Connecticut western news., 1898-04-14
OVATION TO GEN. LEE.
THE HAVANA CONSUL GENERAL THE
 HERO OF THE HOUR.
Presence In Washington Intensifies War Spirit-Accuses spaniards of Treachery. Expresses His Conviction That They Caused the Destruction of the Maine.

Presence In Washington Intensifies War
 Spirit-Accuses spaniards of Treachery.
 Expresses His Conviction That They
 Caused the Destruction of the Maine.
 Washington, April 13.-The ovation that has followed General Fitz Hugh Lee since he set foot on American soil on his return from Havana eliminated last night in Washington in what was in many ways one of the most remark able demonstrations the city has ever seen. From the moment he alighted in the railroad station yesterday after noon he was surrounded by a cheering crowd that followed him to the state department, and the spectacle of army and navy officers and government em- ployees cheering outside the very door of the secretary of state was wholly unprecedented. in the history of that staid department At night the city turned out in thousands when a sere- made was given General Lee at his hotel and stood for hours in the street wait ing for a glimpse of him.
 The night demonstration was almost as quick and unpremeditated as that which had greeted General Lee at the depot and state department. The Unit ed States Marine band had been secured from the barracks and the Seventy-first regiment band, under the leadership of Professor Fanciulli, formerly conductor of the Marine band, came over from New York on an afternoon train. The crowd assembled without calling and by 8 o'clock was 5000 strong in the streets about the Shoreham hotel, where General Lee was quartered. Be- fore the close it was twice that size. It was after o'clock before he appeared on one of the small corner balconies &C., companied by a committee of the Union Veterans Legion and the Confederate Veterans association. which was jointly in charge of the affair. The bands struck up "The Star Spangled Banner" and there was burst of fireworks from the neighboring houses, while mounds of red. white and blue lights famed at intervals along the street. throwing the crowd on the balcony into sharp relief against background of flags.
 Lees Patriotic Speech.
 The crowd yelled itself hoarse. call ing for Lee by name and demanding a speech. The speech was brief and so much broken by applause that the crowd caught probably little more than its general drift. General Lee said:
 After all the speeches l have been forced to make in the past two days, can hardly hope to make myself heard over this great gathering. I can only assure you that such a great demon- stration seems to me out of all propor- ton to the simple fact of my humble presence here. and I am frank to say don't see that deserve 1t, having only tried to do my duty as an American where circumstances placed me"
 The crowd broke out afresh, and there were yells of That's it!" and That's what you did! General LeI continued:
 T have to thank you most heartily for this splendid indorsement of my course. It Is a thing that can hardly come to a man more than once in a lifetime, and it moves me more than ! can put in words"
 You can act pretty quick!" cried a man in the crowd. and then some oni yelled. War! fightH" and the cheerini drowned everything else.
 "I have not come to talk of war" continued Lee. but if war comes the present crisis has proved that it will find us a united people, and the only contest will be as to who can carry ths flag farthest and fastest"
 Maine Destroyed by spaniards.
 Almost immediately after General Lees arrival in Washington he visited the president and was accorded a mos. hearty reception. The only persons present at the meeting were the presi. dent, Secretary Sherman, Assistant Sec retary Day and General Lee. Secretary Sherman remained with the others fol about half an hour and then returned to the state department
 General Lee was before the senate committee on foreign relations for au hour late yesterday afternoon. He talk. ed freely with the committee in regard to the conditions in Cuba and especially with reference to the destruction of ths Maine. He said that, in his opinion there was no room to doubt that the destruction of the vessel was due to Spanish agencies.
 Do you mean the Spanish authori. ties in Cuba?" he was asked by a mem. Der of the committee.
 "I mean the Spanish officials" he re. piled, but not General Blanco. I think some of the officials were cognizant oi the plans to destroy the vessel, but do not believe that the captain genera knew anything about it."
 General Lee said that he had no knowledge of the reports that a minz had been discovered by a diver under the Montgomery while that vessel lay in the harbor at Havana.