody was allowed
accompanied. Special "lookouts" were
quired at night. No unauthorized boats i
allowed to approach the ship.
There was fine discipline , obedient cr
quiet men. He was In the captain's c
at the time ot the explosion ; felt a
heavy shock and heard noise ot fa !
objects on deck. Thought the ship iwas
Ing flrc.1 upon. Was told by captain to
boa& were lowered. He saw few men c
Ing , mostly officers. Ho saw no rcasoi
flood the magazine because water was cot
up. He H > UV fire forward. Bants begat
crowd around the wreck. Ho Induced b
to take the wounded to different vessels ,
ordered a list taken of the saved
wounded. There was excellent dlscli
Utter the explosion. Orders were folk
with promptness of a drill. The only o
not obeyed was the order to leave the i
He first examined the wreck at day ]
the following morning. He took a gig
Lieutenant vHood and a few men and
templed to board the wreck. He was wa
off by an armed boat's crew of Spaniards
then pulled around the wreck. There i
still some 'burning ' fragments.
On the sixteenth day Lieutenant (
mander Walnwrlght , said :
"Nearly all the powder tanks show i
of having been subjected to outside prcs
as If pressed against the powder Innldo ,
their ends are also crushed In. I saw
6lx-lnch tanks that wcro opened at the s
and were pressed down flat as It by exei
-considerable force. "
UNKNOWN WITNESS.
A witness was Introduced whose name
Buppressed by agreorent between him
the court. Ho had to talk through ar
tcrpretcr. This witness was crossing a
7:30 : o'clock on the morning of the 15th
Havana to Rcglas on a ferry .boat. Ho
sitting near three Spanish officers , two ol
army , one of the navy , and a citizen.
They were , talking about , the Maine ,
of the army officer * said : "That Is m
arranged. "
The citizen naked If making cxploalor
the bay would not endanger Havana ,
officer said , "No. " It was arranged eo
It would simply explode , open the ve
nd It would sink Immediately. The (
man Jocusoly explained , "Oh , I will
plenty of beer on that occasion. "
Someone came by and they sudd
stopped the conversation. They had sa
was a nh a mo It ( the Maine ) should be It
bay , ami they would blow It up anyhov
H'EbEIVIJS A WAIUNIXa LETTER ,
Henry Drain , a clerk In the United S
consulate , Havana , was examined as tc
receipt of an anonymous letter recelvei
the consul gencr-H In regard to the cxpli
at the Maine. 'Witness ' produced the Ic
the date ot which was 'February ' 18 of
present year. There was no signature , 1
Ing signed , " .An admirer. "
Drain Dild It seemed to bethe docu
of a fairly well educated man. It was
ten lu Spanish. The translation was
duced and was handed to the Judge advi
and read by him. , The letter waa referr <
In the record as being marked "F , " but
not appended.
In response -to the question as to whi
anything bad been done to ascertain
truth ot the statements contained lu the
tor , the witness said that he had.
' Ho asked General Lee to look Into
matter , and hodid not appear to know
to do , saying ho had no secret so
money.
A manby the name of Pepo Taco
mentioned In the letter. Witness sali
had tried to discover the whereabout
ttu < man und the o-jo to whom ho s
said the name was a mistake , that the
mentioned had died a few days before
explosion ot the Maine , and that the 1
referred to a Pepo Barquln , that ho
had died suddenly about two or three
after the explosion ot the Maine. The
nass declared his Informant was Mr. Ch
Carbonnell , au American citizen.
ENSIGN POWELSON CALLED.
Ensign W. V. N , Poweteon waa callec
third dny of the court. He testified tha
had been present on the Maine every
from the arrival ot the boat Fern and
Ing a great deal of the diving.
In reply to a question to tell the cour
about the condition of the wreck be said
forward part of the ship , forward of
after smokestack , had been to all api
ances completely destroyed. The con
tower lay In a position opposite the
leading to the superstructure aft am
itwboard , inclined at about 110 degree
the vertical with the top ot the con
tower inboard. Continuing ho dcsci
with close detail the condition under
main deck on the port side. The flxl
were completely wrecked , whllo fixture
tue came position on tbo starboard side
In some cases almost Intact. The 1
head between the main and berth deck
the conning tower support had been b
aft on both sides , but a great deal moc
the port than on the starboard side ,
flro room hatch Immediately baft of
conning tower had been blown In threi
rcctlons , aft. to starboard and to port ,
protective deck under the conning t
supports waa bent In two directions ,
plates on the starboard side being ben
and on the starboard side bent down.
In reply to en Inquiry as to whethc
meant with reference to their original
* lon Ensign Powelson replied affirmatl
The beam * upportlng the protective
a few Inches abaft of the armored tub
port ot the midship line , waa bent u
starboard of the midship line. Just for
of the conning tower underneath the i
deck two beams met at right angles ;
.beam . was broken and pushed from poi
starboard. A grating was found on the
awning just forward of the after BC :
light. A pleco ot the side plating Just i
of the starboard turret ws visible ,
place was bent outward and then the
ward end bent upward and folded back
upon Itself.
PLATING PUSHED OUT TO STARUO/
"This plate was sheared from tbe re :
< ho plating below the water line. This
tug below the water line has been pu
itt to starboard. "
The armored gratings of the engine i
natch wcro blown off. A competition sin
was picked up from the bottom on the i
board quarter at a point about opposite
poop Catalan and about seventy feet froi
The1 chief engineer thoiight the strainer
from the firemen's wash room. It was
B strainer in the ship's side.
