davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mena star., 1898-03-16
IN RAN CE ]!

represent only the best com panies, as follows:
 The Fire Association, of Phila- delphia.
 The Home, of New York. The American Central. St. Louis.
 The Springfield Fire and Marine, of Springfield, Mass.
 The North British Mercantile, of London and Edinburgh. The Fidelity and Casualty, of of New York.
 These companies aggregate S25, 100000 of assets. Let me write your policy.
 E. A. LILLY, Agt,
The Mena star., 1898-03-16
PAST WEEKS COURT DolNos.
Captain Tllller Pound Guilty Ollie
 chastine Acquitted.

The circuit court holding session at Dallas has teen steady at work since the opening, dealing out justice in many cases of more or less importance Below Is given a-eomplete report of each days proceedings for the past week:
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
Gel More
and You
Get Less

Why is it every sarsaparilla
which tries to sell itself, ranges
itself against Ayers as the stand
ard Why is it that all have to
offer extra inducements = bigger
bottles, fancy wrappers, cheaper
price anything, everything, but
the one inducement of quality I?
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
TOLD BY WITNESSES.
Extract of Important Testimony
Taken by the Court.
Lieut.. Powclson's Story Told on the
Third Day of the Session-Im-
portant Discoveries Made
Up to Tint Time.

Washington, March 2S.--The following are
portions of the testimony:
Ensign w. V. N. PoWelson was called
the third day of the court. He testified
that he had been present on the Maine
every day from the arrival of the boat
Fern and during q great deal of the diving
In reply to a question to tell the court
all about the condition of the wreck, he
said the forward part of the ship forward
Of the after smokestack had been to all
appearances completely destroyed. The
coming tower lay In a position opposite
the door leading to the superstructure aft
grees to the vertical with the top Of the
coming tower in board. Continuing, he
described with close detail the condition
under the main deck on the port side. The
fixtures were completely wrecked, while
fixtures in the same position on the star
board side We're In some cases almost in
tact The port bulthead between the main
and berth decks at the coming tower sup
port had been blown aft on both sides, but
great deal more on the port than on the
starboard side. The flrcroom hatch imme-
datcly abaft of the coming tow, had been
blown In three directions--aii, to star
board and to port. The protective deck
under the coming tower supports was bent
In two directions, the plates on the star
board sidc being bent up and on the lar
board side bent down.
In reply TO an inquiry as to whether
he meant with reference to their original
positions Ensign Poweson replied affirma-
lively. The beam supporting the pro-
tectve deck a few inches abaft of the ar
mored tube. to port of the midshfp line.
was bent I'D to starboard Of tho mid
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
TIE COURTS REPORT.
Statements OF Capt. Sampson and
His Associates Based ON Tes-
tinOnY Taken.

The following 10 the full text of the re-
port of the court of inquiry:
United States Steamship Iowa, First
Rate.-Key West, Fla. Monday, March q,
1S9S.-After full and mature consideration
of all the testimony before 1t, the court
finds as follows:
l. That the United States battleship Maine
arrived In the harbor of Havana. Cuba, on
the 18th day of January, 1898. and was taken
to buoy No a. in from five and a half to six
fathoms Of water by the regular govern
ment pilot The United States consul gen.
eral at Havana had notified the authori-
ties at that pl2ce the previous evening Of
the intended arrival of the Maine.
Discipline Was Excellent.
2. The state of discipline on board the
Maine was excellent. and all orders and
regulations In regard to the care and safety
of the ship were strictly carried out
All ammunition was slowed away in ac-
cordance with Instructions and proper care
was taken whenever ammunition was
handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one of the
magazines or shell rooms which was not
permitted TO be slowed there
The magazines and shell rooms were al
ways locked after having been opened; and
after the destruction OF the Maine the keys
were found in their proper place in the cap
tain's cabin, everything having been re-
ported secure that evening at eight p. m.
Temperature WAS Normal.
The temperatures of the magazines and
shellrooms were taken daily and reported,
The only magazine which had an undue
amount of heat was the after ten-inch mag
aZine, and that did not explode at the time
the Maine was DESTROYED.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

