The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-16
WEYlER'S AGENT.
Crandali says He Laid the Mines aud
Torppdoes In Havana Harbor.

Crandall Says He Laid the Mines and
T~orprdo-s In Havann Harbor.
Chicago. April 1.-THE Tmes-Herald
says: Charles A. Crandall, alias Kidd
uel Escadare, who. acting under the
personal SUPERVISION Of Captain Gen.
| eral weyler. planted the mines and tor
pedoes in the harbor of Havana, has
been run to earth IN Chicago. Last
night he was in the custody of three
United States secret service agents. who
are aking him to Washington, where
he Is expected to give Information 10
prove beyond any possible doubt that
the Maine was blown up by a mine. and
her 266 officers and crew murdered de-
signedly by agencies known to the
Spanish officials. He was run down by
a Cuban spy.
Ever since the Maine was blown up
Crandall or Escadaro has been lodging
about the country. When the United
States secret service agents assui Il
him he would be Pr tected, he volt l.
teered TO accompany them.
Craniall's statements are sib9tantiat-
ed by letters In his ryssesSic1 from
weyler's officers and from Weyler bin
self. His story is as E.lhws:
MY name is Charles A. Crandall. l
am an American by birth. and former
ly lived In New York city. i served In
the United States navy. on the cruiser
| san ffsinClStO, unutI SdBtuih ohhP'
and Admiral Brown. IL was while In
the United States service that i made a
study OF mines m torpedoes.
Il left the navy and went TO Lima.
Peru, where 1 entered the employ OF
Grace 4 Co. of London in their nitrate
beds. While at Lima ! met many span
iards. One of them, Emil l.. Castillo,
an agent Of the Spanish government,
Induced me to go to Cuba as an expert
on coast defense for General Weyler.
I was given free transportation TO the
island. and when / arrived there l me-
antonio Marco Dlaz. who assigned me
TO harbor work and plotting for tor
pedo and mine anchorage.
Il began laying the miDes and tor
pedoes early I'm the spring of 1896. and
finished a year later. My work was
performed at night. / was assisted by
five Italian laborers and two Spanish
boatmen. In all n mines and 10 tor
pedoes were placed. The mines wer'
made in England, and the torpedoes IL
Italy. The work Of laying them wa
very slow, because II was ordered ina
/ should not work on moonlight lights
When the work was completed l mad'
a chart howing the location of all the
mines and torpedoes and submitted |
to General Weyler.
II was then directed to place three
mines and seven ~torpedoes In the mar
Dor of This was completed
early In last July. When had hnishe'
General Weyler ordered me TO place al
additional mine near Buoy No. 4. which
made "A complete chain Of mines abou
the harbor from side to side, from tn
mouth of the harbor to the last anchor
age.
ION one occasion General Weyler sen
for me to visit him at the palace Wit
the direction that | should appear J.
the uniform OF an officer OF artillery
sent me for that purpose. When wen
To the palace General Weyler asked m
II IL were possible for a ship 10 ente
the harbor and leave II with the chat
of torpedoes and mines there. | SHOVE
him my rough charts. and he especiall
directed several changes. especially ]
the channels opposite the navy YARD.
when my work was done and MS al
. tillery aide had approved the plans n
handed me my passport 10 hey We
and assured me that i would receive pa
unit the first mine or torpedo was use'
l remained in Havana until Februar
10. when | went to Key West, wher'
stayed until March ). on which date
received my last Spanish gold from Hs
' vana from a Spanish messenger.
After the Maine vas blown up l KEEL
: in hiding with a colored family nea
Fort Taylor, or the barracks. n y
o as l received word to skip out
= left as a stowaway on the first steam'
for Miami.
THE Maine was anchored at the ideI
!, tical buoy where General Weyler o.
4 dered me TO place the additional min
+. officially known as buoy No. 4. Fro
| Miami I went to Nashville, where i n
ceived the following letter from Havan
: dated March I. 1898:
. Destroy all evidence. Go to Ne
: York. Ticket for London awaits yc
!, there. DlAL.
= This was from Weyler's long trust,
q adjutant and spy. who executes a
q edicts issued by Weyler from Spain
Crandall AYERS hat he was direct
n to assume the name of Escadaro !
3 General weyler. He has several ie
tiers from weyler regarding his wor
and a military pass from that othc.
Il All OF these he has turned over TO Il
d United States secret service agent
and they will be used at Washington.