Near the pleco ot outside plating to w
witness referred above he said there
pieces ot red shellaced planks. . On t
planka was bolted a composition track
Inches wide and an Inch thick.
Ensign Powelson then csked If the e
meant for him to say anything about '
the divers reported or Just what he ea
The Judge advocate replied that ho w
llko to have him state any Important
covcrles udlch might lead the court to i
tome- conclusion aa to the cause and
diver gave cuch Information to state
diver's name. Before doing so the Judge
vacate asked witness to state It the for' '
and after part ot the ship were in line.
Ensign Powelson replied that as far a
could Judpe they were not. The end w
the explosion occurred seemed to be pu
from port to starboard from 5 to 10
grccs , he should judge , with the apex to
starboard. The divers reported to wit
that at a point wbere tfte ten-Inch i
room ehould be they discovered tea-
shells regularly arranged , but the ship
uak down so much that eome ot the o !
were In tbo mud.
HOLE NEAR PORT SIDE.
Gunner Morgan reported th t In wal
on the bottom ho fell Into a bole on
port aide and went down in the mud.
alia reported that as far * s he could ji
everything § wm d to bo bent upwarc
tii * Ticlnlly ot tfcU bolt. Ito * Uo repo
that the ptatct seemed to have been punt
over to the starboard and then bent down
Ensign Powelson then said that a slx-ln
powder tank that be saw , appeared to be
empty tank broken by the explosion , as
was not badly dented and merely ripped t
length of the seam. A ten-Inch tank v ,
battered out ot any conceivable shape.
Continuing , wltnces said the divers up
the nlcht before bo was then on the eta
had not been on the outside- the ship , 1
mud was too deep tor them to walk on I
bottom.
"What to tbo condition of the starboi
turret ? " witness was asked ,
"To mjr knowledge it has not been foui
sir , " was the answer. He understood son
thing had becu found und.-r the place wli
the turret formerly was , but Its exact ch
acter had not been determined.
"What Impression Is produced upon y <
mind by the reports so far an you hi
quoted them ? " Enalgn Powelnon was n k
"From reports alone , or from the appe
cnce of the wreck ? "
"Either from such reports or the ceo
tlcr.shlch you believe to exist ? "
EXPLOSION ON PORT SIDE.
"Tho Impression produced upon me , "
piled the witness , "Is that an explosion tc
place well to port of the midship line , t
at a point In the length about opposite
conning tower. " .
Witness , in reply to further questions , s
hla opinion was baecd upon the obscrvat
of things above water. He gave no well
to Mr. Morgan's statement about falling I
a hole on the port side , because Morf
might have been mistaken about It.
Referring to his notes made of things
the Maine , Ensign Poweson said that
arc of the engine room telegraph and
shaft of the steering gear coming do
through the armored tube ( turret ) was b
from port to starboard. The port side
the protected deck waa discovered will
greasy deposit , the starboard side being c <
p-iratlvcly free from It.
The forward smoke pipe between the m
and superstructure decks did not show i
signs of the Internal pressure ot gases.
On the main deck forward of tbo conn
tower where the fore and after angle b
beam was located the planking was blown
oi > the only remaining plate of the main d
on the port side , whllo the wood was e
attached to that part on the stanboard s
between the conning tower base and
turrets. What witness saw would Indlc
that the pressure lifted the protective d
up on the port side , and the protective d
on the starboard side held fast and bent t
deck downward. Witness hero exhibited 1
sketches to the court , showing diagram
various parts of the sunken ship aad
plalnod them to the court.
The witness' evidence about the strip
the atarboard sldo of the outside plating
the ship which was folded and rolled b ;
was recalled to him and Powelaon said
could sco the plato underr.eath It was b
outward , as ho could t > eo It , as It was o
two feet under witor where the shear
currcd. Witness had taken soundings ;
had found five fathoms of water on b
sides of the Maine down to the mud. T
Ing a fourteen-pound lead line and dragg
with a wherry for obstructions on the r
side , dragging close to where he thou
the waterways would be found , he found
obstructions whatever. On the star'io '
oldo were no obstructions for twenty 1
where ho had reason to believe the wai
ways had originally been.
Mr. Powelson continued to say that O !
told him he had found a bole cut lu , a pi
twenty-flvo feet from the angle of the V i
exhibited a sketch showing that the li
line was found by him sloping down sb
five degrees below the horizontal and to pi
The point where he had found the keel i
about twenty feet under water. Ho had
followed the keel at that point as the p !
Ings between opened out ao that he , '
noltilng to support him.
Mr. Powclson eald Olscn testified t
about twenty feet from the sluice valve
found an opening In the chip's side ,
had found boarding mear the sea auction
apartment A 10 , about twuity-ono .feet fi
the elulco valve In an almost vertical pi
tlon , although It was originally horizon
REASONS FOR HIS DEDUCTIONS.
