The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-23
Evidence Taken of People Who
We're Looking at the Maine
When the Explosion
Canes Startling
Testimony.

followed almost instantly by a terrific
roar and a binding flash of light He
As positive about the first explosion,
and says it was noticed by his compan-
ions This statement came to the ears
OF one of the court of inquiry and last
nlght an officer was sent to Senor Ca
balero to ask him if he would appear
as a witness before the court He
announced his willingness to do So
Many strange tales of the disaster
are pIOuBhI out as the days wear on.
one of these was made known yester-
Day when the captain of an English
bark anchored in the harbor nearly a
mile distant from the Maine told how
a bewhiskered jaw had fallen on the
deck OF his vessel. The captain has
been asked to appear as a witness be
fore the court of inquiry
New York. Feb. pa dispatch to
the Tribune from Havana saws: The
outlook in Cuba does not grow more
promising The exact statement is that
the government officials were never. so
much disturbed as today. This is part
ly due to information from Washington
and Madrid.
The statement that divers have pen
etrated the forward part of the Maine
and found nothing in the magazines
Lhere to indicate an explosion. seems to
be verified. Attention is also given to
testimony regarding vibration under
water before the Maine went to pieces.
E4Nluence as TO TINS f2ct is emphatic.
How far it justifies the belief that the
explosion came from underneath the
ship, experts may be left to determine
The point has not been reached where
definite opinion can be formed re-
garding submarine mines. Outside ev-
idence has been brought forward re-
garding the construction of such a sys-
TEN, but it has not been sifted. Spanish
officials were surprised at the firmness
with which the Washington admins
tratiOn declined to admit them to z
share in the investigation.
Colon, Colombia, Feb. 23.-The gov
ernment has sent to the commander of
the United States gunboat an official
message of coincidence upon the loss of
the Maine.
The Newport's commander has Off
cially acknowledged through the pre-
feet the message in behalf of the Unit
ed States government. Flags on the
shipping, the various cOnsulates and
elsewhere were at half mast yester-
day.
Havana, Feb. 23.-The court of fnqui-
ry opened at half past ten and took a
recess at half past twelve. Lieut. HOI-
man, navigator and odrnance officer of
the Maine, was examined at the morn
ing session. The court met for the af-
ternoon session at half past one. Under
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright,
executive officer of the Maine, was call
ed to the stand.
Lieut.. Wainwright has been in i'm
mediate charge of the wreck since the
explosion.
Four divers were at work, two in the
fore part OF the ship and the others
aft. The task is most laborious, and
the men are naturally extremely care
ful, as they have had to work in COM
plete darkness and several have had
bad falls.
Electric lights from the Mangrove are
now available, and much good is ex-
pected from them
Nearly all the possible salvage has
now been made from the cabin aft. The
efforts to reach the ward and mess
rooms are frustrated by some unknown
article. It is expected to find bodies
in these rooms. Two cases of ten inch
ammunition have been found. the one