The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-15


First Time Made Public in the
Testimony Before the Senate Com
mittee-Gen. Lees Evidence.
WASHINGTON, April 14.-The testi-
mony taken before the senate commit
tee on foreign relations in connection
with the investigation into the rela-
lions between the United States and
Cuba was made public today. 1t con-
stitutes book of about $50 pages, and
includes not only the testimony taken
since the disaster to the Maine, but
also much that was taken before, and
running back for a year or more.
The statement which creates the
greatest current interest is that made
by Consul General Lee on the 18th
inst. In this statement, Gen. Lee said
that he was informed on very good
authority that the Spanish had placed
two rows of torpedoes just at the
mouth of Havana harbor by MORO
castle, within the past two months, or
subsequent to the Maine disaster, and
that the switchboard Is in room in
the castle.
He said, however, that he had no infor-
nation of the placing of any torpedoes
before the Maine was destroyed, and
none in regard to the purchase abroad
by the Spanish authorities.
Have you any reason to suppose
that the harbor was mined at all, be-
fore the blowing up of the Maine?"
asked Senator Frye.
No, sir; 1 had no reason to suspect
anything Of that sort up to that
time"
He then went on to say that Gen.
Weyler's Letter to Santos Guzman had
led him to believe that mines might
have been placed there previous to the
Maine incident, and he said that this
supposition was strengthened by
telegram from Gen. Weyler, of which
he had cognizance. Upon the whole,
he thought the Weyler letter Ghe
1.aine letter. was a copy Of the genu-
referred was addressed to Eva Camel,
noted Spanish woman and an ad-
mirer Of Weyler, and to Senior Guz-
man, and 1t read as follows:
weyIer's Telegram.
Grave circumstances cause me to
ask you to destroy the last letter Of
Feb. 12.''
Gen. Lee said that this telegram had
never before been published, and he
found in 1t strong confirmatory evil
dence Of the genuineness of the Wey-
Ter better.
With reference to the responsibility
for the destruction Of the Maine, Gen.
Lee said:
Il am satisfied the explosion was
from the outside. I cabled the state
department a few days after the board
assembled that 1t was almost certain
that the explosion was from the exter-
Tor. l always had an idea about the
Maine that, of course, it was not blown
up by any private individual or by any
hut Ii
by some Of the officers who had charge
Of the mines and electrical wires and
torpedoeS in the arsenal there, who
thoroughly understood their business,
for it was done remarkably well.
Il don't think Gen. Blanco, the pres
ent captain general of the island Of
Cuba, had anything to do with it, I
don't think he had any KNOWLEDGE of
it."
Gen. Lee said that he had seen a copy
of telegram from Admiral Manter-
ola, dated in Havana, prior to the ex-
plosion Of the Maine, to the Spanish
commission in London, asking the
commission to hurry up the electrical
ca bles.''
Whether that referred to wire for
submarine mines or torpedoes, 1 do not
know" he continued. II tried to ascer-
tain II any Of the wire Or electrical
cables had arrived there, but they
came on Spanish ships, and I could
not find out"
Senator Morgan asked If, when after
the explosion, he got to the waters
edge, he saw any lights burning.
I did not notice that said Gen.
Lee, but l have made inquiries since,
and have ascertained that no electric
lights went out"
Have you heard since the explo-
sion of the Maine any expression by
Spanish officers in relation to it, indi-
eating their pleasure at the fact ?' said
Senator Frye
Gen. Lee responded: IT heard two
or three days afterwards from various
persons who came in that there was
a good deal of rejoicing among some
of the officers. All reports 1 got said
they were drinking champagne, quite
thing to do, in honor Of the event,
and in different portions of the city
officers were making merry. I attrb
ute it to the fact that, what they con-
sidered almost an enemy's battleship
had been blown up, and it was that
much in their favor"
He said that he had not heard apv
threats Of or illusions to the destruc
tlon OF the Maine previous to the ex-
plosion.
Senator Lodge asked If he had heard
of any attempt on the Montgomery.
Il heard" responded Gen. Lee. that
there was something Of that sort one
evening, but believe, upon investiga-
ton, it was found that it did not
amount to anything"
No Real Armistice,
Senator Lodge asked: What does
the cessation of hostilities spoken Of
in the last few days amount tor" to
which Gen. Lee responded:
Nothing, practically nothing-tha
armistice amounts to nothing"
In response to an inquiry from SEN
ator Frye, as to his reason for saving
that the insurgents would pay not at
tention to the armistice, Gen Lee said i:
Because every attempt so far to
| make terms, or to make peace, or to
buy the insurgents or their leaders has
| met with signal failure, and whatever
| may be said about old Gen. Gomez he
| Is, in my humble opinion, fighting that
| war in the only way 1t can be done
| scattering his troops out-because to
| concentrate would be to starve, hay-
| ing no commissariat train and no Wav
| to get supplies. They come in some
| times for the purpose Of making some
little raid, where he thinks it will do
something, but he has given orders, so
1 have always been informed, not to
fight, not to become engaged, not to
lose their cartridges; and sometimes
when he gets into fight each man is
ordered not to fire more than two cart
ridges"