"If you consider the fcoctlon of the s
between frames eighteen and thlrtce
continued Powelson , "and consider that
part of the bottom floating between fra
eighteen and frame 'fifteen Is bent out a
right angle , end It-en that the whole sect
Is turned forward through 90 degrees , ;
will picture the position In which the pic
are now found. This plating could elt
have been shoved out from the after E
or It could have been pushed In from tbo <
ward elde. The only Indication aa to I
this was done was the wooden boarding ,
the after part ot the plating had been pus
out from the taelde , the board would h
broken at the angle which the plates ma
If the forward portion ot the plating !
been pushed In the boards would have b
torn away from the after plating as In
ease with the platea now. "
The judge advocate asked Mr. Powel
how ho looked upon Olsen's testimony ,
view of his knowledge of the Maine and
drawings of the vessel ?
Ho replied that he regarded it as
tremely accurate.
The judge advocate asked Mr. Powel
what he deduced from all this teatlmcny
colved from the diver that forenoon ,
gctr-er wltb what Information he bad befi
Mr. Powelson replied that be thought
explosion occurred on the port side soi
wheco about frame eighteen , center of
pact. The ehlp yielded at seventeen and t
at fifteen , but it was pretty hard to say
actly where the Impact came. Frame flft
was bloun in.
"Hew do you account for the Immei
damage done abreast of the reserve cna
zlne , where there Is nothing left , whcr
between frames sixteen and eighteen ;
have found damaged plates ? " Mr. Powel
was asked.
"My IdeaA' te replled/'Ms that If the s
was raised up at frame eighteen the ma
zincs , ouo or all ot them , after that w
exploded , for some powder tanks that I b
seen I think were exploded , while other
have seen were not exploded. I sav <
coffee can that waa brought up this morn
which was about aa badly battered as m
of the powder cases that came up. It lee !
In very much the ouno condition. "
"When you say some ot tbo powi
tanks had. In your opinion , exploded i
some had not. do you refer to slx-h
tanks only , or two-Inch tanks also ? "
"I refer to both , as I have seen one t
Inch tank that was very little ripped c ]
and I saw one this morning that had H
been opened and flattened out with e
dcnct'3 of burnt powder on It. I saw i
ten-Inch tank that was scarcely battered
all and had only the head of It gone ,
also saw ten-Inch tanks with the pack !
which looked llko excelsior , unburnt , so t
In my opinion some , but not all , ot
ten-Inch and six-inch charges wcro
ploded. "
Mr. Powelson said four or five tanks 1
been brought up that morning , but ho
not see all ot them. The one be had si
was exploded and burst out so that
case formed almost a plain surface. 1
ten-Inch tank had Its head removed , ' <
It bad preserved Its approximate shape.
When questioned further as to what
regarded as the cruise ot the Injuries I
Powelson said : "On the bottom forwa
where that frame was thrown up , It wo
seem to me that force was communlca
some distance through the water , because
was lifted up Instead ot being battered
U was a force that was cushioned In so
way , because tbe diver tells me there \
bulge of platea between the two frarr
and such a dent as that would bo a cushl
pree ure. So the plates In that part ot t
ship not having been broken In the cxp
slon , It taajr have occurred uft and 1
frames forward of the transverse armor t
Ins weaker than they are aft , the si
might have been lifted up there by tl
cushion pressure from further oft. "
"It struck me , " continued Mr. Powetsi
speaking of the same part ot the vest
"that the mlna there could have been vc
close to thoio plates that were lifted i
because , as I say , the plates are not
much damagoi , but bent In the form ol
V and lohcd up a vertical distance ,
scorns to me that the mlna was somcwr
removed and the pressure came through t
water , which produced 'that cushion tort
pressure.1'
NO PLATING BLOWN OUTSIDE.
In answer to questions he cald there v
nothing left of the port plating at all.
dragged along the outsldo to sco If nnythl
had fallen out and found nothing. Wtm
thought the ship en the port sldo was i
tlrely gone opposite a point Indicated on
diagram handed to the court. It was (
tlrely blown up. ,
This concluded Ensign Powelson's tes
mony on the third day.
KnslEO Pouclson was recalled on the sb
day , when ho said that since his last tea
mony ho has received a book of speclflcatlc
of the Maine. Refreshing his memory fri
these records , he said the platen ot the pi
tectlvo deck were one-Inch thick , welghl
forty pounds per square foot.
Ensign Powelson. wishing to give soi
testimony regarding the wreck , Gnnne
Mate Olson , the direr , was admitted In ori
that he might correct any erroneous sta
ment. the two having worked together. Ji
Powclaon said on February 26 Diver 01 < :
reported to htm that on coming up fri
below he had followed the forward and afi
wings of V shape made by the bottom pli
Ing at frame seventeen , and eald on the f
ward wing ot the V the plates ran do
on a very steep slant and then turned urn
and out under the starboard side , that ji
above where the plates descend to go uni
the starboard side he found two dents as
the plating had. been bulged fan between I
frame from the ou'otde.
The court asked the size ot these t
dents. Mr. Powelson replied that they wi
about two and one-half feet long and tmU
In about six Inches. Ho further testified tl
Olson again went down acid came to I
surface at 11 o'clock , saying he thought
l > ad found the flat keel. Olsea had report
that the keel was sloping downward ab <
forty-five degrees and to port with the at
part ot the keel uppermost. Ho said
had explored the after wing of the V a
had found a semi-circular hole about t
feet In diameter wltb rivet hole.9 all arou
It. He said that semi-circular bole v
about twenty feet from the top ot the
made by the bottom plating. He said '
plato presented a Jagged appearance as 11
had .been torn , and that a crack had <
tended from the bottom edge of the sei
circular hole a distance of about ell
Inches , and that the plates about this ra
were bent away from the green elde ot I
plating.
