The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-27
Large Floral Ship Presented 10 can't
Sigsbee by General Lee and news
paper correspondents.
ARRIVAL At KEY WEST
WARM WELCOME GIVEN THE PARTv
DURING IT'S BRIEF STAY.
Capt. sigsbee Glad to Get Back on
American SOiI-Nine Bodies, but
Only Three Identified

HAVANA, March 26.-No one present win
ever forget the scene in the cabin of the
Ollvette just before that boat sailed for Kew
west to-day. On the center table stood a
large floral piece intended to represent a
snip Near the flowers stood Consul General
Lee. At his left was Captain Sigsbee while
grouped around were naval officers and
newspaper men, to the number of a score.
American ladies We're there, too There was
sadness in all the faces, for the time had
come to say goodbye to Captain Sigsbee
ana MS officers In a voice trembling with
emotion, General Lee, in behalf OF the
newspaper men. presented the flowers to the
captain, saying:
Ihey are given as a token of high regard
and deep love; regard for your superb quail
tiles 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 wet eyes, and those who looked on
felt the moisture, too, General Lee babe
captain Sigsbee and his companions adieu
wishing them good fortune now and al
ways" 10 which there was a deep chorus
Of assents as Captain Sgsbee stepped for
ward into the circle. For a moment he
could not speak, but he recovered his voice
and then expressed his thanks ia the sim
pie, 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 dis
patches to the Navy Department that all
the newspaper men in Havana had treated
him with absolute good faith had never
intruded on him, and had never taken adj
vantage of the confidence placed in them
On his part. he added, he had never re-
fused to see newspaper men, a remark
which brought forth cries of "You never
did" Continuing Captain Sigsbee said he
recognized that they had orders as strin-
gent and difficult to carry out as those CIV
en- him.
Then, turning to General Lee, Captain
Sigsbee paid him a high tribute. He said
we all loved him (cries of Right, captain,
we do) as being bravery, geniality and
good judgment personified' The captain
also said: 1.-The United States has no better
representative abroad than gallant Fitzhugh
Lee, it's consul general at Havana" loud
applause)
Captain Sigsbee then thanked the donors,
and they all left the Olivette as the whistle
blew, after giving a parting grip of the
hand to Captain Sigsbee Chief Engineer
Charles p Howell, Paymaster Ray, Chap
lain John P. Chadwick. Surgeon L. G. Hene-
berger Naval Cadet ]. A. Holden and
Naval Cadet w. T. Cluverius. When the
parting was over, Commanders Cowes and
Wainwright went on board the Fern. AS
all those bound for the shore left the ship,
cheers and good-byes were shouted and
handkerchefs were waved from the hurri-
cane deck While the Olivette steamed out
of the harbor, Captain Sigsbee looked sad
ly on the gaunt wreckage of what was a
little over a month ago his ship.
Nine bodies recovered from the wreck of
the Maine, including that of Lieutenant
Jenkins, were sent to Key West on board
the Olivette.
The Mangrove arrived here this morning,
and viii take care of the valuables which
may be recovered from the wreck, as well
as of the high explosives, which the mer-
chant vessels do not like to carry Half
gale of wind was blowing here to-day. MAX
ing wrecking slow work.
All is quiet here Neither the information
from the American court of inquiry nor the
war rumors have been able to produce any
sentiment among the volunteers or other
Spanish bodies They take everything COOL
awaiting developments They do not believe
peace will be interrupted by the report of
the American court, and they seem to feel
certain that arbitrator will declare that
the explosion occurred inside and not out
side the Maine.
La Lucia, in an editorial. says: Captain
Sigsbee's request to allow him to blow up
the rest of the wreck was most innocent
destroying it so that the arbitrator would
not be able 10 verify any examination in
the future. and so as to render ii impossible
TO find out if the explosion was from the
inside or from without" La Lucia adds;
'.,rhe American court has not taken proper
time to examine the wreck" The other
Havana dailies say the American court was
influenced by the sensational press
Albert Miller arrived here to-day TO ar
range for the coming of the. steamer
Tlstein from New Orleans, bound for Ma
tanzas with 200 tons of clothing, provisions
and medicines contributed through the ef-
forts of the Kansas City Star The Ulstein
win reach Consul Brice at Matanzas next
Thursday Mr. Miller has made ali the
arrangements necessary to lighter her car
go Trains carrying $50 tons to 100 tons TO
four towns on the coast and in the IN
terror will leave here tonight in charge
OF a committee appointed by Commissioners
Klopsch. All the arrangements have been
made for the distribution in the interior.