The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-26
FITZ LEE RECEIVES HIS
BUT CAPT. SIGSBEE'S HAS NOT
YET REACHED HIM.
INSULTING BRAY OF A SPANISH JACK
SAYS he Will Await the Answer to His Cha-
lenges For Eight Days at Toronto
The One TO General Lee
Was Sent First.

Was Sent First,
Washington ID. c.. April 25.-Lieuten-
ant Ramon de Carranzea, of the Span
ish Royal navy, until recently Naval At
tache of the Spanish Legation at Wash
| ington, has challenged General Fitzhugh
Lee and Captain Sigsbee. of the Maine
to fight duels. The challenges were is
sued on tile night that the Spanish Min
lister Withdrew from Washington. Lieu
tenant De Carranza had determined
upon this course of action Immediately
after General Lee and Captain Sigsbee
stated before the Congressional Com
mittees. that in their belief Spanish ma
val officers were responsible for the
| blowing uD of the Maine He made
| known his purpose to Minister Polo, who
temptorily forbade him from issuing the
! challenge while he was member of
the legation staff Lieutenant Carranza
mentioned that his official position in no
way restricted his rights as Il gentlemen
to call another gentlemen to account. 1t
was finally arranged that the issuance
| of the challenges should await the ter
mination Of diplomatic relations between
1
| Lieutenant dc Carranza would be ahz
| solved from any restraint Ms an official
1 under Minister Polo. In the meantime
Lieutenant dc Carrauza consulted his
! close personal friend, Captain de Ia Cuci,
of the Spanish Army, late Military At
tache here and the details of the chal-
| lenge were arranged. Only Minister
| Polo. Captain de la Casa and one other
/ person were aware Of what was done,
| the strictest secrecy being enjoned on
| all parties according to the ethics cd
| dculin, which give to the party chal-
| lcnged the privileged of making public
| thtc facts in the transaction. This
So secrecy is now broken. however, by
| the rumors current and the facts of the
| challenge are made public.
| Lieutenant de Carranza's $ first chal-
! lcngc was sent to General Lee, and 1t
is rather more lengthy than the one
sent TO Captain Sigsbee. 1t is most def
| erential. even courtly, in tone according
iy to the tencts of dueling, but aside from
the challenge proper, it contains an in
| ternatOnal insult to General Lee with
view to provoking him TO an acceptance.
The letter states that General Lee in his
testimony before a Congressional com
mittee stated that in his Judgment Span
ishofficials exploded the time which blew
up the Maine. This, Lieutenant de Car
rama asserts in his direct reflection upon
the honor of the signal officer who had
charge of the defenses of Havana.
ANY man makes u change on behalf
and not ON proof" the challenge pro-
ceeds. lis himself capable of com
able of committing the crime.
Lieutenant dc CarranZa refers to re-
- / 10
Cubar as a MAJOR General, and she asks
tha before he goes the will give the
tenant Lieutenant the privilege of fight
ing him. The challenge closes as fol-
lows:
For eight days | shall await your an
swer at the Spanish Consulate at To
rontO.
The challenge to General Lee was
mailed at 6:30 d. IN. on the Goth instant,
as the Spanish Minister and his party
were about to take the train. 1t was
directed to the State Department, as
General Lee had been assigned Il room
at the Department. 1t happened, how
ever that he had gone TO Richmond, so
that il was not known whether or not
he received the letter the following
morning. Lieutenant de Carranza felt
satisfied that General Lee would accept
the challenge. and that meeting would
occur probably on Canadian soil.
The challenge to Captain Sigsbee is
substantially the same as that to Gen
eral Lee. but is slightly brefer The
challenge was sent in care of the Navy
Department. CAPTAIN Sigsbee had pre-
viously left for Philadelphia to take
command of the auxiliary cruiser St
Paul, so that the letter may not have
reached him.
Since the challenges were sent, no
word has reached here as to the purposes
of General Lee or Captain Sigsbee The
dispatch from Toronto indicates that no
acceptances or declinations have reached
there.
Philadelphia, Pa, Apri 2J-Captain
Sigsbee. when seen tonight in reference
TO the challenge said to have been sent
him by Lieutenant Carranza, said he
had no definite information concerning
it. He said:
II do not believe any such challenge
has been issued. | have not received it
at any rate. and think / would have
heard of it if it had been sent to me
at Washington"
I'm case you do receive it, what action
viii Won take?' he was asked.
1t is too absurd to believe, and I
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