Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-03-01
LATEST ABOUT THE MAINE:
Investigation of the Cause of the
Disaster to the War Ship Is
Now in Progress.
RESULTS THUS FAR POINT TO A PLOT,
inquiry viii Not Be Made Public
Until Facts Are Known-Ameri-
cans in Havana Warned by Gen.
Lee-Uncle Sam Is Ready to Fight
If War Actually Comes.

quiry was busy yesterday taking evil
dence of the Maine disaster. The evil
dence was kept secret and will be held
so until it is all in, as the rules of the
board require. Capt. Sigsbee was the
fined to his own experience. In the
afternoon membe rs of the court made
personal investigation of so much of
the Maine as shows above the water.
Spain has no official part in the in
vestigation, but it's representatives
were present by invitation. The divers
were at work all day, but they are not
permitted to tell outside the court what
they have learned nor to communicate
with one another. They are under the
immediate charge of Charles Morgan,
gunner of the cruiser New York.
Another Day Of Inquiry.
Havana, Feb. '23.-The court of in
quiry opened at half-past ten and took
recess at 1880. Lieut.. G. F. w. Hol-
man, navigator and ordnance officer of
the Maine, was examined at the morn
ing session. The court met for the aft
ern'oon session at half-past one. and
Lieutenant Commander R. Wainwright,
executive officer OF the Maine, was
called to the witness stand. Lieuten-
ant Commander Wainwright has been
in immediate charge of the wreck since
the explosion.
Warned by Gen. Lee.
Havana, Feb. 23.-Americans in Ha-
vana have been quietly notified by Con-
sul-General Lee that it might be we'll
for them to send their families to a
place of safety. These precautions were
taken in view Of the fact that there is
strong suspicion that the volunteers,
anti-American and anti-autonomy, have
been inspired to make trouble in case
the Maine inquiry proves that the
catastrophe was due to design.
Points to a Plot.
Havana (via Key West, Flag, Feb. "a.
The situation, which may be changed
at any moment by fresh discoveries,
may be summed up, when this dispatch
is sent Wednesday afternoon, substan-
TALLY as follows: The divers having
discovered cases of brown hexagonal
powder for the ten-inch guns unex-
ploded, and believing also that others
unexploded will be found in the ten
inch magazine on the starboard side
forward, the conviction grows that this
magazine did not blow up. If this be
so, and many have insisted from the
first that it is, the further conviction is
forced that the explosion which
wrecked the Maine came from the out
side on the port bow. AS previously
wired, the main portion of the wreck, as
seen from above and noted from below,
was blown to starboard.
Confidence i'm Blanco.
The highest American officials here
are confident that Gen. Blanco and the
other high Spanish officials had no
knowledge, direct or indirect, of the
conception or execution of. a plot to
blow up the Maine, if such plot ex-
listed, but they believe the junior Span
ish officers, who from the nature of
things are more conversant with mod
ern explosives than their elders and
superiors, were at the bottom of the dis
aster, if there were any outside agency
One thing seems certain: if the Maine
was blown up by an outside agency,
the agent was mine and not tor
pedo, as no torpedo could have pro-
duced such tremendous results
Their Lips Sealed.
Havana, Feb. 24.-The United States
court of inquiry into the loss of the
Maine met at ten o'clock Wednesday
morning and examined DIR. Honerberg-
er, Paymaster Ray and Chief Engineer
Howell, of the battle ship. There was
recess ordered at noon, and it lasted
until 80 p. m. Several witnesses whose
names are not now obtainable were ex-
amined during the afternoon. Another
visit was made to the wreck by Capt
Sampson, president of the court The
captain says he has no idea of the
length of time the court will remain in
session here. 1t all depends upon the
testimony, and new features requiring
further investigation may develop at
any time. Capt Sampson added that,
sooner or later, every survivor of the
Maine will be examined. by the court,
which seems to imply that sessions for
that purpose will be held at Key West.
Although this information is meager,
it is absolutely all Capt. Sampson will
give to the press. A correspondent
sees him by appointment twice daily,
but there is a rigid rule to observe ST.
lence until the facts in the case have de-
veloped through the testimony pre-
sented.
READY TO FIGHT.
r.