Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-15
WAS LAID AT BUOY NO, 4.
American Expert Supervised The Work Last
Year, in Havana Harbor.
MINE PUT IN BY wEYLER'S COMMAND.


Chicago, April i5.-The Times-Herald
this morning says: Charles a. Gran
dali, alias Emanuel EscadGro. who.
acting under the personal orders of
Captain General Weyler. planted the
mines and torpedoes in the harbor Of
Havana, has been run to earth in Chi
cago.
Last night he was in the custody Of
the United States secret service agents,
who are taking him to Washington.
where he is expected TO give informa-
ton to prove beyond any possible doubt
that the Maine was blown up by a
mine and her 266 officers and crew
murdered designedly by agencies
known to the Spanish officials. He was
run down by Cuban spy"
Ever since the Maine was blown up.
Crandnll or Escadaro has been dodg-
ing about the country. when the
United states secret service agents as
sured him he would be protected he
volunteered to accompany them.
Crandall's statements are substanti-
ated by letters In his possession from
weyler's officers and from weyler him
self. His story is as follows:
my name is Charles a. crandall.
am an American by birth and formerly
lived in New York city. served in
the United States navy on the cruiser
San Francisco, under Captain Samp-
son and Admiral Brown. II was while
In the u. $. service that | made u
study Of mines and torpedoes.
Il left the navy and went to Lima
Peru, where l entered the employ of
Grace 4 Co, of London. in their Nitro
beds. While ut Lima j met many
Spaniards One Of them. Emil L, Cas-
tillo, an agent OF the Spanish govern
ment, induced me to 20 to Cuba as an
expert on coast defense for Gen. Ney-
Ter. l was given free transportation
to the island, and when arrived there
met Antonio Marco Dlaz. who as
siEhed me to harbor work and plating
Tor torpedo and mine anchmorage.
i began laying the mites and tor
peuoes early in the spring OF 1896 and
finished year later
My work was performed at night
l was assisted by five Italian laboTers
and two Spanish boatmen. In all
seventeen mines and ten torpedoes
were placed.
The mines were made In England
and the torpedoes In Italy The work
or laying them was very slow. be-
cause 1t was ordered that j should not
work on moonlight nights.
When my work was completed. I
made chart showing the location of
all the mines and torpedoes and sub
mltted to Gen. Weyler.
II was then directed to place three
mines and seven torpedoes In the har-
Dor of Mntanzas, This was completed
early In last July. When I had fin
ished Gen. Wevler ordered me to
place an additional mine near buoy No.
=, which made a complete chain OF
mines about the harbor, from side to
side. from the mouth of the harbor to
the last anchorage.
ION one occasion Gen. Weyler sent
for me to visit him at the palace, with
the directions that | should appear In
the Uniform of an officer OF artillery,
sent me for that purpose.
when ] went to the palace. Gen.
Weyler asked me II II Were possible
for ship TO enter the harbor or leave
II with the chain of torpedoes and
mines there. | showed him my rough
chart and he especially directed sew
eral changes, especially In the chan
nels opposite the navy yard.
when my work was done and his
artillery aide hnd approved the plans
he handed mo my passport to Key
West and assured me that ! would re-
ceive pay until the FIRST mine or tor
pedo was used.
81 remained in Havana until Feb.
10. when I went to Key West. where
! stayed until March 3. on which date
/ received my last Spanish gold IRON,
Havana. from Spanish messenger.
AFTER the Maine was blown up
kept In hiding with colored family
near Fort TAYLOR. or the barracks.
und as soon as received word to skip
out / left as a stowaway on the first
steamer for Miami
1.-THE Maine was anchored at the
Identical buoy where Gen. Weyler or
iered me to place the additional mine.
officially known MS buoy No, 4. From
Miami, | went to Nashville, where
received the following letter from Ha-
vana, dated March I tS0S;
"'pestroy all evidence. Go to New
York. Ticket for London awaits YOU
there DIAZ.'
This was from weyler's long trust
ed adjutant and spy, who executes all
edicts issued by Neyler from Spain"
Crandall AYERS TINT he was directed
to assume the name Of Escadaro by
Gen. Weyler. He has several letters
from weyler regarding his work and
military pass from that officer. An
of these he has turned over to the
United States secret service agents
enj they will be used at Washington.