Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-03-10

mere gone to Key West is regarded
as significant. 1t opens a wide field
Tor speculation. Some assert that the
court now has no objection to a Spap.
ISM inquiry for one of two reasons.
Either the court has sufficient evidence
already or accident or malice-eyilencc
that cannot be controverted by the
Spaniards-or, after a diligent search.
the mystery remains at deep as ever
and the court does not think the
Spanish will reach 4 conclusion where
the Americans have failed. That N
important testimony before the court
mas round Its way to the public is
very unlikely. Some Of the witnesses
nave told certain correspc ndents of al
z testimony, but in every ease in
y~estigation has showed their stories to
be wildly improbable and c%ontroverted
by known facts or else absolutely ir-
relevant. There are no signs Of dem
onstration against Americans.
washington, March ). - Secretary
Long said AT the close of his day at
the navy department that no word had
been received from the court of in
curry n that no orders had been, or
would be given as to the movements
OF he court from Key West, as the
u was fully authorized to shape its
W movements. The original orders
to the court We're issued by Admiral
Slcard, as commander of the fleet to
which the Maine belonged, and 1t has
the technical status of an admiraTs
court, reporting directly to him, both
as TO its movements and as to its final
| plllnIf m fhn -, 80 IT, 49,.
The understanding here is that the
court has not concluded it's work. but
Will return to lIavana TO take testi-
mony which has been delayed by the
difficulties in the way of the divers.
That Admiral Sicard expects this
move back to Hayana was shown by a
dispatch from him a few days ago sug-
costing that arrangements be made for
n vessel to take the court back. AS the
lighthouse tender Mangrove had been
doing the service the treasury depart
ment was asked TO assign the Man
grove for the return of the court to
Key West, and this was done. With
these arrangements concluded il is said
ut the navy department that the court
will proceed without consulting Of
ticials here.
Their Mission OF Charity.
Arrangements are being made for
the trip of the cruiser Montgomery and
gunbOat Nashville TO Cuban ports with
relief supplies. Chairman Barton, of
the Central Cuban relief committee,
has advised the state department that
donations are coming forward in
great abundance, not only in money,
but more particularly in the form of
provisions, from all directions. The
Maine relief fund, under Mr.. Longs
management, has reached a total of
| S3,1l3.
The only telegram relating to the
Maine disaster that came TO the navy
department during the day was the
following from Commander Forsyth at
Key West: ''Bache arrived. Brought
one body unidentified, and Paul LOT
tus, private marine; jeremiah Shea,
coal passer: John Heffner, ordinary
seaman; Thomas j. Waters, ordinary
seaman, wounded, from Tortugas.
| The wounded will be sent to the army
hospital. The funeral of the body has
| started for the cemetery"
During the course of the day similar
inquiries TO that made by the japanese
legation as to the number of her sub
| jects aboard the Maine, came to the
navy department from the German
and Swedish legations, and 1t Is ex-
pected that others will follow. Nearly
| every nationality was represented in
the Names big crew.
Washington, March ct was de-
| veloped yesterday afternoon through
telegraphic correspondence between
Secretary Long and Admiral Sicard
that the court of inquiry is unable to
fix an approximate date of the con-
clusion of its investigation into the
disaster to the Maine.
Sharing the general anxiety for
some information on this point, e
rotary Long, at the instance of the
cabinet. sent a telegram TO Admiral
Sicard asking him when ii was prob
able that the report of the court would
be made. aud late last night the fol
lowing reply was received:
Have talked with the president of
the court of inquiry and agree with
him that ii is not yet possible to fix a
date for the finding as so much de
ponds upon the progress of the divers
and wreckerS and the results they OBJ
tain. Every effort is being made to
advance the inquiry. The court re
turns to Havana this evening, having
about finished the Investigation at
Key West. -Slcaru'
Admiral Sicard's message Is regard
ed officially as disposing of the re-
ports that the court has as yet OBJ
tanned positive or conclusive informa-
ton bearing upon the object of their
Investigation. 1t is taken to mean
that upon the testimony or discoveries
of the divers will depend the finding.
the examination of the officers and
crew of the ship having been insult
ficient to enable the court to even form
an idea as to what lines may be opened
up from the investigation of the wreck
itself.
1t Is probable that the Olympia, nag
shin of the Asiatic squadron, n the
peerless queen Of the cruisers, VIII
come home to San Francisco. The
navigation bureau has this movement
under consideration, and. In view or
the fact that the ship has been three
years away from a nevy yard en-,