SHOWS HIS PLANS.
Ensign Powelscn was recalled Februi
25 , and Miowcd the plans of the Maine fr
which he dad Idontllled the bottom pla
that were blown up through the upper do
The finding ot these plates on top of I
wreck , clear above water , was among i
Qret and most Important points of evldei
clearly disproving the possibility of an !
ternal explosion.
After minutely describing the botti
plates with their coating ) of paint and otl
marks by whltd they were Identified , PC
elson said they must have been blown
thirty-eight or thlrty-nUie feet to ret
the If present position.
Beside the bottom plates , Powelson fou
sonio pieces from the bottom compartmi
lodged In the anglo of the bottom pla
that protruded above the water. The bei
deck over this bottom compartment was a
on top of the wreck , and twenty feet f
ward ot the plates , whllo this section ot t
main deck has disappeared.
The diver who had been working for Po
clson on this Investigation Informed h
he had found the ammunition of the s
Inch magazine pushed over to the etarboc
elte.
Ensign Poweleon was recalled on t
eleventh day and described the reports mate
to him by the divers , which were aftcrwa
directly testified to before the board.
"March C , " ctstlfied Powclson , "I se
Olsen down the pleco ot keel , the vertU
keel , to make further explorations of t
10-Inch magazine. Ho v/ent down to whe
the keel became horizontal at frame :
walked aft about twenty-five feet a
climbed over a lot ot wreckage consisting
plates and bulkheads standing upright. T
upper ends were ragged , and ho crawled o\
them to what ho thought was a part of
boiler. Ho could not give definite detal
but ho thought It was a boiler.
, WRECKAGE WAS CURVED.
"A llttls aft he walked to port clear
the ship in the mud. He was at the til
forward ot the break of the ahlp at frame
About ten feet In he found wreckage. 1
examined * this plats and found It curved
it It were a part of the ship. It point
toward ( the starboard bow , but It was
dark ho could not dlutlngulsh the color , i
the edges of the plating were rough. T
compartment eeemtid to bo about two a
a half or three feet wide.
"Forward from this point he found a s
Inch tank. It was Intact and was sent v
It proved to be a full tank. He found
lot ot broken tanks apllt up on the soar
and ono tank the cover ot which has ho !
tn It.
"He found a lot of mud which was broup
up and which looked llko dlatolved powd
There was auy quantity ot similar mud
the f > amo place. The mud around the tan
was black , that of the harbor U gruy. "
Ensign PoweUon was recalled on Mat
IS , and explained how ho got the data .
his sketch ea which played ouch an Import !
part In the work ot the court. He said
sent divers down at various points ale
the line of the keel aa It lay broken a
twisted on the harbor bed. Then he i
In a boat and located tbo points on the k
by a lead line.
Ho established stations at the main ma
the port crane , smokestack , etc. , and fri
thwe bases ho. would get tbo bearing
anglra ot Ills lead line as It rested on I
keel and other points ot the wreckage un <
Wiitcr. Thus he was enabled to plat a ra
ot the wreck both above and below wal
that WAS mathematically correct.
Dy comparing thla with the original plfl
of the vessel It was possible to tell just h
much and In what direction any part of t
Ma'.no had been distorted by the explosl
without relylr.g oa under water cstlmai
by the divers.
GUNNER'S MATE OLSEN.
Chief Gunner's Mate Olsen of the Unll
States steamship Iowa told how he had be
sent to Havana for the purpose of del
diving duty on the wreck. Ho had desce-aC
tour times , making about eight or nl
hours ot total examination. Olsen told li
on hla first descent ho went over the f. .
ward port of theship. . To uao his own <
preeslon , ho said : "I found the wreck i
bloweil up. T found a lot of grate bare do' '
there. " The second time he went down fi
'ther ' forward and there located a lot of tc
Inch shells. Forward ot thcao tha plal
were bent Inboard over them.
Asked If ho Imagined himself looking ft
ward ho stated that ho did. Going over t
plates ho struck Into a lot of elx-lnch she
mrt
bat
, ' this morning-
v This Isn't very springy
> uld ami sweeping snow doesn't make ono
dU- raw think of spring footwear but the time's
f a coming when Drex It. Shooman will l > e
the busy selling our ? ; t Hue of ladles' shoes
ad- have been added both
ard 'two ' new styles
new toes bull doj ; and wide round lu
he heavy and light weight soles taus or
icre- bed blacks These shoes are the most sty
de. lish and best made shoes we've over
the been able to offer at the $3 price Many
hell ICo-S a shoo store would ask $1 and then be
ucli giving the buyers their moneys worth
bad Wo do more than that at So.
ells
Drexel Shoe Co. ,
log
tbo
' Home ,
Omnlm'H Up-to-date Sboe
Ho
dee 1419 FAKN.VM STREET.
