The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-09
A WEYLER CONSPIRACY
Naval Officers Theory as to the
Maine Disaster.
REVENGE ON THE UNITED STATES.
weyler Was Recalled on McKiniey's Sug-
gestion, and His Psrtisans Seek to Dis
credit Blanco and Get Even with the
Hated Americans.

credit Blanco and Get Even With the
| Hated Americans.
| WASHINGTON. March s.--[Special. +
Three weeks have passed since the battle
ship Maine was destroyed in Havana har-
bor and still we do not know by what
means, whether by accident or crime. But
| it Is true that almost every naval expert
| In Washington is convinced the noble ship
did not meet her fate through internal
agencies and that she was sent TO wreck
and ruin by the hand of Spanish crimi-
nal. 1t must be remembered that till the
report of the court of inquiry is made our
government can take no attitude concern
| ing the cause. 1t can do nothing but wait
for the facts. 1t must be governed by the
verdict of the court. But i will give
conversation which have had with "a well
known naval officer, man of high char
acter and fine judgment as well as of great
experience. Naturally he cannot permit
the use of his name, as all naval officers
are now forbidden to talk about this mat
ter for publication.
81 not only believe the Maine was blown
up by criminals, F" this officer said, "but
believe l know the precise method adopted
| I'm executing tho hellish work. l may be
mistaken, but find that my belief is that
of most of the naval experts and men of
| experience with whom / have talked.
First, let 1t be remembered that when Gen.
| eral Weyler was In command at Havana he
| feared the city might be attacked by the
United States. So he urged his govern
ment to plant few modern guns in the
| old forts which command the entrance to
the harbor. After these guns were placed
Weyler discovered that there was another
danger. This was that the naval vessels
of the United States might come into the
harbor in time of peace and after they
| were there, by virtue of some change in
the diplomatic situation, receive orders
| from their government to make certain
demands upon the city. Weyler saw that
| In such case the ships of the United States
would have Havana mt their mercy. The
new guns protected the city only while the
ships of the enemy were trying to get into
the harbor and could not reach them after
| they were once in.
weyler's Mines.
"What is more natural" continued this
officer, ethan that Weyler should then con-
clude to arrange defenses for the city
which should place within his power any
foreign vessel anchored in the harborY In
no other way could he do this so easily as
by planting gun cotton or other high ex-
! plosive torpedoes or mines at the point
where ships anchor. / am aware that Gen
eral Weyler has solemnly denied that he
ever did plant mines in the harbor, but
naval officers In the United States are not
inclined to accept Weyler's evidence unless
it is supported by ample confirmation. In
this case there is no such confirmation, and
until the report of our court of inquiry
L H. 10 thn pfrar for ,nn
shall continue to believe that Weyler did
sow dynamite at the bottom of Havana
bay.
"Do not forget that the Maine was an
| shored, or, rather, moored at the spot Sc
[ lected by the harbor master. That harbor
master was appointed by Weyler, and he Is
( q rabid Weyler adherent You must know
[ that throughout the official and military
I circles of Havana a strong Weyler clique
| still exists. They do not like Blanco, and
they would like to drive him out of Cuba.
They want Weyler back, and Weyler would
like nothing better than to return. That
Is the vindication he Graves If there were
torpedoes i'm the harbor, they had shore
connections by means of wires. The Wey-
Ter officers knew where those wires were
and how the mines could be fired by touch
ing the fatal button. Some of these Off
GERS, without doubt had access to the place
where the electrical connections were kept.
For these reasons believe the Weylerites,
who hate the United States, who want
trouble, who would love nothing better
than to bring on a war, waited till the
Maine was swung just over torpedo and
then touched the button.
SIN this connection, - continued the Of
flcer 81 am able to give you diplomatic
| I oil 4
my possession, but know what l am
talking about. General Weyler was recall
ed from command of Cuba because the
United States demanded it. This fact has
been limited at In the press before, but 1t
has never been confirmed / am able to
say with the utmost positiyeness that
among the suggestions made by President
Mckinley to the Madrid government last
fall was one to the effect that Weyler
should be relieved of his post I'm Cuba.
Tenderly as the suggestion was made Its
Significance could not be mistaken by the
J authorities at Madrid, and they very
promptly called Weyler home.
Weyler's Defiance.
at will be remembered that after his
return to Spain, or perhaps before he left
Cuba, Weyler publicly asserted that he had
been recalled at the request Of Mckinley.
For this remark the Spanish government
sought to discipline him. It made pre-
'. tense of prosecuting him, which was just
what Weyler wanted He knew the gov.
eminent would not dare make martyr OF
him. Spain, you must know, like France
and Germany, is ruled by the army. The
,, army is the real power behind the govern
ment No ministry would dare adopt Q
policy in any one Of these countries which
the army radically opposed. Our Euro
pean friends, in building up their grea,
armies for national defense, have created
, tyrants to rule over them, to dictate theil
national policies, to awe their cabinets and
nominal sovereigns.
"Weyler's statement that he had beer
sacrificed to Mckinley was true. Here Il
the undoubted olew to the hate which Wey
Ter and all his favorites, all the retainer
= who were able to grow rich while he wal
ut the head Of affairs In Cuba, bear towart
the United States. Here we find ample OK
rlanation Of the plot to blow up the Maine
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