Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-03-24
REPORT NOT READY.
The Court of Inquiry Will Continue
Its Investigation for a Time.
Capt. Wiley Thinks the Maine Wreck Was
Due to an Internal ExplosiOn-seaman
Newman Declares That the Ex-
pIo sion Was External.

KEY WEST, Fla, March 2l.-The
court of inquiry, according to Rear
Admiral Sicard, will continue its
work through the coming week, as it
is not yet ready to make a report on
the Maine disaster. The statement
that Capt Albert S. Barker carried
the report to Washington is officially
denied 1t is impossible to say def
'nitely whether any synopsis of the
findings of the court, up to date, has
been sent to Washington. The notion
prevails here that this has been
done, but no official confirmation is
.obtainable. That the final report has
been sent to Washington can be def
nitely denied, Capt. Sampson and
Lieutenant Commander Mark re-
manned on board the Iowa yesterday.
Capt. Chadwick and Lieutenant Com
mander Porter did not leave the New
York. The court is expected to recon-
'vene to-day on the Iowa, The two
unidentified bodies from the Maine
brought here Saturday night were
buried yesterday in the city cemetery
with simple services. A division OF
bluejackets followed the hearse.
CONGRESS TO DECIDE OUR COURSE.
WASHINGTON, March 81. The presi-
dent, more impressed than ever with
the solemnity of the responsibility
that rests on his shoulders, was yes
rterday in consultation with the law
makers of congress, the forceful men
in the navy department and the COM
manders of the army. The report of
the board of inquiry, which is to de-
eide the course of the government,
will be known to the world before an
other week shall have passed. The
state department is prepared to send
word to Spain demand prompt and
adequate indemnity for the destruc-
ton of our battleship in Havana har-
Dor. Our men-of-war are under orders
and our steel-sided cruisers are under
steam everything is ready. The court
of inquiry report will be to the effect
that the Maine was destroyed by
some hostile agency in Havana har-
Dor, but it will not state what person
president is determined that congress
shall decide the course that will be
pursued. If congress decides that
Spain was guilty, there can be no ques
ton of an indemnity whatsoever. War
will be declared to moral certainty,
without waiting for any apologies or
explanations, for congress has the
power to declare war at any time
Should, however, it be the opinion of
congress that the disaster was due to
the act of some irresponsible person,
then there is probability that the
lawmakers may be content with de-
Imanding indemnity. Should Spain de-
cline to pay, which is likely, war would
come anyway.
THINKS THE EXPLOSIVE WAS INTERNAL.
WASHINGTON, March ala special
to the Post from Newport News says:
The Merritt wrecking tug Under
writer arrived in port at midnight
Saturday from Havana, where she
went with the derrick Chief, which is
assisting in the work on the Maine.
Capt. Wiley will again start to Havana
with the barge Lone Star, which is
very much needed by the wreckers
Capt. Wiley believes that the Maine
was destroyed through the agency of
an internal explosion. In an interview
aboard the Underwater yesterday
afternoon Capt Wiley said:
You ask me what know about the cause Of
the disaster. Ireply that know nothing, and
pyha Nynn frat6 WI IN 7 do bo
lieve there is anybody who knows Just how the
unfortunate affair happened. Without having
had opportunity to examine the wreck below
water line, l would say that the Maine was
blown up by an internal explosion. 1t is the
most confused pile of distorted metal imagin-
able. There Is one deck above water which
was turned completely over by the explo-
!slon The deck is bottom side up with
the deck frame on top That looks to
be as II the destructive force came
from within. II mine did the work
and played so much havoc with the
upper deck, where must the bottom be? Can
sshe have any? Yet they say they have found
some Of the bottom intact NY opinion is that
II the affair had occurred in an English harbor,
say Kingston Jamaica, there would not be one
man in hundred who would say external cause
after looking at that wreck as it is to-day.
heard that the Spanish divers found piece Of
the forward turret do not believe a mine in
the harbOr would have broken the turret, while
an internal explosion would. 1 saw great
many exploded copper powder cases. but none
intact Before left it was stated that there
were still 40 bodies in the wreck.
SAYS EXPLOSION WAS EXTERNAL.
LONDON, March 21.--The morning
papers publish long statement by
Seaman Newman, recently arrived in
England, who was on board the Maine
at the time of the disaster in the Ha-
vana harbor. Newman solemnly de-
clares that the explosion was external
and on the port side of the ship.
Melted Over Twelve Thousand Dollars.
New YORK, March 21.-A perform
sance for the benefit of the Maine mon.
ument fund at the Metropolitan opera
house in this city last night netted
over $12, 900. At the conclusion there
were tremendous cheers and the great
audience enthusiastically sang the
"Star Spangled Banner" and 'My
Country" On the STAGE was tho c,raat