Chief Gunner's Mate Olsen, of the United
States steamer Iowa. told how he had been
sent to Havana for the purpose of doing
diving duty on the wreck. He had descend
go four times, making about eight or nine
hours of total examination.
Olsen told how on his first descent he
went over the forward part of the ship,
To use his own expression, he said: II
found the wreck all blowed up found a
lot of crate bars down there" The second
time he went down further forward and
there located a lot of ten-inch shells. For
ward of these the plates were bent tnboard
over them.
Asked If he imagined himself looking for
ward he stated that he did Going over the
plates he struck into lot of six-inch shells
witness stated he found a lot Of wreokaae
II seemed to have been blown over the star
poard. Olsen stated that he put his hand
! N the cranks and brought out several
a The next time he went down. Olsen testi-
ned ne went outside the ship. forward OF
me tl crane on the port side He followed the
bottom Dol along and found that. the ships
crane It could be walked on. -
~ AZ me part where she is blown up COM
PiIe e witness said. part of her bottom
bottom there up aed y ySs fGow the
blown cupboard At the top and upd as are r.
the bottom they are blown inboard and
bent N. About three feet forward of that
sp0t there Is piece of iron laid along the
5ulkhead. The skin OF the Inside OF the
double bottoms is curled like a sheet Of pa
per 1nboard from stem to stern.
rn mmias atap on the same place there is an
the plate standing up. The plate is inclined
over the starboard completely It stands
Up with the thick part Of the plate down.
board" 'S- W '.~t
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
II is the Standard.

ship line. Just forward OF the coming
tower, underneath the deck, two beams
met at right angles; one beam was broken
and pushed from port to starboard. A
grating was found on the poop awning
just forward OF the after searchlight
~ piece of the side plating just abaft
OF the starboard turret was visible. This
plate was bent outward and then the for
ward end bent upward and folded back
ward upon itself. 'sThis plate was sheared
from the rest of the plating below the
water line This plating below the water
line has been pushed out to starboard."
The armored gratings of the engine room
hatch were blown off. A composition
strainer was picked up from the bottom
on the starboard quarter at point about
opposite the poop capstan and about 70
feet from 1t. The CHIEF engineer thought
the strainer was from the firemen's wash
room. 1t was not q strainer in the ships
side.
Near the piece Of outside plating to
which witness referred above he said there
were pieces of red shellaced planks. On
these planks was bolted composition
track two inches wide and an inch thick.
Ensign Powelson then asked IL the court
meant for him to say anything about what
the divers reported or just what he saw.
The judge advocate replied that he would
like to have him state any important dis
coveries which might lead the court to
draw some conclusion as to the cause,
and II a diver gave such information to
state the divers name. Before doing 80
the judge advocate asked witness to state
II the forward and after part OF the ship
were in line. Ensign Powelson replied
that as far as he could Judge they were
not. The end where the explosion oo-
Cured seemed to be pushed from port
to starboard from five to ten degrees, he
should judge, with the apex to the star
board. The divers reported to witness that
at point where the ten-!nch shell room
should be they discovered ten-inch shells
regularly arranged. but the ship had sunk
downrso much that some OF the shells were
in the mud.
Gunner Morgan reported that in walking
on the bottom he fell into hole on the
port side and went down in the mud Fla
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

The torpedo war heads were all sloweo
In the after part of the ship under the ward
room. and neither caused nor participate
In the destruction of the Maine.
The dry gun cotton primers and deton-
ators were slowed in the cabin aft and
remote from the scene of the explosion.
The waste was carefully looked after on
board the Maine to obviate danger. Spe-
cial orders In regard to this had been given
by the commanding officer.
Varnishes, dryers. alcohol and other COM
bustibles of this nature We're slowed on
or above the Maine deck and could not
have had anything to do with the destruc-
ton Of the Maine.
The medical stores were slowed aft I'M
der the ward room and remote from the
scene of the explosion. :"
No dangerous stores of any kind were
slowed below in any of the other store
rooms.
Coal Bunkers Inspected.
The coal bpnkers were inspected. OF
those bunkers adjoining the forward ma
azine and shell rooms four were empty
namely 8. q 4. B s and 3 6. A is had
been In use that day, and 16 was full
OF New River coal. This coal had been
carefully Inspected before receiving ft on
board. The bunker In which 1t was ST lowed
was, accessible oil three sides at all time
ana the fourth side at this time on ac-
count of bunlsers B and B 9 being empty.
This bunker. A 16. had been inspected
that day by the engineer officer on duty.
The fire alarms In the bunkers were IN
working order, and there had never been
a case Of spontaneous combustion Of coal
on board the Maine.
After Boilers Only in Use.
The two after boilers of the ship were In
use at the time of the disaster, but for
auxiliary purposes only with a compare
lively low pressure of steam, and being
Tended by reliable watch. These boilers
conld not have caused the explosion of the
ship. The four forward boilers have since
been found by the divers. and are in a fair
condition
on the night of the destruction Of the
MAINE everything had been reported se-
cure Tor the night at eight D. m. bv re-
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
tom Of the ship. at about frame IS and
somewhat on the port side of the ship"
Conclusions of the Court

