The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-04-15
WRECK OF THE Maine.
General Lee Before Foreign ReIa-
tons Committee.
EXPLOSION WAS ON THE OUTSIDE.

Occured ana round the Spaniard crying
Over the Occurrence-Opinion Expressed
That the Deed Was Done by IA Spanish
Officer of Much Experience.
Washington, April 14-The testimony
taken before the senate committee on
foreign relations in connection with the
! investigation into the relations between
the United States and Cuba has been
made public The statement which con-
| tains the greatest current interest is
that made by Consul General Lee, on
the 18th inst. In this statement Gen.
| eral Lee said that he was informed on
good authority that the Spaniards had
| placed two rows Of torpedoes just at
! the mouth of Havana harbor by MORO
| castle within the last two months, or
| subsequent to the Maine disaster, and
| that the switchboard is in a room in
the castle. He said, however, that he
had no information of the placing of
any torpedoes before the Maine was de-
stroyed, and none in regard to the pur-
chase abroad by the Spanish authori-
| ties.
Didn't Know Harbor Was Mined.
"Have you any reason to suppose that
the harbor was mined at all before the
blowing up of the Maine?" asked Sena-
| tor Frye.
mo, sir; had no reason to suspect
anything Of that sort up to that time"
With reference to the responsibility
| for the destruction of the Maine, Gen
eral Lee said
Il am satisfied the explosion was
from the outside. 1 cabled the state de-
| partment a few days after the board
| assembled that 1t was almost certain
that the explosion was from the exterior
| have always had an idea about the
Maine that of course, it was not blown
| up by any private individual or by any
| private citizen, but was blown up by
| some Of the officers who had charge of
| the mines and electrical wires and tor
pedoes in the arsenal there, who thor
| oughly understood their business, for
| 1t was done remarkably well. / do not
| think General Blanoo, the present cap
| tain general of the island of Cuba, had
| any thing to do with it. do not think
he had any knowledge Of it,
Bianco Was crying.
81 saw him just shortly after the &C.
| currence. 1 was sitting in my room at
| the hotel and from the balcony of the
| hotel l could hear this. / heard the
| explosion and saw a great column of
| fire go up in the air. A few moments
after ascertaining that it was the Maine
/ went right down to the palace and
| asked for General Blanco. He came in
directly by himself He had just heard
| 1t and was crying; tears were coming
| out his eyes. He seemed to regret it as
much as anybody / saw In Havana, but
/ think 1t came from some Of the sub
| altern officers who had been there I'M
| der Weyler and who were probably an
| ti-Blanco, anyhow, and who had full
| knowledge Of the business"
General Lee said he had seen a copy
| Of telegram from Admiral Manterolla,
| dated in Havana, prior to the explosion
| of the Maine, to the Spanish commits
sion in London, asking the commission
| to hurry up the electrical cables"
No Lights Went Out.
Continuing his testimony, General
Lee said that ten minutes after the ex-
| plosion he was at the palace talking
| to General Blanco, and that the latter
| gave him an order for a boat to take
| him out into the harbor. Senator Nor
| gan asked If, when he got to the wa
| ter's edge he saw any lights burning.
II did not notice that" said General
| Lee, but I have made inquiries since,
and have ascertained that no electric
| lights went out. l sent for electric light
men and gas men,"
"Have you heard since the explosion
Of the Maine any expression by Spanish
| officers in relation to it, indicating their
| pleasure at the fact?" asked Senator
Frye.
IT heard two or three days after
wards" responded General Lee, from
various persons who came in that there
was a good deal of rejoicing among
some of the officers All reports I got
said they were drinking champagne,
| quite thing to do in honor of the
| event, and in different portions Of the
city officers were making merry. I at
| tributed 1t to the fact that what they
considered almost an enemy's battle
| ship had been blown up, and 1t was
| that much in their favor"
| No Attempt on the Montgomery.
| He said that he had not heard any
threats of or illusions to the destruc-
ton of the Maine previous to the ex-
| plosion. Senator Lodge asked If he had
heard of an attempt on the Montgom-
cry.
II heard" replied General Lee, that
there was something of that sort one
evening, but ] believe, upon investiga-
ton, it was found that 1t did not
amount to anything"
The following colloquy between Sem
ator Foraker and General Lee brought
out some further opinions of the gen.
eral in regard to the destruction of the
| Maine:
1
Senator Foraker-You think that no
novice could have destroyed the Maine?
General Lee-Oh, no, sir. The man
who did that work was an officer thor
oughly acquainted with explosives Of
| all sorts, and who knew all about 1t.
1t was well done.
Senator Foraker-A man who had ex-
pert knowledge, necessarily?
| General Lee-Yes, sir
Senator Clark-And who must have
had knowledge of the location of the
torpedo?
1t Would BE an Easy Matter.
| General Lee-Yes / never have been
certain that the submarine explosive