The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-03-03
TO RETURN TO HAVANA WM NJ SINCDRLY DEAD.
Maine Investigators Will Again
Visit Cuba's Capital.
NO THOUGHT OF A BOND ISSUE.

Secretary Gage Sets at Rest an Un.
authorized Report-Mc can time an Of
ficer OF the Maine Declares That the
Maine Was Wrecked by Design.
Washington. March Late yester-
day afternoon a telegram came to the
navy department from Admiral ST.
card. at Key West. announcing that
the court OF inquiry in the Maine dis
aster will resume session at Havana
to obtain the evidence Of the divers
after further work upon the wreck.
This communication sets at rest ru-
mors that have been current for some
days past that the court was not to re-
turn to Havana for the reason that
1t had discovered the cause Of the
sinking of the Maine, which was not
an accident. and that they had no fur
ther business in Havana.
One important deduction to be
drawn from the message was that the
report of the court of inquiry can
scarcely be expected for several weeks
to come. The court will be occupied
at Key West for some days at least
In taking the testimony of the sur
vivors there. Then upon the return
to Havana 1t is expected that a good
deal Of time must elapse before the
divers can get through the mud which
now encompasses the lower part of
the wreck of the Maine and examine
the bottom. After this is done the
court must deliberate in order to Sc
sure an agreement upon their findings.
The reports that came from Key
West about great activity and the OBJ
servance Of unusual precautions among
the few soldiers Quartered there was
received with amusement at army
headquarters here. 1t was said that
no orders had gone forward from this
city to explain the hustle, but there
was the best reason to suspect that the
commandant was simply brushing up
the post and putting his best foot for
ward against the expected appearance
there on his tour Of inspection Of Gen.
eral Merritt.
The gunboat Wilmington sailed yes
terday from La Guayra for Barbados,
travelling over the ground covered a
Castine. All Of the boats are slowly
cruising around in the Caribbean, and
will be SO employed until April. when
they will go south again. Secretary
Long said at the close of Office hours
that no orders had gone out to send
another warship to Havana, reports
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
At the White House the utmost quiet
prevails. Many offers have come
from organizations and individuals OF
their services In case OF 4 conflict
Some Of the congressional callers also
have stated to the president that their
states would furnish full quotas OF men.
Secretaries Long and Alger and
Representative Dingley were among
the presidents visitors yesterday, but
It was stated that they had nothing
Of Importance ON the Maine affair to
discuss with HIM Mr.. DinHsey spoke
afterward In strong terms against re.
ports that financial circles in New
York were being sounded as to the
readiness with which funds could be
raised In an emergency. The atten-
tion Of Secretary Gage was called to
the published statement that he was
making preparations for q bond issue
and that the bureau of engraving and
printing was preparing the plates. The
secretary pronounced the statement
unQualifiedly false. No such action
has even been considered. he said.
AN OFFICER OF THE MAINE
Argues That the Vessel Was Blown
Up by Design.
Key West, Fla. March 1.-The wit
naaoaa hafprx, Tho cnnr$ ~ t,c,,t.,,
the Maine disaster yesterday were
Lieutenants Blandin, Hood, Jungen
Blow and Homan. Lieutenant Of Ma.
rines Callin, Cadets Bronson and
Boyd, Boatswain Larkin. Gunner Hill
and Carpenter Holmes. Few know more
than was known before the court
opened. An officer of the Maine, how.
ever. who had been examined by the
court during the day. talked at length
with a correspondent.
Il can't tell you," he said, what
line of questioning was adopted, but
the court will find, / believe, that the
Maine was blown UP by design. though
/ don't think 1t will be able to ascer-
tain exactly how. The courts finding
will be based on negative rather than
positive evidence.
by this I mean that all the testi-
mony heard so far has. bit by bit
upset the theories OF those who think
the explosion was Of internal origin
This negitive evidence is so strong and
30 general that I see no possibility OF
the court deciding that the explosion
was internal. The only alternative left
for the court is to fall back on evil
dence which points to the intentional
blowing up Of the Maine. This, ]
think, will be done, unless the court
formulates a theory of Its own or de-
clares that 1t does not know how the
disaster occurred, both OF which con-
lectures think improbable"
As bearing on the value Of the opin-
ion of the officer In question. It must
be borne in mind that he was before
the court for about 15 minutes only,
and that he has at all times expressed
himself as confident that the explosion
was not due to an accident.
Members Of the court. when the
substance of the interview was brought
to their attention. declined to have
anything to say. All the high naval
and military officials here. when asked