The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-25
THE COURT OF INQUIRY
1T HAS COMPLETED IT'S FIRST LA
BORIS AT HAVANA.
Utmost Secrecy Is Observed by Wit
nesses ms Well MS officers of the
Court Themselves.

! Havana February 2i.--The court of in
curry held its usual sessions today Cap
tain Sampson reports that Chaplain Chad
| WICK was examined as TO his personal ex-
: peFlences at the time OF the disaster TO
| the Maine and that the testimony was
taken of the captain OF a British bark lying
| al anchor in the harbor, and the super
! intendent OF the West Indian oil works,
across the bay at Regla, both OF wnom
witnessed the explosion.
| MIR. Rolf, the British engineer of the
floating dock in the harbor, wrote letter
| TO the court, but, it is said did not add
anything material 10 what was known.
Al toe afternoon session the divers We're
examined more fully than before.
THE COURT EXPECTS NOW TO FIN
ISL HERE TODAY AND TO SAIL ON
THE MANGRoVE FOR KEY WEST, where
the other officials and men will be eX-
amined
Chaplain Chadwick reports that all tue
WOUNDED here are doing well with one sA-
ceptlon.
Neither the officers OF the court OF In
quiry nor the witnesses Will give the
slightest indication of the testimony or the
conclusions deductihe from it and all say
that the men employed on the wreck have
been warned to observe an equally stiiet
reticence. This course is regarded as emf
nently wise by the Americans and all in
telliSent Spanish officers as there is no
telling what passions might be aroused or
what evil results might be brought about
by talking freely on official matters in 1hD
present state of public feeling in Havau,.
Thus far Americans are treated with the
utmost courtesy and kindness and 1t seems
the specia! care of the residents of Havana
to show friendliness.
Consul General Lee says there is no truth
in the report that he had asked Captain
General Blanco TO dismiss from Cuba GER
tain newspaper men for sending sensational
stories to the United States. On the con-
trary. General Lee has never interfered
with the American newspaper men In any
way.
General Solano, the second chief of staff.
today returned on board the Mangro9e the
visit OF the court of inquiry, acting as The
representative of the governor general.
The session of the court OF inquiry this
afternoon was devoted to taking the tes-
timony of two civilians (Americans) who
saw the explosion from the deck of the
Ward line steamer City of Washington,
which was moored a few hundred yards
from the Maine, and of two divers who hai
been at work on the wreck for several
Gays 1t is probable the Mangroye viii
leave for Key West tomorrow. Captain
Sampson is not certain. All depends on
whether the court finishes the work posi-
Bile here.
The news given out BIZ the court is
strictly confined 10 that already sent by this
correspondent and is very scanty at beet,
The explosion is now the only topic Of
conversation. The public here appeaiM 10
be content TO await the report of the court
of inquiry and to be well assured that
nothing except a surmise is possible until
the report is made.
The coast survey steamer A. ID. Bache,
after many delays left for Dry Tortugas
tbis afternoon with three wounded. Owing
10 the American quarantine regulations.
the wounded having been in hospitals and
c,rosed 10 fever, must he taken to hospitals
in the Tortugas for quarantine.
No bodies we're recovered today from the
wreck
strictly forbid all officers OF the Maine to
give out any information except TO those
officially empowered To ask II.