Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-01
Capt. Sigsbee's Story.

The Location OF the Maine In the Har-
bor---the Precautions Taken--.What
Occurred at the Time OF the Explosion.
Capt. Sigsbee's testimony related to the
arrival of the Maine at Havana and her
being taken to her buoy by an official pilot
designated by the harbor master. He
could not state whether the Maine was
placed in the usual berth for men-of-war,
but said that he had heard remarks since
the explosion, using Capt. Stevens, tempo
rarity in command of the Ward line steam
er City of Washington, as authority for
the statement, that he had never known
in all his experience, which covered visits
to Havana for five or six years, a man-of
war to be anchored at that buoy; that he
had rarely known a merchant vessel to be
anchored there, and that 1t was the least
used buoy in the harbor.
Speaking generally of his relations with
the Spanish authorities, Capt. Sigsbee
stated that with the officials they were out
wardly cordial. The members of the
autonomistic council of the government,
however, seemed to have brought to the
attention of the navy department the fact
that he did not visit them, and that fact
brought some embarrassment to the gov
eminent at Washington. He took the
ground to the department that 1t was un-
known etiquet to call on the civil MEM
bers of the colonial government other than
the governor. Without waiting for such
an order Capt. Sigsbee made visit after
ward and was pleasantly received and his
visit promptly returned by certain members
of the council.
Later party of men and women called
and the president of the council made a
speech which Capt. Sigsbee could not I'M
derstand, but which was interpreted to him
briefly, to which he replied. "My reply"
said Capt. Sigsbee, twas afterward printed
in at least two papers in Havana, but the
terms made me favor autonomistic govern
ment in the island. am informed that
the autonomistic government in Havana is
unpopular among large class of Spanish
and Cuban residents. l have no means of
knowing whether my apparent interference
in the political concerns of the island had
any relation to the destruction of the
Maine"
When asked whether there was any
demonstration of animosity by people
afoat, Capt. Sigsbee said that there was
never on shore, as he was informed, but
there was aioat. He then related that on
the first Sunday after the Names arrival
ferryboat crowded densely with people,
civil and military, returning from a bull
fight in Regla, passed the Maine and about
40 people on board INDUCED in yells, whist
les and derisive calls.
Capt. Sigsbee described the unusual pre-
cautions taken, by extra guards and
watches, to protect the Maine. At the
time of the explosion he was writing at
the port cabin table and was dressed. He
described the explosion as q bursting,
rending and crashing sound or roar of i'm
mense volume, largely metallic In its char
acter. 1t was succeeded by a metallic
sound, probably Of falling debris, trem-
bling and lurching motion of the vessel,
then an impression of subsistence, attend
ed by an eclipse of electric lights and in
tense darkness within the cabin. He
knew Immediately that the Maine had
been blown up and that she was sinking.
He hurried on deck and gave such orders
as were possible. He heard faint cries and
saw dimly white bodies floating in the
water. He ordered boats lowered to as
sist in saving the wounded.
Fire amidships by this time was burning
fiercely and the spare ammunition In the
pilot-house was exploding In detail. At
this time Lieut.. -Comdr. Wainwright whis-
pered to the captain that he thought the
10-inch magazine forward had been thrown
up into the burning mass and might ex-
plode In time. Everybody was then d.
rected to get into the boats over the stern,
which was done, the captain getting in the