In
ted
with the sltnics ori 'them , Going to the rig
wltnoM dialed ho fd l lot of wreckij
It seemed to have becn.lilown over the its
board. Olaen atatcit that ho put hla ha
Into the cracks and. brttllght out several si
pounder shells. t ; tit
The next tlmo he > % wrnt , down , Olsen tea
fled ho went outside tno' ship , forward of t
cvcae , on the port Blfle. Ha followed t
bottom aloni ? end tucd that the ship's ol
was blown outward.aad , alongside the era
It could be walked HT
"At the pirt where ho Is blown up coi
plctely , " witness saidI , "part of her bottc
plates are- turned up. , .Thtn you follow t
bottom from thero' upland tbo plates a
blown outboard. At- the top and unde
neath the bottom they are blowci In boa
end bent In. About three feet forward
that spot there Is a piece of Iron laid ale ;
the bulkhead. The fektn ot the Inside ot t
double bottoms Is curled llko a sheet
paper Inboard from ntctn to stern.
Amidships on the same place there U .
armor plate , ono plate complete , the top
the plate standing up. The plate Is 1
cllned over the starboard completely ,
stcmds up with the thick part of the pla
down. It Is Inclined forward , end over
starboard.
Gunner's iMato Smith , who had previous
testified , was recutlcd. Ho told of thr
trips down In diving dre s February !
During one of these he located the bre ,
In the keel where the ship's back w
broken by the explosion. He found a lie
In the bottom about seven feet dc ep a
seven feet in diameter. The muddy botte
of this hole wad harder than elsewhere ,
this hole he found a tin about twenty '
twenty Inches. "There was a place In
with a big square hole where a gasket b
been and I sent It up. "
Coming back from his trip Into the oul
submarine world the diver came across a 1
ot 6-poundor shells and shell casea , sou
of them not even broken away from t
shells. Laying right across the middle
the 10-Inch shell room he found an am
plate that had been torn away from t
ship's side. These plates taper toward t
bottom , which 1s thua easy to distinguish
The plato on being ripped loose by t
explosion had turned a complete somersai
and landed with the thick edge lu the mi
and the plato leaning obliquely over t
wreck ot tbe shell room. There were si
Inch powder tanks scattered over the 10-In
shell room most ot them split. A numb
of them were sent up , 'but ' more remained
Oh bis fourth trip down ho slid down t
outsldo of the ship by the port crane.
'Mho skin ot the ship. " ho sold , "Is
good condition till you conio to the jagg
opening leading Into the G-Inch shell roc
before mentioned. Hero the ( steel edges a
blown Inward. "
Crawling Into the hole ho felt the douV
bottom and the jagged edges of the ceme
turned up.
Ho described In detail the 10-Inch powd
tanks found here , none of them apparenl
exploded , but with the soldered seams sp
and the cases flattened. Sonic lids were
bo found.
'Witness ' was questioned very closely as
the platee ho found blown Inward a
whether they might not have been bill
heads , but bo Insisted that they were t
outsldo skin ot the ship near the botto
and located them accurately on the pla
about the middle o ( the eU-lnch shell roe
where "In a big circle there Is none of t
outsldo of the ship left at all. "
Ho said ho had not been Into the ten-ln
magazine on the starboard side , which w
bulled under a mass of wreckage. He 13
not find the forward turret , but It wus mla
Ing from the place where It belonged.
The Importance of this testimony caus
It .to bo gone over 'and' ' ' over again , and a
dttional questions along the line already 1
dlcated were put , but'they , only served
point out more clearly 'that ubreast of t
six-Inch shell room1 the whole sldo of t
ship had disappeared , from 'the harbor b
to water line , and 'tho edges of the plat
were turned Inward ? Further , the ten-ln
magazine had not exploded.
Chief Gunner Charles1 Morgan , who w
In charge of the dlversr corroborated Sml
In almoat every particular.
Gunner's Mate Carl 'Rundqulst , ono ot t
divers , sold ho went down In the after pa
of the tea-Inch magazine and found a 1
of empty ten-inch powder tanks , dozens
them with pieces itolown in all dlrecttor
They did not look as It ! they had been e
ploded by a charge Inside. It looked asa
had opened the
a pressure from the Outside
up. The ragged edges , ol the ship were bo
Inboard. The bottom of the ship was
blown up. Found a hole In the bottom
the fhlp. Looked as If It was blown up fro
the outside , "because no explosion from ti
Inside could make a hole like that ; tl
pieces ot armor plates also showed th
were blown from the outside from the wi
they were btut. "
Rundqulat , being recalled , testified to t
progress ot his exploration. Ho went dev
'
March 1 on the port side , and found t'
berth deck sloping aft to starboard. The
wao coal several feet deep Just forward
the crane ; none of It had been blown o
of the ship on that side. Ho also found
ten-Inch tank and powder bags , which
sent 'up. Ho also found a bunch ot win
"about fifty of them In a bunch. "
In the afternoon he wont down In t
same place and followed the armor plate ei
found the break where the armor plate endc
Here he found a long string of heavy wl
fifteen feet long.
Acked as to the condition of the backli
of the armor , he replied : "Tho end was i
twisted and torn cad ragged edges , and th
they all looked pointed Inboard. I also c
amlned the upper part of the backing ai
found the Inside corner gone. "
Lieutenant John Hcod , senior watch offid
In charge of the powder division , said
had Inspected the magazines and shell rooi
and there was nothing stored there contra
to the ordnance regulations.
Mr. Hood was officer of the deck part
the time , and while acting In that capacl
he had not noticed any hostile demonstr
tlon afloat in the way of boats approach ! !
the ship.
