Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-22
REPORT ON THE WAY
Result of Maine Investigation to Reach
Here Thursday.
N CHARGE OF JUDGE ADVOCATE
He Will BE Guarded by Lieuten-
ants Jungen and Bowers.
THE DECISION IN DOUBT

NEW YORK. March 22-The Mail and
Express prints today a special dispatch
from it's correspondent at Key West Fla,
in which are the following statements:
1.-The report of the Maine board Of in
quiry will start for Washington at 4
o'clock this afternoon in charge of Judge
Advocate Mark. 1t should reach there
some time Thursday evening.
"One of the Names crew will always be
on watch while the report is en- route to
Washington. The same precautions will
be maintained as on shipboard-one always
remaining awake. All will be armed.
1.-THE report of the court IN possession of
Lieut. VIM. c. P. Muir and guarded by or
derly McCaley, waSs at S:45 o'clock this
morning brought ashore from the Detroit,
where it spent the night for safekeeping,
and was carried direct to the hotel at Key
West for the final approval of Admiral
Sicard, who, having created the court, has
the right to review the evidence
1.-The session at the hotel lasted some
time. The judge advocate, who stayed
ashore last night for the first time in a
me nth. went over the findings with Admiral
Sicarl. The latter signed the report at $50
O'clock
1T is now ready for the trip to Washing
ton via Miami and Jacksonville.
''It will start at o'clock this afternoon
in charge of Judge Advocate Mark. Lieut.
Charles w. Jungen and Past Assistant En-
gineer Frederick c. Bowers, both attached
to the Maine, were informed last night to
hold themselves in readiness to accompany
the judge advocate to Washington as
guard.
THE report leaving here at the above
time on the steamer City of Key West, will
reach Jacksonville tomorrow evening and
Washington probably Thursday evening.
President Mckinley has already been in
formed by a cipher cable of the findings of
the court
The Decision In Doubt.
KEY WEST. Florida. March 22.-The
decision reached by the court is still a
matter of surmise. Perhaps some sig
nifcance may be attached and conclusion
drawn from a remark made by Admiral
Sicard last night, when he said to a cor
respondent:
The case Of the Maine is most peculiar,
perhaps the most peculiar which has ever
occurred in the history of the world
From the general tone of his remarks it
might be inferred that the court findings
explosion. This is further borne out by
the admiraPs statement that even after
the report had been sent to Washington
the department may require further in
vestigation.
1t is certain in any case, whether the re-
port leaves today or later in the week. that
the court will remain in existence at the
call OF Admiral Sicard, the convening and
reviewing authority. The report will bear
his Endorsement of approval or disapproval,
although it Is safe to say that he will not
disapprove the findings of the court which
he personally selected.
Mark Had the Report.
All rumors as to the report being already
on its way to Washington were set at rest
yesterday afternoon when Judge Advocate
Mark walked into the hotel and asked for
Admiral Sicard. Behind Lieut.. Commander
Mark was an armed orderly with q large
dispatch bag slung across his shoulder,
and in that bag was the report of the
Maine court of inquiry. The news spread
quickly and caused great excitement.
In the little writing room of the hotel the
officer personally delivered the report to
m,ral Sicard's staff then Joined Lieut.
Mark, and while the orderly stood on
guard outside the trio walked upstairs to
the admirars rooms. For two hours they
were closeted together, going over the vol
luminous papers. Lieut.. Commander Mark
tfen personally took the papers on board
the Nashville, which lies close off shore.
Afterward he returned to shore and spent
the night at the hotel.
1t Is presumed that a conference on
board the Iowa or on shore will he held
today. If the report can be finally pre-
pared during this day, to the admirai's sat
isfaction, there is little doubt that 1t will
be taken on the afternoon boat to Miami
Feeling of Relief.
The feeling here last night, after it be-
came known that the report had been
turned over to the admiral, was one of
relief. 1t was the first time, after several
weary weeks of waiting, that it had been
definitely known that the court had com
pleted its exhaustive investigation into the
disaster. Naval officers and others dis
cussed the possibilities of the courts find
ing until late hour. The general i'm
preston continued to prevail that the court
had found that the Maine was Intentionally
blown up, but no new reasons were ad-
duced for this conclusion.
The United States battle ships Texas
and Massachusetts passed here at o'clock
yesterday afternoon on their way to Hamp-
ton Roads.
The United States battle ship Indiana
arrived here yesterday from the Tortugas
Islands, and is anchored beside the battle
ship Iowa and the cruiser New York. six
miles from shore.