Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-05
THE MAINE COURT.
IT LEAVES KEY WEST FOR HABA-
NA ON THE MANGRoyE.
no NEW EVIDENCE DEVELOPED.
,crrt ms Body Not Yet Prepared
90 Render Decisive Verdict
work OF the Divcrs-Habana
Notes,

KEY WEST, FLA. March 4.--After two
p5s,uonements OF its departure. the court
Of INQUIRY left for Habana this evening.
on tse lIght-holse tender Mangroye.
I. IS believed by the best informed per-
s.rs here that the court will complete its
srors in the Cuban capital within ten
days.
only three Of the six days the court was
here were devoted to the work of inves-
letion. The inactivity of yesterday and
to-day is stin unexplained. except by a
,.mi-otficial statement that Rear-Admi-
rsI Sicard was awaiting instructions from
Washington. The sessions. II Is generally
understood, developed no evidence by
which the court could definitely determine
tue cause OF the explosion. A naval off,
Ger iu close touch with the members of
Oh. court said to this correspondent:
with one exception. the witnesses who
testified here were Maine survivors. The
evidence. though in most cases taking
LONGER TO tell, can be summed up in the
words Of an enlisted man. who. when
.u6se-Advocate Mark asked him what ne
knew about the explosion replied: Sir.
L
here That was all he could swear to.
one important fact has been learned
however. IL Is that, although the mem
hsTs of the court may have their indl-
ylsIl theories. they are by no means
prepared as a body 10 render "A decisive
verdict. The officer already quoted, said
'If the court has yet heard any testi-
u5uy which would enable il TO decide in
ta.hgenuy that the Maine was blown I'D
Cd. ..srfs al I a..
mistaken man I'm tho world Before the
coming Habana sessions are over ii may
secure such evidence, and possibly find
that the blowing up was intentional II
U.. learn from the divers the actual con-
a.uuu Of the ship after the explosion.
as 30 has already learned from the sur
yIy1rs most Of the details of the ships
condition before the explosion. With
these bases thoroughly established the
court viii hear more expert theoretical
testimony and then reach a verdict"
WORTHY OF RELIANCE.
This statement can be taken as more
worthy Of reliance than that of the Maine
officer who said the other day ne be-
Ieyed the court was bound. on evidence
already heard. TO find the cause of the
explosion external. It's conservatism is
also at variance with the opinions of
many other naval officers here, especially
those Of the younger set and directly
contrary to the belief of most of the
Maine survivors that their ship was in
,.guonally blown up.
Before sailing tonight. Captain Samp-
son had q long consultation with Admiral
Scard. Hulse. the courts chief steno-
Er4pher. has returned TO Washington.
leaving Bissell. his associate, here.
All the Maine survivors received Il
months pay yesterday and their claims
for lost personal property have been filed.
SchwantZ a cook Of the Maine. has put
in a claim for 81 226 which he says he had
in his chest, which was blown to pieces.
Many other enlisted men lost the savings
of years.
There have been no movements of the
feet to-day. except I'm the case Of the
Nashville, which towed coal barge out
10 The Iowa.
The Mansrove sailed at S:25 p. NJ, with
an the officers Of the court of inquiry
and the stenographer Mr. Bissell She
will touch at the Tortugas. with mail tor
he fleet