tom OF the ship. at about frame IS and
somewhat on the port side of the ship"
Conclusions of the Court.
The conclusions Of the court are:
That the loss of the Maine was not in any
respect due to fault or negligence on the
part of any OF the officers or members of
her Grew.
That the chip was destroyed by the ex.
plosion OF a submarine mine. which caused
the partial explosion of two or more of her
forward magazines; and,
That no evidence has been obtaina BILE fix
ing the responsibility for the destruction
OF the Maine upon any person or persons.
have directed that the finding OF the
court of inquiry and the views Of this gov
eminent thereon be communicated to the
government Of her majesty. the queen. and
I do not permit myself to doubt that the
sense of Justice of the Spanish nation will
dictate course OF action suggested by
honor and the friendly relations of the two
governments.
1t was the duty of the executive to ad-
wise the congress of tho result. and in the
meantime deliberate consideration is in
voked.
(Signed) WILLIAM MiKINLEY
Executive kianson. March Is. l&:2
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

also reported that as far as he could Judge
everything seemed to be bent upward in
the vicinity OF this hole. He also reported
that the plates seemed to have been pushed
over to the starboard and then bent down
Ensign Powelson then said that six
inch powder tank that he saw appeared to
be an empty tank broken by the explosion,
as 1t was not badly dented and merely
ripped the length of the seam A ten-tnch
tank was badly battered out of any con-
ceivaa!e shape.
Continuing. the witness said the divers
up to the night before he was then on the
stand had not been on the outside of tho
ship. The mud was too deep for them to
walk on the bottom.
What is the condition of the starboard
turretT witness was asked.
ITO my knowledge 1t has not been found,
sir" was the reply.
He understood something had been found
under the place where the turret formerly
was. but It's exact character had not been
determined. ~
Impressions of Ensign Powelson.
What impression Is produced upon your
mind by the reports. as far as you have
quoted them?" Ensign Powelson was asked.
ance of the wreck?'' n
Either from such reports or the condi-
tons which you believe to exist"
THE impression produced upon me-" re.
plled tne Witness lS that an explosion took
place we'll to port of the midship line and
at a point In the length about opposite the
coming tower"
Witness In reply to further questions said
his opinion was based upon the observut ton
OF things above water. Tlc gave no weight
to Mr. Morgan's statement about falling
INTO hole on the port side because Nor
gan might have been mistaken about it.
Referring to his notes made of things on
the Maine. Ensign Powelson said that the
arc OF the engine room telegraph and tho
shaft OF the steering gear coming down
through the armorcd tube Qurret) was bent
from port to starboard. The port side at
thu protected deck was covered with
greasy deposit the starboard side being
comparatively free from it.
The forward smoke pipe. between the
main and auperstructure decks, did NOT
show signs Of the internal pressure OF
gases. On the main deck forward Of the
eauniHs tower whsre the fars and after
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

