Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-03
COURT AT KEY WEST.
MAINE INQUIRY BOARD
LEAVES HAVANA.
VIM Return Again to the Scene Of the
wreok-SOme Feeling That There Has
Been Too Little Haste-senator Proc
tors Visit 90 Havana.

KEY WEST, Fla, Feb. 2s.-The
lighthouse tender Mangrove, bearing
the members of the court of inquiry,
arrived from Havana at S o'clock yes
terday morning. The court will re-
sumo its sessions in the United States
district court room in the federal
building to-day and will probably re-
turn to Havana on Wednesday.
The most important witness to be
examined here is Lieutenant Blandin,
the officer of the deck when the ex-
plosion on the Maine occurred. The
testimony of tie other survivors will
take only short time.
In reply to question as to the ru-
mored removal of the warships to
Cuba, Admiral Sicard said THE
feet is not moving and know moth
ing about it going to Cuba. Still, you
know, 1 have steam up and could go
anywhere if ordered"
He was asked il anything had hap
pcned to justify tho statement that
the situation was more serious than 1t
had been, and he replied: "They
know at Washington about that. Just
how strained our relations arc with
Spain, am unable to gay"
Investigation Criticised.
HAVANA, Feb. 2s-(Via Key West,
Fla Many Americans and some
Spaniards here insisJ that the Maine
inquiry has thus far been super
fetal and barren of vital results.
They claim that, though nearly two
weeks have passed, no knowledge has
been gained as TO the condition of the
forward part of the hull, or as to
whether the six or ten-inch ammuni-
ton magazines forward to the star
board exploded. They insist, more
over, that expert divers, with enough
experience to make drawings of the
condition of things submarine, might
have been ut work n week ago and
might have settled the question as to
the magazines at least ere this.
Those who hold these views demand
that the hull forward should be raised
without further loss of time and be-
fore it has sunk too deep in forty feet
of soft mud. There are some who go
so far as to charge the United States
government with adopting the Span
ish policy of delay until the disaster
shall be partially forgotten or dis
counted.
Many of the Spanish officials are
said to entertain the opinion that this
is the case, and to be very well pleased
with the notion.
On the other hand, however, good
judges say that all criticism in this
vein is made without knowledge of
the facts, and that no one save the
members of the court of inquiry and
their superiors is aware of all the tes-
timony developed or OF what subma-
rine plans have been made. Those
also urge that there is no use trying
to raise the hull until the wreckage,
armor, superstructure, engines, docks,
guns and masts have been taken out
To do this will take time, and the APP
paratus for the work can only be
found in the North. 1t is said no
in the world ever took con-
tract for such work where the blow
ing up of the wreck by dynamite was
prohibited lest important evidence be
destroyed.
But even the most moderate strong
ly deprecates any more delay than is
necessary, while all agree
that the American people are not
likely to forget so easily.
The Spaniards know that Senator
Proctor is a close friend of President
and, despite his disclaimer
Of political mission, they continue
to attach considerable Importance to
his visit at this juncture. Some think
that he has been sent here by the
President to make a report on the
situation, as Mr. Blount was sent TO
Hawaii by President Cleveland.