The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-01
BLOWN UP BY DESIGN.
An Officer of the Maine Thinks the
Court VIII So Report.

Court VIII So Report.
KEY WEST F1a). Feb. 2S-The
United States court of inquiry into the
loss Of the battleship Maine in the har-
Dor of Havana on February 10Th began
its session here this morning. The Of
ficers and civilians here who believed
the reports from Havana saying that
the court had already decided that the
loss of the Maine was due to treachery
have apparently changed their minds,
for to-day the universal question is,
What mas the court found?'' While
yesterday one heard all around, When
will war be declared?"
Brought face to face with the court,
men realized for the first time how I'M
likely it VIII be for the court to allow
any inkling of it's conclusions 10 be
known out of due season.
An unusual hustle pervaded this lit
tie town from the early morning hours.
The torpedo boat Cushing went over
to the New York and brought to shore
Captains Sampson and Chadwick and
Lieutenant-C Commander Porter Lieu
tenant Commander Mark the. Judge
Advocate, who is staying on the island
with Commandant Forsyth, was al
ready at the Federal building, directing
the preparation Of the United States
District Court for the sessions Of the
court of inquiry. A small crowd gath
ered outside eagerly watching for de-
velopments.
Long before the officers We're ready
d 70 the court room the men saved
+ he Inflated vessel were up and
wal al their temporary home in
the nfy aarTacks 1t was not known
n u anS If them would be called.
ut il PREPARATIONS were made 50 that
ll cour, Should not be delayed in it's
wclk
t. souit opened shortly after 10
O'clock Lieutenant Blandin was the
rst witness. Testimony will be taken
according 10 its relative Importance,
and not according to the rank of the
witness.
Lieutenant Blandin was before the
court for about an hour Those who
were called as witnesses before the
luncheon recess were Lieutenants Hood,
Jungen and Blow and Cadets Bronson
and Boyd. No enlisted men We're ex-
amined at the morning session Lieu
tenant-Commander Mark. who received
the list of witnesses. said the inquiry
was progressing well.
The United States cruiser Detroit
sailed to the Tortugas to-day with pro-
visions for the fleet.
The Court Of Inquiry reconvened at 2
o'clock this afternoon Lieutenant
Holman, who testified at Havana. was
again called. Lieutenant of Marines
Cattlin gave his evidence. and was fol-
lowed by Boatswan Larkin, Gunner
Hill and Carpenter Holmes The two
latter were on shore al the time of the
explosion and could tell little of value
AT ten minutes past three the court
adjourned until tomorrow
JudgeAdvocate Mark said: THE
stenographers have all they can trans
cribe in record form, and there is no
use of our working longer to-day"
After the court room was cleared for
the day Captain Sampson held a short
interview With Admiral Sicard. and
then returned TO the Iowa. Chaplain
Chadwick and Lieutenant Commander
Potter were taken on board the New
York
Few knew more than was known this
morning. An officer of the Maine. how
ever, who had been examined by the
court during the day talked with the
correspondent of the Associated Press.
II can't tell you, he said. what line
of questioning was adopted, but the
court viii find, / believe. that the Maine
was blown up by design. though | don't
think it viii be able to ascertain ex-
actly how. The courts findings will
be based on negative rather than posi-
tive evidence. BY this 1 mean that all
Of the testimony heard so far has. bit
by bit upset the theories Of those who
think the explosion was of internal ORR
gin This negative evidence is 50 strong
and so general that see no possibility
of the court deciding that the explosion
was internal.
THE only alternative then left for
the court is to fall back on evidence
which points 10 the intentional blowing
up of the Maine This. 1 think, will be
done unless the court formulates a the
DRY of its own. or declares that It does
not know how the disaster occurred.
both Of which conjectures | think inn
probable
As bearing ON the value of the opin-
ion of the officer in question. it must
be borne in mind that he was before the
court for about fifteen minutes only.
and that he has at all times expressed
himself as confident that the explosion
was not due to an accident. Members
of the court, when the substance of the
interview was brought TO their atten-
ton, declined to have anything to say.
All the high naval and military Off
Gals here. when asked crucial ques-
tons. politely profess ignorance.
The order forbidding soldiers to go
into town was rescinded this afternoon.
No explanation has been furnished. and
there seems to be some mystification
at this alleged unprecedented occur
renee. 1t appears that the order not
only forbade the enlisted men from
leaving the reservation, but it confined
them to their quarters.
AT the regular muster and inspec-
ton held early in the day particular
attention was bestowed by the post
commander on the mems marching kits.
All the Names dead that remain UNI
buried Will be laid to rest in Key West.
Orders to this effect were received from
the Navy Department Yesterday. and
the coast survey boat Bache viii bring
here any bodies found. Fifty collins