The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-29

WASHINGTON. Narcb 2S.-The i'm
mense mass OF testimony taken by the
Maine court OF inquiry was sent TO the
senate to-day and with the Presidents
message and findings OF the court re-
ferred to the committee on foreign rela-
tions. The testimony was taken on
eighteen different days, the fourteenth
day, however, being devoted to viewing
the wreck. Every witness who was
known to have any information that
could throw light upon the great dlsas-
ter was called to give his testimony. The
story OF the destruction Of the vessel is
told, not graphically, but in q manner
which gives all the obtainable facts. No
technical detail Is omitted. Every
movement and incident connected with
the Maine, from the time she left Key
West until the last diver examined the
wreck. slowly sinking into the mud of
Havana harbor, is given. It is q story.
intensely interesting TO the American
people. Those who read It could have
little doubts as to whether there was an
internal or external explosion.
Perhaps the most significant testi-
mony Is that showing the bottom plates
on the port side Of the Inflated Maine to
. be bent inward and upward, result
that hardly could have followed any
thing save an explosion from the outside.
A mass OF testimony is submitted. show
Ing the care exercised on board the ship
by Captain SiSsbee and his officers and
the apparent impossiblllty OF the accl-
dent occurring by any internal cause,
such as the heating OF the bunkers.
spontaneous combustion or from other
causes upon which so many: theories
were based. -5.
The Testimony OF Captain Sigsbee Is
OF the greatest importance, and perhaps
Is of mure general interest than that OF
any other man called before the board.
With great care and minuteness, he
gives an account of the management OF
the ship, how she was handled, what
was done from day to day on board,
how she sailed into Havana, her anchor
age and what he knew about IT. and in
fact every point upon which the govern
ment and the country desires to be In
formed. Nothing in Captain Slgsbee's
testimony shows that the anchorage was
changed or that It was considered dan
gerous by any one.
Second to the importance OF the tesd-
mony Of Captain Sigsbee is that of En-
sign Powelson, who had charge OF the
divers and knew. from day to day what
these divers found. This officer was
minutely informed as to the construction
OF the Maine and everything about her.
Je, tx.1 10 n -fat,
technical, bearing upon the construction
OF the ship, her plates, etc, but it was
from these plates and this technical
that the explosion took place, from the
outside.
The divers, Morgan, Olsen. Smith. NIL
contributed important evidence. They
testified that the plates were bent in
ward on the bottom port side and out
ward on the starboard side. fes
The story OF the explosion IS told by
different witnesses and adds little 10
what Captain Sigsbee and Commander
Wainwright relate.
: Nothing in the testimony fixes respon-
sibility. no conspiracy is apparent. no
knowledge OF the planting Of a mine Is
shown. Captain Sigsbee states that q
somewhat bitter feeling exists against
the American ship and Americans gener-
ally and n witness whose name is sup
pressed. tells Of overhearing q conversl-
ton among Spanish officers and q citi-
zen, indicating o foreknowledge OF the
destruction OF the Maine by irtcntion to
blow her up. An official of the Ameri-
can consulate tells OF Information re-
ceiynd anonyrrO1lSly tending to show
that a conspiracy existed. But nothing
is definitely stated which fixes any re-
sponsibility upon Spain or her subjects.