Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-02-20

List OF the Identified Dead, and
Injured, and Those Sent from
Havana to Key West.
Washington February 19.-The ex-
element of the past few days has
mostly disappeared at the Navy De-
aartment, and this morning the over
worked officials, particularly the Off
.s-s 81 the navigation bureau, who
aaye been working night and day al
most since the Maine disaster to meet
HE inquiries of anxious relatives of
,aa victims. while keeping up the cur
rem. work of the Office, were able to
grn attention to less pressing matters.
The first dispatch that came 10 hand
relative 10 the disaster was one from
Admiral Sicard, dated Key West, last
Night speaking of the assembling Of
the court of inquiry. The message
was as follows:
Secretary of the Navy.
"Bache sailed from Key West for
havana " III tbN AlFClS anu StO1ES lOl
the Maine. The Iowa comes to Key
West on the 18th and the Sampson
court Of inquiry on the Maine assem-
bids on the arrival here of Mark
Tile Massachusetts and Indiana at Tor
ugas Fifteen officers and forty seven
men from the Maine have been distri-
0uted at Key West Marine hospital
and the army barracks. More are due
here on the 18th by the Mangrove. L
shall hold all at Key West pending the
court Of inquiry. No one of the TWEEN
ty-seven apprentices that the Texas
took from New York City for the Maine
was On board the Maine at the time of
tho explosion, as no opportunity had
offered to transfer them from the Tex
as where they still remain.
Mark referred TO by Admiral Sicard
is Lieutenant Commander Mark, now
on his way from Washington to Key
West, who. with Captain Sampson,
Captain Chadwick and Lieutenant
Commander Potter, will constitute
TIE COURT OF INQUIRY.
Lieutenant Commander Mark viii
be- the Judge advocate Of the court and
lav down the line of procedure, being
somewhat of an expert in that matter
Il is believed at the Navy Department
that he cannot reach Key West early
to-day from Tampa, owing to the lack
Of a regular boat, but it is thought he
viii be there in time to conduct the
nvestigation when it opens next Mon
day.. While the court is entirely mas
ter Of it's own proceedings the depart
ment does not doubt that after a few
parliamentary sessions at Key West,
which will lay the foundation for fur
Their investigation through the taking
of the testimony of the survivors now
at Key West, the board will proceed to
Havana At that place the work can
he conducted rapidly to a finish, with
the assistance of Captain Sigsbee and
jbe information gathered by the divers
from The wreck
.oucning this question of eXamina-
ton OF TIE wreck by divers the naval
officials believe that there is no cause
t0r apprehension as to the fairness and
completeness of the investigation. Cap
tain Sigsbee has telegraphed that he
has made an arrangement with the
Spanish officials for the prosecution
Of this inquiry and that there is no
friction, so that the officials believe
there is no reason now to interfere
With The naval officer in the discharge
of his duty
AS THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
Is still besieged with applications for
the return of the bodies of the Maine
victims to the United States for burial
aud as the matter has figured in Con
gress, it may be well to note that
Capt Sigsbee for at least third time,
ia answer TO questions. has expressed
the opinion that the bodies eannoL be
removed from Havana. He has point
"a ont that their condition is not such
as to permit removal; that embalmlng
only imperfectly done in Havana,
aud that Identification of the bodies
i'm many cases is not even possible.
his morning he telegraphed that the
bodies OF the two officers, Merritt and
Hhins. could not be found and again
repeated that it would be impractical
hIo 10 remove the bodies Some OF
the surgical officers here say that they
know by experience that Captain Slgs-
taa conclusion is sound and they say
'hat successful embalming is not pos
>joie where the circulatory system OF
The body has been destroyed as in the
case Of the mangled victims of the
Maine.