The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-26
COURTS WORK NOT FINISHED
NONE OF THE TESTIMONY or WITT
NEssEs GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
One Diver Reported To Have Said the
Explosion Was by Design-Vtews
of Ensign POweIsOn.

HAVANA, Feb. 25.--The wreck of the
Maine is slowly but surely sinking into the
mud. Before the hull could be raised it
would be necessary to remove the guns and
deck debris For lack of proper appliances
practically nothing in this line has been ac-
complished. Aside from the officers and
cabin effects the salvage thus far has been
pitfully small. The cloudy weather and
rain made the work of the divers unsatis-
factory to-day, and very little was done. 1t
is said that a hole has been made by the
divers in one of the forward matches, and it
is hoped that number of bodies will be re-
covered. Late to-day the paymaster's safe,
with $22, 500 and his papers, was taken from
the wreck. Beyond this no statement was
made as to the value and nature of the con-
tents. A large quantity of water ran out
when the safe was raised above the sur
face.
The complaint is still made that the elec-
trio lamps are of little use to the divers as
the light is faint and uncertain, and to hold
them takes one of the divers hands. They
have assuredly proved of little value in the
present investigation. So far as reports
made public CO. the workmen on the tug
Right Arm, with the assistance of the
naval divers, are laboring hard TO recover
the bodies under the hatch which led to the
lire room platforms. Snoring with timbers
was necessary, and the divers had to wait
for the lumber to-day. 1T Is hoped the
bodies will be taken out tomorrow.
The court OF inquiry sat longer than usual
to-day, the six divers being examined more
in detail than heretofore. The time of the
departure Of the Mangrove with the court
for Key West has not been determined
Captain Sampson said to-day that it was
doubtful whether his vessel would sail to-
morrow; that all depended on the develop
ment of the testimony. At the afternoon
session of the court of inquiry the exam
ination of the divers was continued A
civilian whose testimony is said to be OF
some Importance, was also examined. The
name of the witness and all the particulars
of the evidence are. withheld. 1t is be-
heved the divers from the fleet and the tug
Right Arm will remain at work when the
Mangrove leaves The Fern will be the
only United States vessel in the harbor
after the Mangrove goes. The public gen.
orally is excluded from the official vessels,
especially the Mangrove, and card muse
be presented by correspondents before ad-
mission is given them.
The Havana papers print long extracts
from the American dailies, but, OF courses
only of delayed news. All the AHeIicdhs
are anxiously awaiting the arrival OF to-
morrow's mail.
Consul General Lee says he has received
no news of Importance from the State De-
nartment to-day nor has he been notified
To expect the arrival Of any one of prom
irenee. 1t is believed here that II any
American of national reputation comes to-
Havana now 1t will be to study the situa-
tion for himself, and not as an official CONS
missioner.
At 6 o'clock this evening, when this dis-
match is sent Holzer the injured survivor
Of the disaster, who was reported to hav0l
died. is still sleeping under the influence OF
an opiate He is no worse than he was this
morning, but is very low. Including hims
there are six wounded left here, and all are
reasonably certain of recovery except he
some difficulty will arise in removing them
ta the limited States for all have been ex-
nosed TO contagious feyers, and the quarafl-
tine laws forbid their being taken direct to
Kew West. These regulations were disre-
e,arded in the case of the first lot OF wound
ed taken there on the Olivette the day &tterI
the explosion, but only because OF the ex-
treme exigencies of the case.
The spanish cruiser Alfonso XII has DeenE
toved to a buoy further within the harbors
~ make room for the cruiser Vizcayas
which is expected here tomorrow or tnsf
next day from the north.