Lieutenant George F. Holmon , who p
formed tbo duty of navigator and ordnan
officer , and was In charge of the eleoti
plant , testified that all possible precautl
wan taken to prevent accident. Thetei
perature of the magazines was taken dall
The electric wires were separated from t
magazine by a double plating of glass. 1
noticed nothing at the time of the explosl
to Indicate that anything was the matt
with the electric works. .
The examiner referred to Holman's lar
experience In matters ot explosives , a :
asked his Impression ot the whole affair. 1
said :
"My Impression , not yet verified by dlvei
findings. Is that a very heavy mine went i
unJor the Maine's bottom. The nolaa pr
duced by a heavy mlno would be great In
soli , and adding to the second exploel
would make the two practically one and t
same explosion. "
Lieutenant G. P. Plow was the ofdc
of the day at the tlmo of the explosion , ai
received the reports at 8 p. m. Ho said t
usual reports were made that the Ugh :
fires and everything were secure. Ho h
perfect confVleucp In the reports of hla me
Ho gave a vivid description of the sones fi
lowing the explosion.
Mess Attendant JohnH. . Tarpln was t !
last man who saw Lieutenant Jenkins. I
said It was a jarrlnen explosion , just o
solid explosion , and the ship heaved a
lifted and then all was dark.
Tarpln met Lieutenant Jenkins In tl
mess room , and at Uiaj dime the water w
up to his breast. Mr.Jenkins started fo
ward and the whole cpinpartmtnt lit up.
"That whole compartment where the to
Buying a
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INSIDE OF A MR3. RORER'S
HUNDRED HOMES ARTICLES
Photographic glimpses of interiors in this number arc of special in
of all sorts real rooms that are terest to mothers. Under the
lived in dainty boudoirs , dens , title of " Proper Cooking for the
and cozy corners sleeping-rooms , Nursery" she tells what the tiny
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fifth instalment of this popular " The Best Food for a Growing
scries one of the most inter Child " continues the story for the
esting features the JOURNAL has babies who have grown into little
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48 PAGES | A CENTS
IU
HANDSOMELY EASTER ON EVERY
ILLUSTRATED NEWS-STAND
LADIES' HOME JOURNAL
The Curtis Publishing Company , Philadelphia
A I *
-ISr
irZ T
pedoes were lit right up and I saw Mi
Jenkins throw up bath bands and fall rlgh
by the steerage pantry. " Ho said the ex
plosion sounded to him like distant thunder
James F. 'Forsyth ' , commander Unltei
States navy at the Key West station , tesll
fled that on February 17 ho had the anthra
cite coal pile at Key West thoroughly ex
amlned for "Internals. " None were dlacov
ered.
Passed Assistant Engineer 'Bowers , senlo
assistant engineer to the chief , was ex
amlned particularly as to the precaution
taken on board the ( Maine on spontaneou
combustion. Ho said the order had been t
Inspect the bunkers every day and log them
In the cc-p of the bunkers that had an escap
door they- had always opened those doors.
He was on duty on the da.y before the ex
plosion. The coal In''bunker A , he said , hai
been stored In Norfolk or Newport News
There < was about forty tons ot It , and It wa
soft coal. The bunker * Immediately at
were empty.Tt ! door leading from th
bunker to tbe tenInchloading room wa
kept closed.
The after boilers , he Bald , were practical ! ;
banked and were In good condition , and h
did not consider that there was any dange
ot their having too much pressure for satet ;
on the evening of the explosion.
'Mr. Dowers said there had never been i
fire from spontaneous combustion In the bun
kers. They had once thought they had sue !
a fire , but It was from a leaky exhaust pip
from the Ice machine.
CAPTAIN MA1IA * SEES A FIGlll
\othli > B but a Decided lluckdntvii Cm
Prevent It.
NEW YORK , March 28. Captain A. 1
Mahan , author of "Tho Influence of Se
Power Upon History , " before sailing fo
Europe said :
"War Is Imminent , There must cither b
fighting or a backdown somewhere. No on
who knows the feeling of the Cuban Insur
gents believes for a moment that they cai
be Induced to submit.
"Spain surely will not tAke a backwan
step. To do eo would be to overthrow th
monarchy , and It v/ould be quite as bad fo
the United States to recede from Its peel
tlon. "
iCaptaln Mahan says we could not fall t
win , even If we were sadly behind both 01
the number of ships and quality of ord
nance. "For , " he explained , "it Isn't ships
It Is not guns and It Is not armor plate prl
marlly that win. In a fight , but men , am
American men uro superior In physique
power ot endurance , marksmanship am
moral courage to Spanish men. I do no
mean to decry the Spaniards and I have n <
prejudice against them because they ar
not Americans , but I have studied then
carefully and I cannot hold otherwise thai
that they are Inferior to our men in th
qualities named. "
As for armed Intervention by any Euro
pean power In Spain's behalf Captain Mahai
believes that the most unlikely thing In th
world.
VetornnH to ; Mnn Interior Pout * .
