The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-05
COURT HASN'T FOUND CAUSE.
GOES BACK TO HAVANA TO HEAR
MORE TESTIMONY.

| NuDah Suplt0t IN Ihree Oays-NO
Evidence Developed at the Hear
ings nt Key West That Solves the
Mystery-The Court Not Prepared
as a Body to Render a Decisive
Verdict.
Key West, Fla, March AFTER two
postponements of its departure, the court
of inquiry left for Havana this evening
on the lighthouse tender Mangrove. 1t is
believed by the best informed here that
the court will complete its labors in the
Cuban capital within three days.
Only three of the six days the court was
here were devoted TO the work of investi-
cation. The inactivity of yesterday and
| to-day is still unexplained, except by a
semi-offlcial statement that Rear Admiral
Scard was awaiting instructions from
| Washington.
| The sessions, 1t is generally under GOOD,
developed no evidence by which the court
| could definitely determine the cause of the
explosion.
A naval officer In close touch with the
members of the court, said to this corre-
spondent: with one exception, the wit
nesses who testified here were Maine sur
| vivors. The evidence, though in most
cases taking longer to tell. can be summed
up in the words of an enlisted man, who,
when Judge Advocate Mark asked him
what he knew about the explosion, replied
"Sir 1 was blowed up. 1 was saved, and
| I'm here" That was all he could swear to.
| l., Iea Al
however. 1t is true, although the mem
bers of the court may have their .individ-
ual theories, they are by no means prepar-
| ed as a body to render a decisive verdict.
| The officer already quoted said: "1f the
/ court has yet heard an testimony which
| would enable it to decide intelligently that
| the Maine was blown up from external
| causes, l am the most mistaken man in
the world. Before the coming Havana
sessions are over it may secure such evi-
| dence, and possibly find the blowing up
! was intentional 1t will learn from the
divers the actual condition of the ship
after the explosion, as it has already learn
| ed from the survivors most of the details
| of the ships condition before the explosion.
| With these bases thoroughly established
| the court will hear more expert theoretical
testimony and then reach a verdict"
This statement cannot be taken as more
worthy of reliance than that of the Maine
officer who said the other day he believed
the court was bound ON evidence already
heard to find the cause of the explosion
external It's conservatism is also at varl-
ance with the opinions of many other
| naval officers here, especially those of the
younger SET, and directly contrary to the
| belief of most of the Maine survivors that
their ship was intentionally blown up
Before sailing tonight, Capt. Sampson
had a long consultation with Admiral ST.
card
Mr.. Hulz, the courts chief stenographer,
has returned to Washington, leaving Mr.
Bissen. his assistant there.
All the Maine survivors received a
months pay yesterday and their claims
| for lost personal property have been filed
Schwartz, a cook on the Maine, has put
| in a claim for Slips, which he says he
| had in his chest, which was blown 10
pieces Many other enlisted men lost the
savings of years.
There have been no movements of the
| feet to-day, except in the case of the
! Nashville, which towed coal barge out
to the Iowa.
! The Mangrove sailed at S:25 o'clock with
all the officers of the court and the ste
nographer, Mr. Bissell. She will touch at
Tortugas with mail for the feet.
Washington, March At was developed
this morning through telegraphic cores
pondence between Secretary Long and Ad-
mral sicard that the court of inquiry is
unable to fix even an Approximate date for
the conclusion of it's investigation into the
| disaster 10 the Maine.
| Sharing the general anxiety for some in
formation on this point Secretary Long to-
! day, at the instance of the cabinet, sent a
| telegram to Admiral Slcard asking him
| when it was expected that the report of
the court would be made and late tonight
! the following reply was received:
| key West, March 4.-To the Secretary
of the Navy: Have talked with the pres
ident of the court of inquiry and agree
with him that it is not yet possible to fix a
| date for the finding, as so much depends
upon the progress of the divers and wreck
ers and the results they obtained. Every
| effort is being made to advance the in
| curry The court returns to Havana by
the Mangrove this evening. Have finish
| ed the examination at Key Vests
"Sicard."
Admiral Sicard's message is regarded
officially as disposing of the reports that
the court has as yet obtained positive or
conclusive information bearing upon the
object Of the investigation. 1t is taken to
mean that upon the testimony of discove-
ries of the divers will depend the finding,
| the examination of the officers and crew
of the ship having been insufficient to
enable the court to even form an idea
as to what lines may be opened up from
the investigation OF the wreck itself.
While the telegram was naturally some
what of "a disappointment In leaving the
termination of the inquiry as much in
doubt as ever, IL was welcomed as prac-
tically setting at rest the reports as to
the results of the investigation up to
date. 1t is stated that the board in all
probability will not return to Key West
the department. having intimated that II
was its desire that the examination of
the officers and men should be concluded
at this sitting as they are needed for re-
assignment to ships.
Admiral Sicard's precept convening the
court of inquiry now investigating the
disaster to The battleship Maine, has been
received by the navy department and was
made public to-day. It is important main
Is in showing the exact scope of the in
qury and the extent TO which the report
will go. Aside from the usual orders dI-
rccting the court 10 report both findings
OF fact and its opinions on these frd-
..I n