The herald., 1898-04-15
MAINE QUESTION
Answered With COnyinC-
ing DireCtneSS
The HARBOR WASMINFD
UNDER PERSONAL DIRECTION
OF WEYLER
CHAS. A. CRANDALL IS CAUGHT
AND GIVES FULL DETAILS OF
HIS LABoRS
The Maine Was Anchored Over Mine
at Buoy No. Four, Placed There
by the Special Direction
Of Weyler
AND GIVES FULL DETAILS OF
His LABoRS

Special to The Herald
CHICAGO, April 14.-Charles A.
Crandall, ,alias Emanuel Escadaro, who
acting under the personal orders of
Captain General Weyler, planted
mines and torpedoes in the harbor of
Havana, has been run to earth. To-
night he is in the custody Of three
United States secret service agents,
who will escort him to Washington,
where he is expected to give informa-
ton to prove beyond any possible
doubt that the Maine was blown up by
a mine, and her 2oe officers and crew
murdered designedly by agencies
known to the Spanish officials.
Ever since the Maine was blown up
Crandall, or Escadaro, has been lodging.
He was run down by Cuban spy, who
dorced him from Nashville to Highwood,
a Chicago suburb, where he was located by
a secret service agent this evening.
Crandall's statements are substantiated
by letters in his possession from officials
of Weyler's staff and from Weyler himself.
His story is as follows:
Crandalrs Story
my name is Charles A. Crandall. am
an American by birth and formerly lived
in New York city. served in the United
States navy on the cruiser San Francisco,
under Captain Sampson and Admiral
Brown. 1t was while in tine United States
service that I made a study of mines and
torpedoes.
IT left the navy and went to Lima, Peru.
While at Lima I met Emile Castillo. an
agent of the Spanish government who in
duced me to go to Cuba as an expert on
coast defense for Weyler. When I arrived
there I met Antonio Marco Diaz, who as
signed me to harbor work and plating for
torpedo and mine anchorages.
"There were mines and torpedoes
stored at the navy yard, and others
were on their way from England. I
began laying mines and torpedoes early
in the spring of 1895 and finished about
a year later. My work was performed
at night. 1 was assisted by italian la
borers and two Spanish boatmsn. In
all, seventeen mines and ten torpedoes
were placed. The mines were made in
England and the torpedoes in Italy.
The work of laying them was very SLOW.
because it was ordered that should not
work on moonlight nights for fear of
creating suspicion.
"When my work was completed made
chart showing the location of all the mines
and torpedoes and gave 1t to Weyler in
person.
IT was then directed to place three mines
and seven torpedoes in the harbor Of Ma
tanzas. This task was completed in July,
last year. When I had finished Weyler or
dered me to place an additional mine near
buoy No. 4, which made complete chain
Of mines about the harbor, from side to
side, from the mouth of the harbor to the
last anchorage. Weyler asked me II 1t
were possible for ship to enter the harbor
or leave it with the chain of torpedoes and
mines there He wanted it to be made alb
solutely sure.
II showed him my rough chart, and he
personally directed several changes, espe-
cially in the channels opposite the navy
yard.
when my work was done he approved
it and handed me my passport to Key West,
and informed me would not receive my
pay until the first mine or torpedo was
used.
IT remained in Havana until February
10th, when went to Key West, where I
stayed until March Sd, on which date 1
received my last Spanish gold from Hay
ana from the hand of Spanish messenger.
After the lkaine was blown up 1 kept in
hiding with colored family near Fort
Taylor. and as soon as I received word to
skip out I left, stowaway on the first |
steamer. for Miami. r9
1.-THE Maine was anchored at the identi- |
cal buoy where Weyler ordered me to place |
an additional mine. officially known as
buoy No. ~ 4