New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-29
AN ANONYMOUS LETTER.

Fireman william Gar,rell and Navnl Cadet Anon
Bornsol.
AN ANONYMOUS LETTER.
Henry Draine a clerk in the United States Con-
sulate Havana, was examined as to an anonymous
letter received by the Consul General In regard 10
the explosion OF the Maine. Witness produced inc
letter the date OF which was February 10 OF the
present year. There no signature oeins
signed AN Admrer." Draine said 1t seemed 10 De
the document Of a fairly we-educated man. 1t was
written in Spanish. The translation was produced
and was handed to the Judge Advocate and read by
him The letter was appended TO the record anu
marked "F." In response to the question as 70
whether anything had been done 20 ascertain the
truth of the statements contained in the letter VII
ness said that there had He asked General Lee TO
look into the matter and he did not appear to kno"
what TO DO stating he had Secret Service money
A man by the name OF Pope Taco was mentioned III
the letter Witness said he had tried TO discover
the wherea bouts OF the man. and the one 10 "hon
he spoke said the name was a mistake mat 'he
man mentioned had died a few days before the ex-
plosion OF the Maine and that the letter referred
to n Pepe Barquin: that he also had died suddenly
about TWO or three days before the explosion OF
the Maine Witness declared his informant WAS
Charles Carbonnell an American citizen.
Naval Cadet Arthur Crenshaw was In MS room
when the explosion occurred but he did not remem-
Der hearing anything though he felt the shock-ony
one It seemed 10 be lurch. He made MS way
aft and for the steerage ladder.
In regard to the wreckage Lieutenant Blow said
It began about the starboard beam and extended
completely around what was the bow OF the snip
There was only a small amount OF wreckage on the
port bow.
Lieutenant Jungen also said the principal part OF
the wreckage was on the starboard side
Cadet Cluverius who for several months acted as
assistant navigator and was we'll Informed apouttne
electric wiring OF the ship. testified that there was
--ra ard al AZ entanGeT
the magazines or shell rooms.
HEARD THREATS OF SPANISH OFFICERS.
A witness was introduced whose name was sup
pressed by agreement between him and the Court.
He had to talk through an Interpreter. This Wit
ness was crossing about 80 o'clock the morning
OF the 18th from Havana 10 Regas on a ferry0oat
He was sitting near three Spanish officers TWO OF
the Army and one Of the Navy. and citizen. They
were talking about the Maine. One OF the Army OIL
cers said. That Is nearly arranged" The citizen
asked II making explosions in the bay would not en-
danger Havana. The officers said. No" II was so
that II would simply explode open tho vessel ana she
wo-ili sink Immediately The other man joyousy
exclaimed: II VII take plenty Of beer on that oc-
casion" Some ono camo by and they suddenly
stopped the conversation. They had said II was
a shame she (the Mane) should be in the bay. and
they would blow her up anyhow.
Chapain John p Child xick OF the Maine was
in his room on board the night OF the occurrence
N'''o
at onca became dark The lights went out and
| there was crashing sound OF things falling. l
rushed on deck and got 70 the captains poop
where I saw the captain giving his orders. After
trying 20 cheer up the men who were crying out
in the water for help. ordered by Lieutenant
Jungen to go into boat which did. He rowed
around the ship and picked up one man Then. at
the orders OF the captain pulled for the city
O. Washington" Asked how many shocks he felt,
witness said he remembered only one.
Naval Constructor J. B Hoover appeared
witness on March His testimony technical,
describing the various parts Of the ship by num-
Der OF frame and section. Summed up. It was
that the bottom plates Of the ship at the point
OF explosion the berth decks them and the
proected deck had been turned over and forward.
revolving through angle Of 80 degrees The SIX
inch magazine was just below these pieces OF tho
deck they originally stood
Private Edward Mckay testified that he was on
watch on the starboard side a. the time OF tho
explosion He az the time looking over the
side Of the ship 20 see II there were any boats
| around. There did not to be a ripple on the
water" ne said. There not boat In sight.
did not have 10 challenge a boat that night. All
at once as I looking over there fash
OF FIRE which hit in the face and knocked mo
almost halfway across the deck The explosion
came Immediately afterward" There was but one
explosion. he said. and It came after tho first
shock Explaining further Mckay said the ship
seemed 70 rise up in the water and tip TO the
port side.
on THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.
First Oficer George Cornell Of the City OF Wash
ington testified that he the deck Of that
steamer when the Maine blown up and was
looking the Maine. He said he heard a rumbling
sound and saw the Maine rise up forward After
that the explosion occurred and the stun
flying IN the air in all directions" She sank i'm
nediately at the forward end He said there was
an interval Of sixteen or seventeen seconds be-
tween the rurnbling noise and the explosion. When
he saw the explosion II came from amldships. and
there was not much fame. He said the Maine
was lifted nearly out Of the water He felt the
steamer OF which he stood shaking at the time
the explosion took place.
Captain Frank Stevens Of the City Of Washing
ton. testified that he standing amidship OF his
ship where he could look toward the Maine when
she blown up. He heard dull. mufficd ex-
poson and commot!on. though It under tho
water followed Immediately by a terrific explosion
lighting up the sky with dull red glare and filing
the air with flying missiles. which fell all around
him. He tel, a trembling OF HIS ship at the last
/ OF the explosions the Maine There a
/ decided interval between the first noise and the
poson He standing where he could
the Maine 1T.
Louis Wertheirrer a tobacco dealer OF New
York who passenger the steamer City
| OF Washington. said he was IN tho stern OF the
| city OF Washington. and looking directly at
the battle-ship when the explosion occurred. Il
heard a report" said Mr.. Wertheime., and at
interval OF anywhere from five 10 fifteen seconds
! following the frs. report came great explosion.
/ In the burst OF the fame which followed. clearly
! ard plainly saw the vessel rise in the water ap-
/ parently and then settle down before the light OF
,h. o~-iosl,n wen; out. The whole thing
over SO quickly that I could not hazard guess at
/ the length OF time
slrr,ond Rothchid. OF the passengers on the
| civ OF washington an eyewitness to the ex-
| ploson In company with his friend. Louis Wer-
The NOR he was aboard the City Of Washington on
~ ,gh, of February 10 as she sailed into Havana
! Harbor lie the stern OF the Washington.
which was astern and the port side OF the
/ Maine The vessels about one hundred yarcs
/ APART Rothchild said he was naturally interested