Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-03-31
ABSTRACT OF TESTIMONY.
Some of Evidence an Which the Courts
Finding Was sased.

|
Finding Was Isased.
The following are portions of the tes-
timony:
Ensign w. V. N. Powelson was called
the third day of the court. He testineo
that he had been present on the Maine
every day from the arrival of the Fern,
and during a great deal OF the diving
In reply tc question to tell the court
all about vIe condition of the wreck, he
said the forward part of the ship, for
ward of the after smokestack. had been
| to all appearances completely destroyed.
The coming tower lay in position OPP
posite the door leading to the super
structure aft and to starboard, In
clined at about ITO degrees to the verti-
cal, with the top of the coming tower
inboard.
Continuing, he described with close
detail, the condition under the main deck
on the port side. The fixtures were com
pletely wrecked while fixtures in the
same position on the starboard side were
In some cases almost intact. The port
bulkhead, between the main and berth
decks, at the coming tower support,
had been blown aft on both sides, but a
great deal more on the port than the
starboard side. The fireroom hatch inn
mediately abaft of the coming tower
had been blown in three directions aft,
to starboard and to port. The protec-
tive deck under the coming tower sup
ports was bent In two directions, the
plates on the starboard side being bent
up and on the starboard side bent down.
In reply To an inquiry as TO whether
he meant with reference TO their origin
al positions. Ensign Powelson replied
affirmatively. The beam supporting the
protective deck, a few inches BAIT Of
the armored tube, to port of the midship
line. was bent up to starboard of the
midship line. Just forward of the con-
ming tower, underneath the main deck,
two beams met at right angles; one
beam was broken and pushed from port
to starboard. A grating was found on
the poop awning just forward of the ar
ter searchlight. A piece of the side plat
ing just abaft of the starboard turret
was visible. This plate was bent out
ward and then the forward end bent
upward and folded backward upon it.
self.
This plate was sheared from the rest
OF the plating below the water line. This
plating below the water line has been
pushed out to starboard
The unarmored gratings OF the engine
room hatch were blown off. A com
pensation strainer was picked up from
the bottom on the starboard quarter at
a point about opposite the poop capstsn
and about 10 feet from IL. The chief
engineer thought the strainer was for
- a. II
strainer in the ships side.
Near the piece of outside plating To-
which witness referred above he said
there were pieces Of red shallaced
planks. on these pIanks was bolted
composition track two inches wide and
an inch thick.
Ensign Powelson then asked II the
court meant for him to say anything
about what the divers reported or just
what he saw.
The judge advocate replied that he
would like to have him state important
discoveries which might lead the court
To draw some conclusion as To the cause.
and If a diver gave such Information to
state the divers name. Before doing so
the Judge advocate asked witness to
state IL the forward and after part of the
ship were in line. Ensign Powelson re-
piled that. as far as he could judge, they
were not. The end where the explosion
occurred seemed to be pushed from port
to starboard from five to 10 degrees, he
should judge, with the apex to the star
board The divers reported to witness
that at the point where the 10-inch
she'll room should be they discovered 10
inch shells regularly arranged, but the
ship had sunk down to much that some
Of the shells were in the mud. Gunner
Morgan reported that i'm walking ON
bottom he fell into a hole on the port
side and went down into the mud. He
also reported that, as far as he could
Judge, everything seemed to be bent up
ward In the vicinity of this hole. He
also reported that plates seemd to ha,
Deen pushed over to starboard and be.
Town.
Consul General Fitzhcgh Lee a.
peared before the court on March 8. HI.
testimony related to the official sorraali- !
les preceding the Names arrival. on
Ian. "A he received a message from the !
state department saying that the Maine |
would be sent to Havana on a friendly |
visit, to resume the regular status OF NJ
val relations between the two countries. !
and he was ordered TO make arrange |
ments at the palace for the interchange I
II official courtesies. After call at the I
palace he sent to state department a
,ipher message. saying:
Authorities propose To think the Uni
ed States has Interior purpose I'm send
ng the ship. Say 1t viii obstruct au- I
-onomy. and produce excitement. "a /
most probably a demonstration. Ask I
hat il not be done tiil they can get !
from Madrid. Say that if
or friendly purposes. as claimed. delay
S unimportant."
1t was too late. however: the Maine
lad already sailed. She arrived next
lay and Lee reported her arrival to the
tate department.
Captain s.gsbee. in testifying before
he court of inquiry. which convened in
he harbor of Havana Monday. Feb. 21
aid that he assumed command of the
Maine on April 10. 1897. and that the shin
rived in the harbor Of Havana the
asst time Jan. "a 1885. The authorities