The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-21
Captain of the Colon Says He
Could Have Got Away.
REASON WHY HE DIDN'T
He viii Tell to the Cortes--
Spanish Hatred of Sigsbee.

SLrGcuOn OF tue Spanish Meet, was among
the passengers on La Normandie, which
sailed today for HAvre-
The Press says:
Captain Emile Diaz Moreu Of the Span
ish ship Crisoooal Colon. in an interview
discussed the events Of the last few weeks
without bitterness. There was even z
playful suggesuveness in his tones wher
he replied TO the inquiry whether he
would say good bye to the American
feet as he passed down the bay on the
Normandie
Yes" he went on, "why shouldn't ]
have friends on board your ships? We
did not fight as personal foes. Captain
Cook Of the BrookIyn-you don't know
him? An. a fine man. Half an hour
after the battle had given him my pho
tOgraph and be had given me his On
mine I wrote: We have just fought two
hours and a half Each did his duty
We were not personal foes. Now that
81 is all over we are comrades and
friends. That Is the way feel towards
the Americans. believe they have a
different opinion Of the Spanish from
what they had before the war
Captain, do you think Hobson will
raise We ColonY'
NO, he Will not she Is tippel on her
side and her 1000 tons have smashed her.
Any vesses saved there vii lcost twice
their value"
The Colon was a beautiful vessel, -
ventured the reporter.
Beautiful and every inch a fighting
ship. would have got away; none of
them could have stopped me, but
The captain pausel and said: Got
away. I said, you understand I mean IT,
sohIey says It; Sampson knows it, AMI so
Ices Cook. I told them IT was nat the
Brooklyn nor the Oregon that kept me
from aping. They say I went only
sixtyfour miles I tell you it was sew
euty-two. Divide that by the time and
you VIII see my average was ~ knots an
hour and at times IS. The Oregon could
only go 1s and I was steadily dropping
the Brooklyn behind. On, no. neither of
the two kept me from escaping, butt
cannot tell you now why I was not able
70 save my splendid ship" and the cap
tains vioce trembled. You won't have
long 10 wait. though; you won't have
Tong to wait" he repeated. when I
tel why, il will be on the floor Of the
CorreS. I am a member Of the Spanish
parliament. I represent the MONTH"; dis
trict, in Granada province. I have been
Permitted by the president to go home
now. mat I may be present at the open
Ing of the cortes. which viii take place
IN a few days. Then I will explain and
many things dark now viii seem clear
I know many Americans don't seem quite
clear from their own accounts as TO
why I did not escape when I was in the
lead AM gaining. They will soon know
why
I am not saying this to detrsct at all
from the achievements Of the American
feet. The men did all they could. bat
there IS an unwritten chapter yet to be
known before history is written.
No one viii say the Colon was ma
terially damaged by The American fire, -
he went on. She was hit only six
times. BY your own reports We made
twenty-six holes in the Brooklyn and
there were forty-two traces OF hits on
her side. Does not that speak well for
Spanish gunnery? They say our gunners
could not shoot. Well, the Brooklyn 5
sides tell a different story"
"Our guns were too small The three
vessels WITH heavy guns-the Vizcaya,
the Maria Teresa and the Oquenlo-were
on fire. I was left alone with only rapid
IRE guns Of a comparatively small cali
bre. II hal had 13-inch guns or II or u
well there might have been different
story Those holes in tie Brooklyn would
have meant more.
Your naval men have learned great
deal from their fight with the Colon. They
VII not give up their heavy guns for the
Night. rapld-fre. Sampson told me as
much. I told them they could not and
they smiled when I asked them where
they would be if I had nal heavy guns.
1T was the fortune Of war that the
heavy guns were on board the ships with
woodwork that would catch fire The first
shell that struck any Of our ships started
p fire. There was no fire on my ships,
because she had no woodwork. She was
like the Brooklyn AMI wouu not burn
What DO you think Of the New York;"
"A bad ship. Il was lucky for her she
did not get into the fight. She would
have burned like our three ships. Rear
Admiral sampson was II perfect accord
with ne on that subject and agreed that
a shell might have set her on fire and
with her woodwork she would nave gone
the way OF the Nizcaya"
Who should get the credit for. the vic
tory-Sampson or Schley?' ne was asked.
Both officers are men Of great intelli-
gence and nigh character" he said. But
S.-sbee, What shall say Of hjm?" said
the captain bitterly. After the Maine
explosion he was in Captain EuIate's
cabin n the Vizcaya- There. with tears
n his eyes. re said his career in life was
ended. because ne had lost his ship. We
rescued the American seamen while their
officers were drinking champagne on
shore and then Sigsbee goes into court
torgets al about his tears ard lamenta-
tons il EulaCe's cabin, and tries 70 shouI-
der the blame on US. Never did we have
a hand in blowing Up the Maine. and I
an convinced that after me strai gntfor-
ward. square way we have fought this
war. TIE American people 60 not believe
that NE blew I'D the Maine"
DO you expect 70 be brought before a
court martial on your return
We VIII appear before court of in
curry That is regular and formal No
matter whether Il IS 8 defeat o. a victory.
Il anything happens 20 panlsh feet. the
Proceedings so before a court OF inquiry. 9"
PROTOCOL CROWD PHOTOGRAPHED
Washington Aug. alt was a quiet
morning at the White House There were
comparatively few visions, and those who
saw the president remained only short
time The members OF the naval board
called q little after % O'Clock 70 talk over
me matters Of tail IL connection with
tie movements Of war vessels, but Re-