Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-01
ConsuI-GeneraI Lees Testimony.

Consul General Fitzhugh Lee appeared
before the court on March 8. His testi-
mony related to the official formalities pre-
ceding the Names arrival. On Jan. "a he
received a message from the state depart
ment saying that the Maine would be sent
to Havana, on a friendly visit, to resume
the regular status of naval relations be-
tween the two countries, and he was ord
cred to make arrangements at the palace
for the interchange of official courte-
sizes. After a call at the palace he sent
TO The state department cipher message,
saying:
Authorities propose to think the Unit
ed States has Interior purpose in sending
the ship. Say 1t will obstruct autonomy,
and produce excitement and most probably
a demonstration. Ask that 1t not be done
till they can get instructions from Madrid.
Say that If for friendly purposes, as claim
ed, delay is unimportant."
1t was too late, however; the Maine had
already sailed. She arrived next day and
Lee reported her arrival to the state de-
partment.
Lieut.. Com. Wainwright.
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright,
after testifying that the regulations In re-
gard to the paints and inflammables, and
all other precautions, were strictly carried
out on board ship, said be was in the cap
tain's Office at the time of the explosion.
felt very heavy shock and heard noise of
falling objects on deck. He thought the
ship was being fired upon. Was told by
the captain to see boats were lowered. He
saw no reason to food the magazine be-
cause water was coming up. He saw fire
forward. Boats began to crowd around
the wreck. He induced the boats to take
the wounded to different vessels. Ordered
a list taken of the saved and wounded.
There was excellent discipline after the
explosion. Orders were followed with
obeyed was TO leave the ship. He first ex-
amined the wreck at daylight the follow
ing morning.
The after part of the ship appeared to
be intact. The main deck was folded back
In direction from port to starboard. The
coming tower pointed downward toward
the armory. The forward smokestack was
lying abreast the after smokestack, lying
on the port side. There was an angle be-
tween the after body of the ship and the
forward, with an apex to the starboard.
An Alleged Plot to Blow Up the Maine.
On the fifth day q witness was intro
duced whose name was suppressed by
agreement between him and the court.
He had to talk through an interpreter.
This witness was crossing, about 1880 on
the morning of the 18th, from Havana to
Reglas on a ferryboat. He was sitting
near three Spanish officers, two of the
army, one of the navy, and citizen. They
were talking about the Maine.
One of the army officers said: "That is
nearly arranged" The citizen asked If
making explosions in the bay would not
endanger Havana. The officer said mo"
1t was so arranged that it would simply
explode, open the vessel and she would
sink Immediately. The other man joy
oGsly exclaimed: ~ will take plenty of
beer on that OCCASION" Some one came
by and they suddenly stopped the con-
versation. They had said 1t was shame
she (the Maine) should be in the bay,
and they would blow her up anyhow.
An Anonymous Letter.
Henry Draine, a clerk in the United
States consulate at Havana, was examined
as to the receipt of an anonymous letter
by the consul general in regard to the ex-
plosion of the Maine. Witness produced
the letter, the date of which was Feb. Is,
of the present year. There was no sigma
ture, it being signed "An Admirer."
Draine said 1t seemed to be the document
of fairly well educated man. 1t was
written in Spanish. The translation was
produced and handed to the judge advo-
cate, and read by him. In response to the
question as to whether anything had been
done to ascertain the truth of the state
ments contained in the letter, witness said
there had. When investigation was at
tempted two men mentioned In the letter
were declared to have died suddenly few
days before the Maine explosion.