The age-herald., 1898-03-27
NEWSPAPER MEN
 HONOR SIGSBEE Presented Him With a Beautiful
 Floral Offering BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE Havana Press Says American Court of Inquiry Was Influenced by Sensational Papers
 Still Harping on Request to
 Blow Up Wreckage
BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE

Havana, March 26.-Capt.t Sigsbee re- ceived large flower ship when he sailed north today on the Olivette with the other officers of the Maine bound for home. The flowers were from Consul-General Lee and the newspaper men here. The captain was much affected
 All Is quiet here; neither the informa ton from the court of inquiry of the Americans nor the war rumors have been able to pro- duce any sentiment among the volunteers or other Spanish bodies. They take every thing coolly, awaiting developments.
 They do not believe peace will be inter- rupted by the report of the American court and they seem to feel certain that arbitrators will declare that the explosion occurred inside and not outside the Maine.
 LaLucha in an editorial says: Capt. Sigsbee's request to allow him to blow up the rest of the wreck, if complied with, would make it so arbitrabors could not verify any examination in the future and so render it impossible to find out if the explosion was from the inside or without"
 Other Havana dailies say the American court was influenced by the sensational press"
 No one present will ever forget the scene in the cabin of the Olivette just before that boat sailed for Key West today. On the center-table stood a large floral piece in- tended to represent ship; near the flowers stood Consu-General Lee. At his left was
 
 naval officers and newspaper men to the number of score. American ladies were there, too.
 Sadness In all Faces
 There was sadness in all the faces, for the time had come to say goodbye to Capt. Sigsbee and his officers In voice trem- bling with emotion, Gen. Lee, in behalf of het newspaper men, presented the flowers to the captain, saying:
 "They are given as a token of high re- gard and deep love; regard for your superb qualities as an officer and a seaman, love for the magnificent attributes of heart and hand which have made you pre-eminent among your fellows"
 With moistened eyes, Gen. Lee bade Capt. Si3sbee and his companions adeu, wish ing them Good fortune now and always" to which there was deep cheer of assents as Capt. Sigsbee stepped forward into the circle. For a moment he could not speak, but he recovered his voice and then ex- pressed his thanks in the simple, manly manner so characteristic of him. The captain could not trust himself to speak of his ship but he could say, and gladly what he had put into cipher dispatches to tho navy department, that all the newspa- per men in Havana had treated him with absolute good faith; had never intruded upon him and had never taken advantage of the confidence placed in them. On his part, he added, he had never refused to see newspaper man, a remark which brought forth cries of ''You never did.'
 Continuing, Capt. Sgsbee said he recog- nized that they had orders as stringent and difficult to carry out as those given him.
 Whilc the Oiivette steamed out of the harbor Captain Sigsbc stood looking sadly on the gaunt wreckage of what was utt1a over Q month ago his ship.