St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-03-30
THE VERDICT OF THE COURT.


navy department the fact that he did no
visit them, and that fact brought SOM
embarrassment to the government a
Washington. He took the ground to tn
department that it was unknown Ell
quette to call on the civil members o
the colonial government other than thu
governor. Without waiting for such al
order Captain Sigsbee made visit af
forwards and he states was pleasant
ly received and his visit promptly re-
turned by certain members of the coun-
Gil.
Later, party of ladies and gentlemen
called, and the president Of the council
made a speech, which Captain Sigsbee
could not understand, but which was in
terpreted to him briefly to which he re-
piled, my reply" said Captain Sigs-
bee. was afterwards printed in at least
two papers in Havana, but the terms
made me favor the autonomistic govern
ment in the island / am informed that
the autonomistic government in Havana
is unpopular among large class of
Spanish and Cuban residents. Ihave nc
means of Knowing whether my appar-
eHl III lue COHCtI Ii
of the island had any relations to the
destruction of the Maine"
When asked whether there was any
demonstration Of animosity by people
afoat, Captain Sigsbee said that there
was never on shore, as he was Informed,
but there was afloat. He then related
that on the first Sunday after the
Names arrival ferry boat, crowded
densely with people, civil and military,
returning from bull fight in Regla,
passed the Maine, and about 40 people
on board INDUCED In yells. whistles and
derisive calls.
During the stay in Havana, Captain
Sigsbee took more than ordinary pre-
cautions for the protection of the Maine
by placing sentries on the forecastle and
poop, quartermaster and signal boys on
the bridge and on the poop A corporal
of the guard was especially instructed
to look out for the port gangway and the
officer Of the deck and quartermaster
were especially instructed to look out for
the starboard gangway; quarter watch
was kept on deck all night; sentries'
cartridge boxes were filled, their arms
kept loaded, number Of rounds of rap
id-fre ammunition kept in the pilot
house and in the spare captains pantry,
under the after superstructure was kept
additional charges of shell, close at hand
for the second battery; steam was kept
up on two boilers, instead of one, and
positive instructions were given to watch
carefully all the hydraulic gear and re-
port defects.
He said he had given orders to the
master-at- arms and the orderly SER
geant to KEEP careful eye on everything
and everybody that came on board and
to carefully observe any packages that
might be held on the supposition that
dynamite or other high explosives might
be employed, and afterwards to inspect
the route these people had taken and
never to lose sight Of the Importance of
the order.
He stated that very few people visit
ed the ship. Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright being rather severe on des-
ultory visitors. There were only two
visits of Spanish military officers. Once
a party Of five or six Spanish officers
fame on board, but according to the
captain, they were constrained and not
DESTROYS of accepting much courtesy.
This visit was during the absence of the
captain. He said he made every effort
to have the Spanish officers visit the
ship, to show good will, according to the
spirit of the Names visit to Havana,
but, with the exceptions stated no mill
tary officer of Spain visited socially.
Captain Sigsbee then went into details
regarding the precautions in force, es
pecially in relation to quarter watches.
which he said had never been rescind-
ed. One of the cutters was in the water
ut the time Of the accident and one or
the steam launches, the first, was riding
at the starboard boom. The captain
said that the night was quiet and warn
and that he remembered hearing dis
tinctly the echoes of the bugle at tattoo,
which was very pleasant. Stars were
out, the sky, however being overcast
The Maine at the time of the explosion
was heading Immediately northwest,
pointing toward the Shears. He was
writing at the port cabin table at the
time Of the explosion, and was dressed.
He then went into description Of his
experience when he felt the crash. He
characterized it as a bursting, rending
and crashing sound or roar of immense
volume, largely metallic in its charac-
ter. 1t was succeeded by metallic |
sound, probably of falling debris. a trem-
bling and lurching motion of the vessel, |
then an impression of subsistence, at
tended by an eclipse of electric lights
and intense darkness within the cabin.
He knew Immediately that the Maine had
been blown up and that she was sink
ing. He hurried to the starboard cabin
ports, but changed his course to the pas
sage leading to the superstructure. Then
he detailed the manner of meeting Pri- |
vate Anthony, which Is much the same as
has been published. Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright was on deck when
Captain Sigsbee emerged from the pas
sageway, and, turning to the orderly he
asked Tor the time, which was given at
$40 p. M Sentries were ordered placed
about the ship and the forwarded maya
zine flooded If possible. He called for
perfect silence. The surviving officers
were about him at the time on the poop.
He was informed that both forward and
after magazines were under water. Then
came faint cries and he saw dimly white
floating bodies in the water Boats were
at once ordered lowered, but only two
We're found available, the gig and whale
boat. They were lowered and manned by
officers and men and by the captains
direction they left the ship and assisted
in saving the wounded Jointly with
other boats that had arrived on tne
scene. Fire amidships this time was
burning fiercely, and the spare ammuni-
ton in the pilot house was exploding in