Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-04-22
WHOPLACED THEMINE
A MAN BY THE NAME OF CRAM
DALI SAYS HE DID 1T.

D~A WV @A5~Hso DhAA w
Have Captured Him in Chicago
Ills Alleged Confessional is of
Surprising Importance, if True.
The TImcs-Herald, of Chicago, of
the 10Th inst. says:
Charles A. Crandall, alias Emanuel
Escadaro, who, acting under the per-
sonal orders of Captain. General
Weyler, planted the mines and tor
pedoes in the harbor of Havana, has
been run to earth in Chicago. Last
night he was in the custody of three
United States secret service agents,
who are taking him to Washington,
where he is expected to give informa-
ton to prove beyond any possible
doubt that the Maine was blown up
by a mine, and her 266 officers and
men murdered designedly by agencies
known to the Spanish officials. He
was run down by Cuban spy.
Ever since the Maine was blown up
Crandall, or Escadaro, has been dodg-
ing about the country. When the
secret service agents assured him he
would be protected he, volunteered to
accompany them.
Crandall's statements are substanti-
ated by letters in his possession from
Weyler's officers and from Weyler
himself. His story is as follows:
"My name is Charles A. Crandall.
I am an American by birth and for
merly lived in New York city. /
served in the United States navy on
the cruiser San Francisco under Cap
tain Sampson and Admiral Brown.
1t was while in the United States SER
vice that I made study OF mines and
torpedoes. left the navy and went
to Lima, Peru, where 1 entered the
employ of Grace & Co., of London, in
their nitrate beds.
while at Lima I met many Span
iards. One of them Emil Liestello,
an agent of the Spanish government,
induced me to 60 to Cuba as an ex-
pert ON coast defense for General
Weyler. 1 was given free transporta-
ton to the Island, and when l arrived
there I met Antonio Marco Diaz, who
assigned me to harbor work and
plating for torpedo and mine anchor
age. l began laying the mines and
torpedoes early in the spring of 1896
and finished year later.
"My work was performed at night.
1 was assisted by five Italian laborers
and two Spanish boatmen. In all II
mines and 10 torpedoes were placed.
The mines were made in England and
the torpedoes in Italy. The work OF
laying them was very slow, because it
was ordered that l should not work on
moonlight nights. When my work
was completed l made chart show.
ing the location of all the mines and
torpedoes and submitted it to General
Weyler.
al was then directed to place three
mines and seven torpedoes in the har-
Dor of Matenzas. This was completed
early in last July. When l had fin.
ished General Weyler ordered me to
place an additional mine near buoy
No. 4. which made a complete chain
of mines about the harbor from side tC
side from the mouth of the harbor to
the last anchorage.
"On one occasion General Weyler
sent for me to visit him at the palace
with the direction that 1 should ap-
pear in the uniform OF an officer O
artillery, sent me for that purpose.
When I went to the palace General
Weyler asked me if it were possible fol
ship to enter the harbor and leave il
with the chain of tOrpedoes and mines
there. showed him my rough chart
and he especially directed severa
changes, especially in the channel op
posite the navy yard.
"When my work was done and hi
artillery aid had approved the plans
he handed me my passport to he!
West and assured me that l would re
ceive pay when the first mine or tor
-,
pedo was used.
"I remained in Havana until Feb
ruary 10, when 1 went to Key West
where I stayed until March 3, ol
which date received my last Spanisl
gold from Havana from Spanisl
messenger.
"After the Maine was blown up
kept in hiding with colored famil.
near Fort Taylor, and as soon as / re
ceived word to skip out left as
stowaway on the first steamer for Mi
ami.
"The Maine was anchored at th'
identical buoy where General Weyle
ordered me to place the additiona
mine, officially known as buoy No. 4.
"From Miami went to Nashville
where l received the following lette
from Havana, dated March l, 1898:
"'Destroy all evidence. Go to Ne'
York. Ticket for London awaits yo
there. DiA~'
"This was from Weyler's long
trusted adjutant and spy, who ex'
cutes nil edicts issued by Weyler fror
Spain"