UTICA. N. Y. , March 28. A letter fron
the department commander ot the Gram
Army of the Republic , Colonel A. D. Shaw
to Secretary of War Alger , suggests that li
cae ot need the veterans ho could put Inti
the field could be used to man stations when
federal troops are now located that all regu
lars might bo free for use at the front li
cao of war. This would obviate the necesslt ;
of holdlnc regulars at such places as But
falo , Sacketts Harbor , Plattshurg , etc. Sec
retary Alger thanks Colonel Shaw for hi
offer and says that ho Is very much Inter
csted In the suggestions , but hopes thi
future turn ot events may make It unneces
eary to adopt It.
Xiivy 11u > H tAitotlior Ynrlit.
iBOSTOX , March 28. The yacht .Hormolnc .
which was owned by the late 'Henry ' I.
Pierce , has been sold to the United State
government by the executors of the Plerc
estate. The boat was Clyde built and I
seven years old. Its speed maximum Is flf
teen knots , with a cruising speed of twclv
knots. The yacht -lias been In winter qDir
ters at New York. Orders have been Issue *
to have It taken at o.ico to the Braoklyi
navy yard.
iioui ui > . i
' ciittlnj and slash-
Wi > 'n > more tlmn :
Ins iilano and orpuifyrlces this \vecU--
look at those Bamirtorf
$2:25 : Grovestuou I'lano , this week ? 34 ;
? 10 cash and $5 licr'ninntli.
? li75 KnlckurbocUoi" IMano , this wool ;
? 5J ( ; ? 10 cash and ! jv I'or mouth.
$500 KmiTson IMano. thlH week § ( KI ;
$10 cash niul $5 i > or month.
$ : ! 00 A. Ilosne I'iano , tills wcok iWT
$15 cash and $8wr month.
$350 Mathashi'k IMano , this week ii-SO ;
$10 cash and $5 i > or month.
$ . .50 J. & C. fisher IMiuio , this week
$7 _ ; $10 cash and $5 pur month.
$ I00 ! 1'casc IMano , this week ? 87JMO
cash and $5 per month.
$05 Mason & Hainlln Organ , this weel :
$10 ; $2 cash mid $ 'J per mouth.
A. HOSPE ,
Music and Art. 1513 Douglas
Tinfffpn i r p l t'TlHTC'l I PTlf
JACKIES ARE LMHUSIASIK
American Tars at Hampton Roads Oheo
Iheir New Commander.
CHEERS GREET COMMODORE SCHLtt
Itnlxc * HIM FlnK on the Ilrouklyii mil
TnUON Command of tlic FIjliiK
Sumidron Men ou the Fleet
Scent Active Duty.
FORT MONROE , Va. . March 28. ( Will
the American Flying Squadron , Hampto :
Roads , March 28. ) More than usual cnthu
olasm was displayed today by the officer
And men of thnt portion of the America ;
flying squadron already assembled her
when Commodore W. S. Sohley took com
mand. There Is always a perfunctory dut ;
to bo done In nuch caew ; but the duty toda ;
was performed with an lIl-concBaled'enthu
slasm that bordered upon a .breach ot disci
pllno. Officers smiled , however. The newl ;
detailed commander could not , In his picas
uro at such a greeting , find fault , and th
men were allowed to give full vent to tlicl
feelings. The significance ot the gvcotlni
was In the general feeling that the fln >
step toward the completion of what wll
be the free fighting squadron had been take ]
and the men apparently were gtatillcd , boll
with the stop and with the choice of commanders
mandors , for Commodore Schley is know :
as a conservative , yet absolutely feiirloti
and determined fighter.
Commodore Schley left Washington las
night and arrived at Fort Monroe early till
morning. He was met by an ensign and i
boat crew of sailors , who relieved hlrn o
his baggage and received information tha
ho would go aboard the Urooklyn , which h
has designated aa flagship.
At 9:30 : , after breakfast , the commando
of the Brooklyn , with eome petty ofllcere
took Commodore Schley aboard a launch am
conveyed him to the fleet , which lies nca
Newport News. The commodore was li
civilian dress , but was saluted with th <
uaual formalities as he passed up the Drook
lyn'a compaulonway to begin active service
Ho was shown to quartets which are mor <
elaborate than upon any war ship afloat
having been prepared for exhibit when Ui
Brooklyn visited England during the queen'
jubilee. Within a half hour after boardlni
ship Commodore Schley , In full uniform , v.ai
ready to take command and the meu ot tin
fleet were drummed to quarters with th
yards manned , the marines on deck and of
fleers and gunners at poet.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY GREETED.
Commodore Schley stepped to the brldgi
of the Brooklyn and , reading his commls
slon as commander , took possession. At th
same Instant lily nag was broken from th' '
Brooklyn's mauthcad and one of the bli
guns belched forth a ealute which v > u
answered from the Massachusetts lyln ;
near.
Then enthusiasm broke loose , and thcr
was a roar of applause from the dock am
yards. Shortly after the officers of the bat
tlc-shlp 'Massachusetts came aboard , and , to
Bother with the officers of the Brooklyn
paid their respects.
The second step In the formation of th
squadron will tuko place thla week , whoi
the assignment of vessels Is complete. Fo
speed and strength thla squadron will b
unexcelled. At present the battleship Mas
sachusetts , ot 10,288 tons and capable o
eighteen knots an hour , and the protectei
drift-class cruiser Brooklyn , of 9,271 ton
and capable of twenty-two knots an Iioui
form the nucleus of the squadron.
