The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-17
CREATED HIGH TENSION
WAS ALL ANXIETY
OVER THE MAINE AFFAIR.
Sailor Keys, an Indianapolis Boy, on
BOard-JOseph KitcheIls story
OF a. Torpedo Experiment.

1t has been many a day since Indianapo-
lis rested under such a tension as yester-
day, every one on the alert for additional
news as to the destruction of the battle
ship Maine in Havana harbor, and the tele
graph wires carrying but little reassuring
information. The mystery as to the cause
of the explosion and the fear that
the casualty portended the Enchanting of
the dogs of war wrought tension to a high
pitch Throughout the day disquieting RI
mors afterwards shown to be without the
slightest foundation, were circulated with
unusual rapidity. One man. venturing the
opinion that Congress should declare war,
might have found his suggestion bearing
the label of truthful news hour later.
Such report must have reached the coun-
try districts, for last night there were a
number of telephone inquiries from sur
rounding towns to whether Congress had
taken such action. One afternoon bulletin,
stating that the Cuban cable had been cut,
added to the uneasy feeling.
On thel street and in stores the dis
cussion hs to the cause of the explosion
was as elaborate and lengthy as the money
argument of 1896. The man who had
ever handled powder or who had ever been
aboard man-of~war found himself
number of men who suddenly became con-
servative was a surprising feature of the
day. Jingosm was absolutely non est.
Most people were disposed to take the adj
vice of the officials and suspend their opn-
ions.
Joseph Gray KitchelI, of 1925 North Penn
sylvania street. has had experience in naval
affairs and scouts the proposition that the
battle ship Maine could not have been blown
up by a torpedo. While he does not advance
an opinion TO that effect, he claims that it
is possible and even probable that the ship
was thus destroyed The general theory is
that, if the boat was destroyed by torpedo,
the torpedo must have been sent out from
and controlled by works within Moro castle
or on board the Spanish steamship that was
anchored near the Maine. IT is said that
there are no submarine mines under Ha-
vana harbOr, and therefore torpedoes must
come from one of the two sources. Mr.. Kit
chell says this idea is born of ignorance
of marine affairs. He was for q number Of
years connected with the sale of the Boyn"
ton suit. 1t was manufactured by COM
pany of which Captain Merriman. OF the
Iowa, was the head and was sold all over
the world 1t was the suit so successfully
used by Paul Boynton in his marine ex-
land and Russia were at swords points, Mr..
Kitchell was negotiating for the sale of 400
of these suits TO the British government
The sale was hanging fire. and one night
the British battle ship Garnet followed the
Russian man-of-war Strolokk into the har-
Dor opposite Long island.
This suggested to Mr.. Boynton means
| of demonstrating to the British the value
of the suit" said Mr. Kitchel last night.
''He came 10 me, accompanied by several
! newspaper men, and told me his plan. A
/ party OF us went TO Tomkinsville, Long
| island. and rowed out in boat to within
| a few hundred yards OF the British man-of-
! war. Boynton then left the boat and swan
with sham torpedo under the prov of the
/ Garnet. The blank torpedo was an exact
i imitation " those which contain one hun
/ dred pounCs Of dynamite-such as would
blow a large steamer to splinters. When
Eoynton had placed the blank torpedo and
had swan back a little way toward our
/ boat he raised a cry and told the man-Of-
wars men what he had done. Immediately
i there was the sound of the beating of the
1 long roll on board and in moment every
man was on deck The searchlight was
| brought into play, and our boat To-
| Gated on the water. In the meantime crew
! was launching naphtha launch and this
| Was soon III pursuit Of rs. And we were
| overtaken and captured and taken ashore.
but we explained the trick, and sci up our