New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-15
MRS. THURSTON DIES IN CUBA.
THE SENATOR'S WIFE EXPIRES on THE
ANITA AT SAGUA LA GRANDE

from Walter B. Barker United States Consul
at Sagua la Grande.
THE wife OF Senator Thurston died on the
Anita to-day Shall give every attention and
wire you from Boca."
Meagre advices say that Mrs. Thurston died
from apoplexy about o'clock this morning.
when the yacht was In sight Of port. The Anita
left Matanzas last night with all the Congress
sional party except Congressman Smith and
Congressman Cummings. who went to Sagua
by rail. The passage from Havana to Matanzas
was very rough. and that to Sagua even worse
1t Is thought that this. together with the rough
passage down the coast, may have hastened the
fatal end; but nothing definite Is known here as
70 the circumstances OF Mrs Thurston's death
or as TO the time and place Of the funeral.
Washington. March Senator and Mrs
Thurston were members Of the party. the others
Of which were Senators Gallinger and Money
and Representatives Amos J. Cummings and
William Alden Smith and their wives. that went
to Cuba for the purpose OF making personal
investigation Of affairs in the Island.
The party left Fort Monroe on March = on
the yacht Anita. They had a stormy night off
Hatteras and put into Charleston. The trip was
Continued after a few days rest The Anita
first touched ir cuba at Havana. and afterwarG
went to Matanzas and sagua Ia Grande.
Mrs. Thurston IN excellent health when
she left the city having taken an active part in
the annual convention OF the Daughters Of the
American Revolution. which met here the week
before her departure. Before her marriage she
Miss Martha Poland, niece Of Luke Po-
land. OF Vermont prominent years ago in tho
House OF Representatives Mr.. and Mrs Thurs
ton celebrated their silver wedding here last fall
They have several children.
Omaha, Neb. March 14.-Mrs. John VI. Thurs
ton was the daughter of Colonel and Mrs.
Luther Poland. She born in Vermont a
little less than fifty years ago. and removed 10
this city with her parents nearly thirty years
ago. She married to Senator Thurston.
who then struggling lawyer on Christ
mas Day. lSi2. They have three living chill
dren, a seventeen -year-oid son, who Is now a
student at Harvard. and two girls. fourteen and
twelve years old, in this city. Three children
died Mrs ThurstOn took a great interest in
her husbands public welfare. and assisted him
materially in his political preferment. During
his campaign for the Senatorshp she pres
ent at seventyfOur Of the seventy-six appoint
ments he made She was his counsellor as a
lawyer, even appearing in court with him as an
assistant in several important cases. She was a
painted well. She did not have much time To
devote 10 social duties. as she directed the edu
cation Of her children until they were Of an
age 70 enter the high school. She was a mem
Der OF the Daughters Of the American RevOu-
ton. and was recently elected vice president of
the National body.
dispatch from Havana to The Journal"
which conducted the party to Cuba, say:
Mrs Thurston was in good health when the
party left Havana Saturday for Matanzas and
had been more active in shopping and sight
seeing than some OF the younger women of the
party She was not seasick coming down the
coast from Charleston. despite the rough
weather encountered.
IF it is possible 10 secure metallic casket
in Sagua the body, embalmed by the Amer
can Health officer at that port. will doubtless
be sent by the Anita 10 the United States"
THE MAINE COURT DISCUSSES IT'S WORK
INFORMAL CONFERENCES on TIE MANGRovE-
ANOTHER BODY FOUND.
Havana. March 14.--To-day was sultry and
cloudy During the morning there was no ses-
sion Of the United States Naval Court Of In
quiry into the loss Of the battle-ship Maine the
members Of the court sittin~ on the poop Of the
Mangrove, discussing various matters in connec-
ton with their work.
One unidentified body recovered to-day
from the wreck Of the Maine
THE FERN RETURNS TO KEY WEST.
WILL PROBABLY GO BACK TO CUBA oN FRIDAY
WITH MORE PROVISIONS
Key West, Fla. March 1.-THE United States
dispatch boat Fern arrived here this afternoon
from Matanzas
The Ferns trip was uneventful She reached
Matanzas on Saturday and at once began dis
charging provisions. into lighters. On shore
few persons had gathered but there was no
demonstration Of any kind The share of pro-
visions for Matanzas got rid Of in a busi-
nesslike way. and the Fern then sailed for
Sagua la Grande where the same programme
was gone through on Sunday the operation Of |
landing the stores occupying about six hours.
United States Consul Barker boarded the Fern !
upon her arrival at Sagua. He was overjoyed to
see American ship once more, even though !
It was only the little Fern. The Consul said |
there were about twenty-five thousand starving
in his district. An officer Of
the Fern said to the correspondent Of the Asso- |
clated Press to-day:
1T seemed as If the gladness Of the wretched |
Cubans at our arrival stired by the over
dread that hangs above the people Of
Cuba and that could not be dspeled even with |
the coming Of the food for which they longed. |
Naturally we saw little. ours was no exploring |
trip But we saw enough to convince US that |
the stories emanating from Matanzas, and es-
pecially from Sagua la Grande. are not exag- |
serated.
The Fern will probably go back with more |
provisions about Friday.
The tOrped0es and shells which arrived Satur- |
day were transferred today to Fort Taylor, and |
local excitement was raised over |
rumors that they were being placed in position. !
An officer who would b. connected with such |
work however. denied this report. and said: |
When you these mines or torpedoes being |
placed you can make up your mind that war is |
more imminent than 1t Is at present They VIII
not be put in position Until the last moment; |
for however good the mine, II is always liable
to become useless through the action Of the |
water
I'VE are not going 10 risk the usefulness or
expensive explosives by premature submersion. |
All these torpedoes can oe laid In twenty-four
hours II we laid them now, they would not /
only be liable 70 corrosion but everybody on |
the island would get an idea Of their positions