Angle bum beam was located the nlanking
was blown off on the only remaining plate
OF the main deck on the port side while the
wood was still attached to that part on the
starooard side between the coming tower
base and the turrets. What witness saw
would Indicate that the pressure lifted the
protective deck up on the port side, and
the protective deck on the staiboard side
held fast and bent that deck downward.
Witness here exhibited two sketches TO the
court showing diagram of various parts of
the sunken ship and explained them to the
court.
The witnesses evidence about the strip
on the stnrboard side of the outside plat
Ing Of the ship which was folded and
rolled back. was recalled 10 him, and Pow
bison said he could see plate underneath II
was bent outward. as he could see II, a II
was only two feet under water where the
shear occurred
Witness had taken soundings and had
found five fathoms of water on both sides
Of the Maine down to the mud. Taking
l4-pound lead line and dragging with
wherry for distractions on the port side,
dragging close to where he thought the wa
ter ways would be found. he found no OBJ
structions whatever. On the starboard side
he found distractions for 20 feet where he
had reason to believe the waterways had
originally been.
In answer to questions he said there was
nothing left of the port plating at all He
dragged along the outside to see If anything
had fallen out and found nothing. wiz
ness thought the ship on the port side was
entirely gone opposite point Indicated on
diagram handed the court 1t was en-
tirely blown out.
This concluded Ensign Powelson's tes-
timony On the third day.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

ounkers and storage compartments, are
passed In review, with the conclusion tina,
excellent order prevailed and that no In
dication of any cause for an internal ex plc-
sion existed in any quarter.
At eight O'Clock in the evening Of Feb.
ruary Is, everything had been reported se-
cure and all was quiet.
At 10 minutes past nine o'clock the vessel
was suddenly destroyed.
Two Explosions.
There were two distinct explosions with
brief interval between them. The first
lifted the forward part of the ship very
perceptibly; the second. which was more
prolonged. is attributed by the court to the
partial explosion of two or more of the for
ward magazines.
The evidence of the divers establishes
that the after part of the ship was prac-
ically intact and sank In that condition a
very few minutes after the explosion. The
forward part was completely demolished.
Upon the evidence of concurrent external
cause the finding of the court is as follows:
TAT frame II the outer shell of the ship,
from point liz feet from the middle line
of the ship and six feet above the keel
when in dts normal position, has been
forced up so as to be now about four feet
above the surface of the water; therefore,
about "a feet above where 1t would be had
the ship sunk uninjured
Plates Bent Inward.
1.-THE outside bottom plating is bent into
q reversed v shape. the after wing of
which, about 10 feet broad and 80 feet
On length (from frame II TO frame 25) Is
doubled back upon itself against the con-
tinuation of the same plating extending
forward.
Eat frame IS the vertical keel Is broken in
two and the keel bent into an angle singu-
lar to the angle formed for the outside
plates. This break is about six feet be-
low the surface of the water and about
30 feet above its normal position.
''In the opinion of the court this effect
could have been produced only by the ex-
plosion of u mine situated under the bot
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
Ayers
SaPSa pdPIIld.

AAos' AONOA pOOA O4unAOu NY duy
cheap imitation Of it, and quality
tells, just as blood tells.
lifts the Standard.
II have sold Ayers Sarsaparilla for more
than twenty-five years, and have never
heard anything but words Of praise from
my customers; not single complaint has
ever reached me. A preparation must
possess great merit to maintain such repu-
tation. ! believe your sarsaparilla to be
the best blood purifier that has ever been
introduced to the general public. often
hear other manufacturers say that this is
"as good as Ayers" but no one ever yet
heard it said that Ayers was as good" as
any other kind. They always set Ayers up
as the standard of excellence."-S. F.
BoYcE, Duluth, MINI.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01

est blessing of my life.'
DR.. Miles Remedies
are sold by all drug
gists under a positive
guarantee, first bottle
benefits or money re-
funded. Book on dis
eases of the heart and
nerves free. Address,
, DIR. MILES MEDICA.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
Have You had the Grin?

II you have, you probably need a
reliable medicine like Foley's Honey
and Tar to heal your lungs and stop
the racking cough incidental to this
disease.
Suld by J. J. Lowry.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-01
Attention Farmers!

Are you aware that we have a
full line of Farm Machinery. Bug
GIGS and Wagons. Also a line Of
Hardware, .Tinware, Paints, Lin
seed Oil, Machine Oils, Axle
Grease. &c. Mems Overalls,
Working Shirts, Jackets, Mems,
Women's, Misses and Children's
Shoes, Rubbers and Hosiery
these are side lines of goods and
they come in at time Of year
when our grain and stock business
is dull; therefore | claim I can af-
ford to give you lower prices than
regular dealers in these lines who
depend entirely upon them for
living. l will make prices to Cash
Buyers that Defy Competition,
Shall be pleased to figure on build
ing hardware with anyone intend
ing to build dwellings or barns,
Will take sound horses or colts
in exchange for machinery, bug
gies, wagons. etc.
Yours for business,
II. S. JOHNSON.
Bonair. Iowa.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-26
HOSPITAL CONTRACT.
Mr. George w. Copeland Gets T, at
ST. 900

