Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-02-26
BRUTAL SPANISH.
How They Regard the Tragedy
of the BattIeship Maine.
THEIR REGRETS INSINCERE.
Statements Of Americans Just Ar
rived From Havana.
OUBAES' ATTITUDE oONTRAsTED.

uine Grief Over the Terrible Disas-
ter-The Naval Court Martial at
Work Investigating Proceedings
VIII Be Kept sscret-SendInR Divers
TO Aid In the Work OF Investigation.
The Spanish Battleship vizcaya Sails
For Havana-National Senate Passes
Bill to Add Two Artillery ReRi-
ments to the Army.
New York. Feb. 22.-The Ward line
steamer Seguranca arrived at Quaran-
tine yesterday from Tampico and Ha-
vana- The Seguranca arrived at Ha-
Vana at 10 O'Clock on the morning efter
the disaster to the Maine and passed
close by the wreck The Seguranca's
passengers said that great excitement
prevailed at Havana, and at the time
OF sailing the foreign population were
generally of the opinion that the Maine
was destroyed by design. They cited
among other thi-.gs IN support of this
theory the fact that the Spanish man.
of-war, Alfonso XII. which was an
chored near the Maine changed her
moorinEs just previous TO the disaster
c. p. Holcomb. of New Castle, Del,
general manager of q street railroad in
Philadelphia, one Of the passengers on
board the Seguranca, was outspoken
In his belief that the Investigation at
Havana would reveal some startling
circumstances. II went to Havana"
said Mr.. Holcomb. mot at all in sym
Inv
wednesday, when we got to Havana.
believe any OF the Americans on
board was i'm a mood to commit muir
DER The fiags of the Spanish warship
were not at half mast. The vessels OF
all other nationalities had paid this
slight tribute to the dead.
The contrast between the bearing of
the Spaniards and Cubans is strong.
At the funeral OF the Names seamen
the Cuban women in the streets were
almost all dressed in mourning, while
the Spanish women wore colors. The
only American flags saw in the whole
procession were two small ones about
three by six inches. / went aboard the
Alfonso XII and was received politely.
The only expression Of regret I heard
there was from an officer, who COM
planned that the force of the Maine
explosion had broken his toilet bot
ties There can be no mistakfng the
indifference of the Spaniards In Ha-
vana over the loss OF the warship and
those on board. On Thursday. while
driving to the cemetery with two
American friends. 1 was assailed with
teers. and some one threw a large
stone at our carriage"
f, w. Bobbett, of this city. who was
with Mr.. Holcomb in the carriage.
added:
That's perfectly true. In fact. one
or two children yelled after us that
they had blown up the Americana
and that they We're glad of 1t. I did
not hear single expression Of regret
Tor the terrible loss OF life from anv
Spaniard during the time was in Ha-
vana"
Frank Weinheimer, OF this city. an
eye witness of the explosion and a fell
low passenger of Mr.. Holcomb. told
the following story:
ON Tuesday evening strolled down
TO the water front for a breath of fresh
ar A number of persons were walk
Ing about the pier near the custom house.
The eirstintimation had of an explosion
was a crunching sound. Then there
came a terrible roar Immense pieces
or debris flew skyward from the Maine. |
Some OF them must have been thrown
at least 300 feet. 1t looked as though |
the whole inside OF the ship had been
blown out. Many persons on the pier
were nearly thrown from their feet bv |
the force OF the explosion. The air be- |
came sitting with smoke, and the
crowd on the pier rushed back toward !
the city"
Mr.. Weinheimer said he heard an !
excited Spaniard declare shortly after
the explosion that If the "Americanos" .
sent another warship it also would be
blown up.
M J. Naghton. an insurance man Of !
chicago who was staying with his
wife at the Grand Hotel Pasate. de- I
scribed the panic which existed In Ha- |
vana shortly after the explosion. and l
said further: The Spanish officials ?
were quick to express sympathy, and
acted very well as a whole, but I think
their expressions of regret lacked the
spontaneity and warmth which would
nave been characteristic of an Amer
lean city had such disaster occurred
under similar circumstances