Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-03-23
THEY TOLD M'KINLEY.

IulS view.
THEY TOLD M'KlNLEY.
Maine Survivors Describe the Blowup to
the President.
The News and Courier is not "yel-
low Journal" and neither is it at all in
favor of war. The following, there.
fore, from its Washington correspond
ent, "R. M. IT," under date of last
Saturday, may be accepted as relia-
BILE:
President Mckinley today had a
personal interview with some Of the
surviving officers of the ill.fated Maine,
and from them he received further as
surances that the destruction Of the
war ship in Havana harbor was not an
accident. Among the earliest callers
at the executive mansion was Secrela-
nv Long, who Informed the president
of the arrival of three of the officers
of the Maine, who are relieved from
active duty with permission to proceed
to their respective homes OH leave OF
absence. The ranking officer of The
three survivors is Lieutenant George
F. HOLMAN, navigator of the Maine
He was accompanied by Lieutenant
George P. Blow, one of the watch otfi'
GERS, and Lieutenant A. B. Catlin,
com mandipg the marine guards about
the ship.
The presence of these three officers
ut the navy department occasioned
considerable excitement among the
war correspondents, for it was the
general impression that they brought
with them some official knowledge oi
the report of the court of inquiry.
Secretary. Long had long confer
ence with these officers at the navy
department before going to the White
House, and from them be learned
many heretofore unknown circum
stances attending the disaster. At The
suggestion of the president these Of
ficers called at the White House, later
in the day, and repeated to President
Mckinley, as commander-in-chi oi
the army and navy, in substance what
they had previously stated to Secreta'
ry Long and the bureau officers Of the
department who were present in Sec
retary Longs room. Z.
These officers were not known to the
group of war correspondents at the
White House, and as they were in
civilian attire and came unheralded
their visit attracted no particular at
tention at the time. They did not &c
to the White House together, but an
official of the navy department piloted
them to the presidents office.
Just what they related TO the presi'
dent is as much of a secret as the
official findings Of the court of inquiry
Lieutenant HOLMAN, as the navigator
of the Maine, occupied position third
in rank to that of Captain Sigsbee. II
was his duty to be officially advised oi
the exact condition of the ship al
'seight BELLS" e o'clock) on the night
of the disaster, when the officers Of
the several divisions rendered theil
last report to the captain of the ship
He knew how many boilers were un'
der steam, he knew the temperature
of all the departments of the ship, and
all the reports made to Captain Sigsbee
that night showed that all due precau'
tions had been taken to secure the
absolute safety of the vessel from al
natural occurrences.
The president was deeply impressed
by the information he derived from
these officers, for they violated nc
clause in the navy regulations in talk
ing with the utmost freedom TO the
president of the United States. They
were more guarded, however, in dis
cussing the subject with their personal
friends and naval associates at the de-
partment. While they studlously
avoided any attempt 10 anticipate the
verdict of the court of inquiry, they
left a very strong impression upor
those with whom they conversed thai
the disaster was due to an exterior ex
plosion. AS to who is directly respon
sible for this destruction of the Maine
even the court of inquiry may encoun
ter great difficulties in determining
This fact remains, however, that or
the night of the disaster every depart
ment of the ship was thoroughly in
spected and reported to be in perfec
condition. Information which the
president derived from these officers i:
but the confirmation of the unofiicia
returns and impressions he has pre-
viously received, but coming directly
from survivors of the terrible disaster
probably made deeper and more last
ing impression than even the forclblt
presentation of the situation by Sena
tor Proctor.
After Secretary Long left the White
House, Assistant Secretary Day came
over from the department of state anc
remained with the president more thar
an hour. At the conclusion of tht
conference Mr.. Day preserved his usua
reticence and stated that there was ne
new developments in the diplomatic
status. 1t is fair to assume that the
president related to Mr.. Day the sub
stance of the information he derived
from the officers of the Maine and the
bearing it may have upon the case