MIR. George w. Copeland Gets T, at
$4,000.
Mr. George w. Copeland. of this city.
has been awarded the contract for 1h..
construction of the buildings of the
new hospital on Mill Creek beach He
gets it at s37.9,9 T here are twc:ty-o IA
buildings to be erected, seventeen OF
which are hospital wards for TIN. ac-
comnodation of GO patients. Mr. Cope
land is required to have the work com
pletcd in ninety days. but he will be
easily able to comply with this condi-
ti"n. he had a number nf competitors.
Washington Norfolk, Newport News
and other. cities being represented
among the bidders. -
The contract for plumbing and heat
ing. which is expected to run the cost
Of the hospital complete up to about
SOL 900. was not awarded yesterday ana
vii! not be for several days. Mr. Joe
Copeland. the well known hardware
man Of this city. is known to be one
Of the lowest bidders. but us several
Washington men figured on the work
nc is by no means certain that he will
come out the winner. The government
could not give the contract to a better
or more competent man.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-26
THE STURC;IS Jury.
list of Names From Which /, win re

List of Names From Which 1t Win re
Chosen.
Hampton will furnish n jury for the
trial of Attorney SturSis and the twelve
men who will compose it will be select
ed from the following list of sixteen
prominent gentlemen of the town and
county: j. w. Richardson, T.. f.. Davis.
II. G. Marrow. II. NJ Minor Feed Cum
bingham, j. i" Rowe. Charles Heme,tin-
ger. r. S. lIudEns. r. Il. Tennis. rhos.
Wilson, V. T. Holt. NJ. G. Ransianc. c.
w Hickman. John. w. Royenton and
David Johnson. Nearly all of these
gentlemen live in Hampton and repre-
sent the leading business interests of
the city. They are men of the highest
standing and Mr.. Sturgis may rest as
Sured that whatever verdi they may
render will not only be an honest one,
but one entirely in accord with the law
and the evidence
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-26
WAS A SUSPICIOUS CASE.


Illness of One Man Worried the Hos
pital Surgeons.
1t was said at the general hospital
at Fort Monroe yesterday morning that
The. CONDITION of the patients there and
in the field hospital is in every Way sat-
isfactory. No one has died since young
Yoakley, who was shot through the
neck, passed away. 1t was also stated
that the fever patients are doing we'll
and that none is suspected of having
yellow fever. DR.. Schroeder. who came
recently. and who is reported to be an
able physician. said that all danger has
passed. He admitted however. that a
few days ago. the post hospital sur
geons had one case under treat
ment which gave rise to grave appre-
improving. and. as the statement
comes from the DOCTORS. it must, Of
course, be accepted as true. 1t is
worthy of note, however. that while
this particular case was causing them
SO much anxiety, they were most vche-
suspicious illness in the hospital.
General Sternberg, chief OF the army
branch of the hospital service. deemed
the situation at Old Point sufficiently
serious to necessitate his presence there
Sunday. During the day, il is said
he ordered the Inauguration of alldi-
tional precautions With respect to the
treatment and isolation of any of the
patients who may show symptoms OF
the scourge. General Sternberg, like
Or. Pettus. is acIins: upon the principle
that an ounce Of prevention is worth
a hundred pounds of cure. At the same
time DR.. PettuS is keeping a sharp eve
on all vessels that enter the harbor and
no enc on board n ship hailing from an
infected port is allowed ashore until he
has satisfied himself that there Is abb
solutely no danger of bringing in the
yellow pest. AS an additional guaran-
" of safety DIR. Pettus is having Fish
ermans Island put in condition For the
reception of marines suspiciously sick
\ large quantity IF supplies was on
the dock ut Old Point yesterday morn
ing and will be sent to the island with
out delay.
Miss Bertha Cozine Franklin. Miss
Thornton, Miss Robins, Miss Fisher.
Miss $. c. Newall and Miss f. NJ Arch
enback, who are said to be Immune
nurses arrived at Fort Monroe Sunday
and reported for duty ut the hospital
yesterday morning.