The San Francisco call., 1898-03-03

KEY WEST, Fla, March 2.-The naval
 Court of Inquiry has practically fin ished it's work in Key West, or at lat est will do so tomorrow. The pre- diction made in these dispatches before the board left Havana, that the pros ceedings here would not occupy more than three or four days has proved ac- curate. The precise time for the court s return to Havana is not yet fixed but not unlikely it will be tomorrow after noon or on Friday.
 Captain Sampson and Judge Advocate Marix, when I asked them to-day, both professed the most profound ignorance as to the details of the courts future movements The departure for Ha- vana yesterday, however, of Naval Constructor Hoover, who came from League Island to make special in spection of the wreck, and the fact that Carpenter Holmes of the Maine's crew received orders and left here for Ha- vana hurriedly last night on the Plant Line steamer, makes it appear like the
 court will find that evidence Of 1m- portance has been secured on reassemb- ling at Havana.
 Formal proceedings of the court at
 Key West closed this afternoon with
 the most picturesque scene witnessed
 since it convened. All the surviving officers and men of the Maine whose condition made their presence possi- ble were mustered before the Court of Inquiry in Key West Marine Barracks, to comply with one of the naval regu- lationS governing such bodies. The pro- cedure was really of a formal charac- ter only, but one of great interest. rms ceremony is indicated by the naval code and as illustrated in the case Of the Court of Inquiry following the loss
 of the Kearsarge, which perhaps most nearly parallels the case of the Maine in our recent naval history, is as fol- lows: A
 The captain of the lost ship, in the presence of the entire ShiDS company, is called upon to read a statement giv- ing his version of the disaster. He IS asked by the court whether he has any charges of negligence or derellctlon or duty to make against officers or crew.
 The officers and crew are then called upon in turn to state in the court S
 presence whether any one or them has any such charge to make. or knows anything bearing upon the sub feet matter of the investigation and not previously elicited.
 This is the usual course of procedure,
 but in the present case all precedents
 
 tent, and the muster presented unique
 features. Captain Sigsbee is still in Havana, and of course could not be present, nor could his executive ofacer, Lieutenant Commander Wainwright. The muster in the Marine Barracks was of itself unusual, such formai1ues gen
 orally being conducted on the ship s deck.
 The proceedings this afternoon were
 as exclusive as have been all other de-
 Alterations of the court, but the scene
 witnessed when the muster was com plete was without precedent Here al
 together, with only few exceptions,
 were the men who had passed through
 that awful ordeal and lived. As the
 marines and blue jackets lined up as
 if for inspection not a few showed bandaged heads, SWathed hands or
 arms hanging helplessly in slings.
 There was Fireman John Panck, tall and fine looking. He has lost two f1ng-
 CTS. and his career in the navy is end-
 ed, but he looks as game as any man
 in the ships company, with the white
 sling in which he carried his maimed
 hand hung over his neat blue jacket.
 There, too, was Apprentice Dressler, cheerful and chipper, though he can barely humble his answers through the
 heavy roll of bandages that hold in
 place n fractured jaw, and limps pain
 fully from a shattered kneecap.
 The officers all stood silent and erect
 as if on parade, but a,j for their raj
 ment the party was suggestive of Fall staff's army. Only few were in uni form appropriate to their rank, for only
 few have uniforms of any kind. Lieu tenant of Marines Catlin appeared re- splendent in trousers, neghgee shirt and polo cap. Passed Assistant Engineer
 Bowers was conspicuous in bicycle brooches, tan shoes and golf stockings, while Lieutenant Blow, who lost in the wreck nearly all his personal belong ings, including some valuable bronze and a watch, watch chain and seal, which were invaluable as family heir looms, nevertheless contrived to appear in a neat fielding suit of black that gave him the appearance Of prosper ous bunker or broker rather than a naval officer There, too, was Marine | Orderly Anthony, whose cool report to | Captain Sigsbee immediately after the explosion, Captain, I have to report i the ship blown up and afire," has al-
 ready become historic. This was prob
 ably the last muster ever to be held by | the gallant officers and crew of the
 Maine
 On Friday all the enlisted men able
 te be removed will go North. The ofti- | cers are only waiting the department s | orders In another week most of these 1 gallant fellows who together faced death will be scattered, never again to | answer the same roll call.
 l This mornings session of the court
 was devoted to the revision of the tes- l timony of the large number of witnesses
 heard yesterday. A few trifiing cor | rections were made. Then came the | final muster of this afternoon. Of the | future no man can speak authorita- i lively The session in Havana may not be a long. one-prGbably will not be
 unless there are weighty reasons for | delay in the committees report.
 1 IhM hc An n0kIM