The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-27
JUST FROM HAVANA
WAS IN HARBOw WHEN THE MAINE
WAS BLOWN UP.
Action Has Yet Hecn Taken by
the United states.

Beaumont, Texas. February 26,-The
American schooner Anne Stevens. Captain
Vanaman master, arrived in Sabine Pass
this morning and is at anchor in the har-
her, This vessel is Just from Havana,
Cuba, and Captain Yanaman says he was
at anchor within 500 feet of the Maine
when the United States man of-war was
blown up,
The Post correspondent this afternoon
went aboard the Anne stevens and Captain
Vanaman gave the following description OF
the explosion, together with the experience
of his vessel: II was asleep at the time
Of the explosion" said tho captain. "and
was awakened by such a terrific shock that
believed my vessel had been struck by a
tug. Lamps vera turned over. window
glasses shattered and the conclusion caused
considerable, small damages in the state
rooms kitchen and dining room on my ship.
When reached the deck the air was nled
with burning debris and II looked for n
time as II the whole world was ahla2e. NV
first impression was that MORO castle had
been blown up, but ! was not long in ig.
noranco of the fact tbat one OF the nnest
VESSELS In the American navy was a COM
plote wreck"
Captain Vanaman not only believes. but
says he Is confident the Maine was de-
stroyed nv u torpedo or dynamite mino be-
meath the vessel One of his sailors was
ON watch at the time and saws he was look
Ing at the Maine at the time OF the ox-
plosion and he Is positive that with the oN-
plosion the bow OF the vessel raised very
distinctly The captain recites as vcri6ca-
Ion OF his opinion that mine wrecked
| the Maine, that the furemasts of the war
ship, which is an immense iron shaft run.
ming through to thu Keel OF the boat, is
blown entirely ont and stands In the mud
fully 800 feet from the wreck and that the
entire deck OF the vessel lis blown backward
and lies over the smokestack
The captain further says that he was In
Havana previous to the arrival ,of the war
ship and II was common talk among the
Spanish officers that IL the Maine should
come the vessel would never 20 out and
that the Spaniards OF Havana seem to re-
1oice at the vessels destruction and gloat
over the slaughter OF the American ma
rines. The disaster had not only shocked.
hut N has enragcd the American residents
With their own eyes they have gazed on
the wreck of the magnificent shin and saw
the manglei and charred remains az the
seamen rs they were prepared for inter
ment in foreign grave and they con-
seientiously believe that the men and the
snip are victims OF spanish trcaohery and
cowardiee. They therefore feel more in-
tcnsely the disaster than do the Americans
who have only read newspaper accounts.
and they believe that the American feet
would at once put IN appearance and de-
mand repsration for the great crime which
they believe the Spanish have purposely
committed.
The captain was very much surprised
when Informed that this government had
not yet taken steps toward avenging the
slaughter OF its seaman. When ne arrived
at Sabine Pass he expected TO hear that
war had been declared. He SAYS We can
not realize how anrsged the Americans al
Havana are over the Incident and the
British seamen have no words OF excuse for
the Spaniards- In fact, he says TINT with
the exception of the spaniards at the Gu
ban capital the opinion OF all familiar with
the circumstances is that the destruction
OF the Maine was an act OF treschery I'M
paralelled in history.