The evening times., 1898-02-26
WEYtER's fIEADIsH PLAN
The Maine Blown Up by Junior
Spanish officers.
THE PLOT WAS DELIBERATE
Spain Responsible for the Loss of
the Vessel and the Death of Amer
ican Scamen, Because Her Ciftciai
Representatives Caused the DIE
aster to the Battleship.

In special to the New York Journal.
sent from Havana by way of Key West.
Alfred Henry Lewis says:
Spaniards all know how the Maine was
blown up They know it for Spanish
work by Spanish design. and exult there
at One can see by the shine I'm the
Spanish eye how the black glory of the
deed cuIls i'm comfort about the Spanish
heart.
There is not a Spaniard i'm Havana who,
like our own Secretary Long, believes
the Maine met with her crew. an acci-
dental death. The subcurrepts of Span
ish theory all flow one way. IL was a
submarine mine and planted by Spanish
orders exploded by Spanish touch. That
is the Hsvanese view. and while profess
ing sympathy and pretending ignorance
of il ALL and asserting 4 magazine eN-
ploson aboard the ship as the cause OF
the tragedy there are Spanish gIins
aside al the ruin wrought at the Yam
kee'' his gullibility on receiving the
accident explanation. and the beauty
Of the whole situation is that even the
Spaniard does not really think that he
fools the Yankee Administration. His
sneerinag. notion is that the Yankee
as well as himself is aware that the
Maine was sunk by Spanish plot. bat
that being too coTardly 10 make war
therefor the Yankee auNiously adopts
the accident" cNplana don. and 50 coy
ers his .skulkirg.
The fruit OF this belief that America
is toe much the craven 10 wage war on
Spain will probably be the blowing up
of the next warship flying the Stars ana
Stripes THAI lets splash her anchors IN
this harhoT.
Here is a story l got from Spanish lips
My authority is-aR- -autonomist nigh IN
| local respect and confidence. tie l. 'b
| admirer and supporter Of Blanco ana M
! imical 20 Weyler. While his story bears
black emphaSis unon Wcyler, noi%ith-
standing my informant's enmity 10 that
/ Spanish killer. | believe there is a ring OF
| probability in it. Here is what mS du-
! tonomist saws. iiberally rendered:
J There's but one view among Spanish
speaking folks concerning The disaster
/ To the Maine: that Is. one view among uS
! who aye for autonomy and ant-Ne$ler-
! The Maine was blown up by mine. eN-
/ ploded by the command of Wevler
/ Among th, Young officers OF the Spanish
army here. there are hundreds who adj
+ here to WeNler. There is a secret ami N
I between them. weyler is their chief in
! spira ion. with his headquarters i'm spain
/ when Weyler left they knew that h
planned the overthrow of the spanish
| throne: he schemes il now.
THE orders to his adherent TO sink the
Maine had a two-fold purpose. II WAS e
kin two birds with one stone. II was a
blow at thu Yankees. whom Weyler deer
4 Ia hates Wcyler charges America n.tf
1 much -respon<Tbility"T his failure in Gu
. ba and his recall to Snain i'm Semi-diS
grace. ii it had not been for cover
] American interference. Weyler beheN@
he would have surprised the insurgents
/ Aside from amy hunger Weyler feels DO
he. Al,l-.4az 10 t1
anxiety since his recall to precipitat
war botveau tho two countries. Neyle
would make Blanco and his autonom
failures: he would overturn present Span
ish control and install himself at tn
head of Madrid affairs.
-'The short and the sure way, perhap
the. oals-. ssbc.- ia to-b-ing about a war
4 Strife would end autonomy and put
! sharp period to the present government
/ II would lose Cuba hut Spain hersel
1 would sim survive. Weyler is confiden
that he ould dominate the Madrid situa
ti0n almost TO the point of autocracy
I When Investigation goes to the end-a
| last lays it, hand on the shoulder of tn
assassin who exploded the Maine tina
fatal uight-he viii he found to Toe al
agent of WcYIer. and one of that lie an
death coterie which ne left behind hin
when he went TO push his fortunes a
home.
Were a war TO be wage
between america and Spain,
war which. as Weyler ca
well believe would end with the bite
defeat OF Spain. he would easily seize tn
; / reins at the close. Blanco. SaEasta-ev
1 body who had aught to do with the con
| duct of that war and the steps Shic
4 led to it--WoUld he I'm popular disgrace
I With them down. Weyler. who is stron
with the army and has more ready cas-
, than any man in Spain at this time
would rise. Weyler. as the fruit of Span
ish war with America would become die
tatOr in Madrid. Cuba would be gone
p I but Weyler aud Spain would remain. An
with an this in his mind. and with ha
f.. tired for all things American in his heart
Weylcr issued the order that sprung tn
mine and the Maine lies al the harbor'
bottom.
p Yes, copliaHfd my informant. II d
look for war. do not share he nelie
Of many here that Mr.. Mckinley * cithe
ia was no accident. Finally, he wi
{ have his board report. laY the blame a
p the Spanish door and follow With Wa
. when he's ready. The conflict will FIRE
b cuba. ] look upon Cuba and autonom
as already dead as Spanish propert,
/ Aside from these even Wevier may hav
| victory for his ambition and stand at tn
head Of Spains affairs.
, III I were to phophnsv I would sa
that he Will. There is guess and SUI
mise as to when Sampson's committe
will end its labors. The finale OF oours,
. / will be in Key West: The report viii i
1 made in Washington. and the shrew
| thought is that ii will ne laid in Mrf-iT
/ leys hand whenever he ASKS for it. i'heI
| are few here who regard the Administers
; tion as being i'm doubt rs to who and q
{ 1 whom the Maine was killed. But tim
l | is needed TO get ready for rescntme:i
: and the Sampson committee can ga
that time by prolongiag its inquir,
row. Ii win be ready when MI. MCKir
r ley is ready to receive it.
''The finding of SamDson's committe
o / will charge Spain with responsibility f.
drowning our sailors and sinking OF
ship. The finding viii not say that IL
7 submarine mine was exploded by Snal
= iSh governmental authority, or that Elai
o co has knowledge of or part therei
4 SIMPSONS reoort will, however, chart
: the crime on Spanish officers. names III
known. who privately plotted the Maine
n destruction. went 10 the keyboard of IL
o harbor defenSes and did the work. TIL
| concerning the coming report of SAM
sons committee is neither surmse n,
riddle guessing. Ii may be relied o.
y Time. and near day at that. will di
y close IL to be correct
On February "a. under the head