During the week It Is expected that th
Minneapolis , , of 7,735 tons , with a speed c
twenty-three knots , and the Columbia. 0,73
tons , with a speed of twenty-three knot *
will bo added. While thc o fighting ship
are rated us cruisers only , they are ot th
typo equal to the best battleships of Spain
The Brooklyn , particularly , Is Uio highest
type of a lighting machine and Its equip-
exceeds both 'la '
intut of rapid-lire guns
number and caliber any flret-claas battleship
of Sialn. In ttpced the squadron will be utt-
excelled , Its average speed , even If It watts
fur the heavy battleship Mossachubutts , being
21.5 knots. The four brat boats In tha
Spanish fleet average but IS.G knots.
Commodore Schloy xald this morning ito
the A&soelatcd Press cepreaentatl\o : "I
have no orders to move , nor do 1 Vrmr
when any will eome. Wo are ready to
move at the shortest kind of notice upoa
ttie completion of the fleet. "
In addition to Admiral Schley , these offi
cers reported to the squadron today. Lieu
tenant Sears , detached from the Naval homo ;
Lieutenant B. W. Wells , Jr. , detached from
the Monadnock ; Naval Cadet E. McAuley , Jr. ,
detached from the New York. ,
SK.V.VTOU MOXKY TAMC9 ON CUIIA.
Snyx Ho HUH Only Contempt fur I'l-ut-o.
fnl XoKotlntluiiM.
WASHINGTON , March 2S. In the senate
today Mr. ( Money of Mississippi spoke on the
Cuban situation. Ho said that tbe teak ho
had sot himself was perhaps ol supereroga
tion , as Mr. Prcstor , Mr. Galllnger and Mr.
Thuriton had already presented tu the senile
the condUlorvi | n Ctib'ftt'a * the * had soeiu
them. ThelrtatemMiU \ iwere" "concise , brll-
lladt nmK eloquent ; . , and wall * he did not
hope to dd mucktto the Information they
hail furnlyUet * . htufelt It bin duty to ipeafc
and to speak ow. -1-
Mr. Money eald ho was willing to go to
any extent to feed the starving , clothe the
n'akcd and relieve the sick upon that un
happy Island , but he was satisfied no deflnlto
results could be obtained by the employment
of such means alone.
Ho said hoO3 certain thclt while Wcylcr
was a willing Instrument , ho was In fact
only an Instrument In the hands ot a higher
power a , power tha't ' had deliberately de
termined upon a plan of starvation and ex
termination. That frlgWlful end Inhuman
scheme bad been Inaugurated In the brala
ot CanovAs , the all-powerful prime minister
of Spain , who preceded Sapasta ,
"That plan of roconcentratlon and starva
tion and death , " declared Mr. Money , "was
deliberately planned with the definite and
distinct purpose In view of destroying a
population that Spain cannot control a people
ple In whoso breasts the desire for liberty
Is o.i strongly Instilled as It was In l.ho
breasts of our forefathers. "
After discussing the situation In Cuba
among the reconcentrados an ho found It ,
Mr. Money declared that much time had been
wasted In efforts to bring about peace on
the Island through autonomy and through
diplomatic agencies. "Such negotiations are
not perhaps Imbecile , " eald ho , "but their
Inutlllty ought to suggest Itself to the com
monest mind. "
Ho declared that Indepcndenco and Inde
pendence alona would satisfy the Cubans.
As long as the yellow flag ot Spain Dilute *
the sky of the afflicted Island Mr. Monny
believed the Cubans would die to a mtn
rather than accept anything less than Inde
pendence.
Mr. Money Ball there was but coo remedy ,
and that such action by the United State *
on would brln ? the war In Cuba to an end.
Ho thought wo should make decisive do-
maiid.i on ( Spain for the cessation ot bonill-
ties In Cuba , as we stand rosponnlblo to his
tory for our notion now.
If such action should bring wir , let war
come. "Any sort of war Is better , " said he ,
"that a rottltiR peace. " In the present eomlU
tlon of this country a tempest was needed
to clear the atmosphere , cad ho was firm In
the belief that an honorable war with Spalid
would bo from many points ot view a lc lr-
able consummation of our present difficulty.
"This government , " ho said , "will < } o noth
ing to tarnish the brilliant lustre of Us past.
While wo do not and HhaW not a k for thU
approval of other nations , wo will always
command their respect. If any power , grc-it
or small , ehould Interfere with un wo rhouldf
still stand undaunted , t diwpalr ot peaceful
negotiations , and now have a contempt for
them. "
Thirty-five years make a generation. That
Is how long Adolph Flfchcr of Zanctivlllo , O. .
suffered from piles. He was rurcd by us'na
three boxes of DoWltt's Witch Hazel Salve.
You can't got over facts and It's tlmn
wasted to KO 'round them When wo
say we are in the optical Roodo business
wo mean that wo have everything In
the way of pectach'B , gluswa , IHISPH
and frames you r.ro likely to requlro or
your physician to prescribe \Vlion It
comoH to llttlng you with the glasses
HUltahle to your needs you receive com
petent attention and the lu'Kt goods to
bo had In town at anywhcro near the
price Put on your glasses and look at
the facts Eye examinations free.
TheAloe&PenfoldCo
I.endlnir ticlentlUu Optician * .
1408 Farn .m Etreet t
Hotel. ( ,