Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-17
FROM INTERIOR CAUSE
Surviving Officers Of the Maine Dis
credit the Torpedo Theory.
MEN SAY IT WAS TORPEDO
Jose M. Mann of New York Describes
the Disaster.
Was ON CITY OF WASHINGTON
Battle Ship Sank Three Minutes
After Second Explosion.
II E WORK OF ESCUE

hE1 WEST, Fla, February 1.-THE
Associated Press correspondent here has
| had an opportunity to question a number
OF the officers and men who We're aboard
| The warship Maine at the time of the ex
| p!1sicn and it is the opinion of all of them
| that the explosion was due to some interior
| cause, and not the result of the explosion
| OF n torpedo On the outside
| Jose Il. Mann of New York a passenger
! on board the City of Washington of the
Ward line, which was moored near the bat
tie ship Maine on Tuesday night az the time
| OF the disaster to the battle snip, in describ-
ing the catastrophe today, said:
While we We're conversing in the cabin
| at about twenty minutes past on Tues
| day night loud report startled the COM
pany. They rushed to the port holes and
| saw an immense flash shoot up in the air
| with terrific report. Debris of all kinds
al d large number Of bodies were thrown
| upward 1t was at first thought that the
Maine was being fired upon but afterward
| as the City of Washington was struck by
what turned out TO be falling debris, and
she careened, 1t was thought she was be-
Ing fired upon second explosion took
place, and following 1t we heard groans
| anu SiiSS oi Ileip. t1Slp. Inc DOdtS OIL
| the City Of Washington and those of the
Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII were hurried
| ly launched and went to the rescue went
! in one OF the boats of the City of Wash
irgton, and the scenes l witnessed were
heartrending beyond description.
Two of the small boats on board the
City of Washington were stove In by de-
tris from the Maine. The battle ship sank
even with the water in about three min
utes after the explosion"
Steamer Turned Into Hospital,
The City of Washington was converted
into a veritable hospital. Many of the
rescued men were brought on board almost
nude. and the passengers gave them cloth
II g, etc. The officers of the City of Wash
inston did all In their power TO make the
rescued men comfortable
About half hour after the explosion
Consul General Lee, the civil governor of
Havana and Captain General Blanco's chief
OF staff came on board. General Lee re-
mained with US all night.
The affair caused the utmost excitement
in Havana. Seven bodies were picked up
in the harhor yesterday and were identified,
though horribly mangled
THE explosion occurred forward of the
midships section OF the Maine"
Later reports today from the wounded of
the Maine show them to be doing we'll, ex-
cept in the case of Patrick Foley, an ap-
prentice, whose skull is fractured 1t is
feared Foley will die.
The officers from the Maine here are at
the hotels and are quartered with army or
navy officers and the seamen and others
have been provided for at the barracks, or
have been sent to the cruiser New York
Enlisted Mar, Tall.
The men. including the petty officers of
the Maine, talk more freely than the COM
missioQed officers. and are almost unani-
nous in insisting that the explosion was
caused by large torpedo planted befor,
the Maine arrived at Havana.
The naval men here say that would be
possible, but 1t is net likely. The anchor
age of the Maine was designated by buoy
and the location of the buoy was fixed by
the harbor officials. 1t is added that any
official perfectly posted as to currents and
tides might plant torpedo at night so
that, under certain conditions of tide ii
would be under the forward part of the
Maine as she swung to her moorings Once
planted, 1t is further stated here, such a
torpedo could be exploded from the shore
or from a boat at any time fixed upon by
those in the secret.
All this, however, is regarded as being |
unlikely to occur, and as being almost i'm !
possible to occur without the collusion of |
Spanish officials.
The Maine, according to the reports re |
ceived here, was split open forward, there
fore, it is added. ii is diiccult ic see Lo.. !
such result could Ee attained Ey = toy
pedo from the outside, ard therefore il is |
pointed out that the explosion seems to !
hp prna frnr, WITH
Of the magazines were III the hands Of Can
tain Sigsbee.
Temperature ia Magazine 90.
When the keys of the magazines were de- |
hvered 10 Captain Sigsbee the temperature |
of the forward magazine was 80 ard It l. |
said that high explosives were s:oreu /
there, which would seem 10 make the RVS |
terry more dense.
Fears are expressed here that III. divers /
will not be able 10 throw light or the |
part OF the Maine IS practi ally IA :.o,,, /
Why the Eain magazine, which was T..si |
with high explosives and easily tiffz,1cd |
by concassion, did net go up is another
mystery. AS had the after magazine ex.
ploded 10 ore en- beard could possibly have
ped death.
Az this dispatch Is sent, no news of inn
portance has been received here from Ha-
vana or from the feet
The following is the oficial HIST from the