The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-02-19
SENSATIONAL KEY WEST
REPORTS DENIED.
NO INVESTIGATION YET
ptvers Have Not Yet Examined the Lost
Mhrship Hoard ot Inquiry Appoint
ed Much Less Excitement Ia
Washington r. Littte News
From sIgsbee Received
by Navy Department.

HAVANA Feb 1s Con trurY 10 inc
reports current here yesterday, the
divers have not yet made any iuvesti-
pntion OF the wreck, and the general /
opinion expressed in Spanish circles
is that the explosion occurred inside |
the Maine.
WAsulNGroN, Feb. Is The Navy |
absolutely discredits the |
story from Key West that divers have
found an eight inch percussion hole
in the bottom Of the Maine Secre-
tary Long says there is no such thing
as percussion hole; that there is no
eight-inch torpedo, and that there IS
no way in which such hole could be
accounted for IL is, OF course, possi-
bic that shell exploding inside the
ship pierced hole OF that kind in the
outer skin. but that would be readily
revealed by the character of the angle
and whether or not the skin was
bulged in or out around the puncture.
II is more likely, if there is any hole
at all Of the kind that it is simply the
outlet Of one Of the numerous pierces
of the inside of the Maine.
Secretary Long positively denies
that Captain Sigsbee has in any sup
pressed telegram expressed the opinion
that torpedo caused the disaster
/ The Captain said. on the contrary,
that he could not venture TO c. .,ress
Al opinion.
One of the regular staff correspond
ents of the Associated press at Key
West cabled from there at 1898 yes
terday morning that the report of the
finding of the hole in the hull OF the
Maine, evidently caused 10y torpedo.
was seat from Havana just before the
Olivette sailed, and from a source re-
garded as reliable, but IL cannot be
verified, owing to the strict censorship
at Havana The report is not verified
by the officers of the Maine who have
arrived at Key West from Havana.
The government has settled back
into a waiting attitude in respect to
the terrible marine disaster in lla-
vana harbor. The great shock caused
bv the news has given way TO calmcr
aud more judicial state Of mind, and,
realizing from the events of the day,
that the court of inquiry is the sole
dependence in the search for the cause
OF the Names loss, the naval officials
? are now resigned TO await the results
D of that inquiry by a court named yes
4 terday by the navy department
, There was little news to add to th'
sum of information as to the disaster
during the forenoon. No telcgram
came, and all that could be gleane,
was denial of some absurd story ol
other that had crept into print or be
come current gossip All the news o
Yesterday came in tho late Afternoon
: in the shape of Captain Sigsbee's re
I, port OF the authorization Of the fun
:, leral of his dead sailors and Genera
a Lees graphic story Of the terribl
It struggle for life in the dark hull O
r the Maine
d The disposition of the survivor
ie Captain Dickens, acting chief Of tn
- navigation bureau, has arranged 70
'" as well as could be from this distance
- The wounded sailors In the llavan
- hospitals, on the Spanish flagship an
Elsewhere, when not in condition
o. be brought back to Key West, will /
carefully looked after by Miss Clar
y Barton, who has been given cart
blanche to buy any and everYthin
ty necessary, food, clothing, delieaci'
OF and hire of nursee aud physician
OF The wounded able to get across
Key West will be taken care of in Il
a. marine hospital there. The sour
a survivors will be quartered in Il
IL spare army barracks there.
As for the Maine herself, uotwit
nd standing discouraging reports fro
lie Lieutenant Hood rs to her conditio
he the Navy department will make an {
fort to raise her.
to At the navy department. specific d
he nial was given TO the report eming
re ing from Madrid that torpedo flotil
}. )" was about to leave Key West
I'm Cuba 1t was stated that only I,
q torpedo boats, the Cushing and 1
he Ericsson, are at Key West, and the
en- have not been ordered, and will n
be ordered, according TO the prese
I'D plans, TO Cuba. IL was strongly
'as serted that no present purpose ,
OF isted of sending any warship there.
M Senior Dubose, the Spanish char
on- has received no instructions as
going TO New York and stopping I
ck, Spanish ship Nizcaya from enteri
sxt the port and reports 10 this effect 1
Id. discredited.
II, An the flags throughout the ci
Oh lincluding those on the capitol and
az, department 6didiTgs ere dying
~ half-mast, and among others is e.
,sp cuous that OF Cuba Libre, viii
flies from the stan on the Hotel
an leigh, the headquarters Of the CuO
of junta.
eli IL was said at the navy departing
-ge that no news was expected bef'
vas Saturday, when some results mig
ell begin TO appear as result of
on. court Of inquiry at Havana, al
ok meanwhile, the officials seemed "
content to wait and get modicum
sleep which has been luxury
,s many OF them since the FIRST onlle
the announcing the disaster Tuese
ure night