davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The record-union., 1898-03-29
PRIVATE ANTHONY.
THE MARINE WHO REPORTED
EXPLOSION TO SIGSBEE.
Relates the Incidents at the Time
of the Blowing Up of the
Batt1eship.

Private Anthony of the United States
Marine Corps, whose GOODNESS at the time
of the explosion in reporting to Captain
Sigsbee. has become the theme of ad-
miration throughout the world was the
next witness.
He testified that he had first watch from
to IL O'Clock on the night of the explo-
sion. There was a drill that day and ii
was not necessary to open the magazines
In response to questions Private Anthony
told his story.
Il was standing on the main deck, just
outside tha door, on the starboard side.
l noticed a trembling and buckling of
the decks, and then this prolonged roar
not g short roar, but a prolonged roar
The awnings were spread, and where the
wing awning and the quarter deck avn
ing should join there was a space Of at
least eighteen inches. l looked out and
saw an immense sheet of flames and
then | started toward the Captain
Did you notice any perceptible list to
the snip at the first shocks?
"At the first shock the ship instantly
that is the quarter deck where 1 was
standing-dipped forward and to port just
like that Gndicating iO. 1t apparently
broke in the middle like that Qndicating)
and surged forward and then over to
port
Witness said the upshoot of the flames
he saw was we'll forward 1t must have
been forward of the superstructure.
could see the debris going up with it.
do not know what 1t was, but l saw the
fire brands going up.
WAS it on the port or starboard side?'
'It looked mere TO port than 1t did to
starboard. It looked like 1t covered the
whole ship. 1t was an immense glare that
Illuminated the whole heavens for the
moment as much as l could see for the
awnings.
81 did not notice that, sir. l started
for the cabin at once"
This closed the brave mariners testi-
mony.
The record-union., 1898-03-29
GUNNER'S MATE SMITH.
DESCRIBES THE SCENES IN THE
SHELL ROOM.
Found Most of the Ten-Inch in
Good Order-Condition OF
the Vessels Plates.

Gunner's Mate Smith described his first
descent which landed him in the 10-inch
shellroon. The shells were there in good
order most of them nose up, but some
toppled over by the shock of the explo-
sion which had wrecked the woodwork of
the magazine and blown the after bulk
head over from port to stafboard. he
crawled over this bulkhead and down be-
hind it found 10-inch powder tank bent
and dented, but not exploded. 1t was in
tact with powder, and cartridge bags.
On his next descent ne went down from
the port frame following the side of the
ship down till he struck plates that were
blown from port to starboard in-board.
He followed the plates down till he came
to the 6-inch shells still IN the sings for
sending them up out of the shellroom.
They were lying with their noses up point
ing to starboard The forward part of
the 6-inch reserve magazine seemed to
have been blown away atogether The
room were turned up and Smith walked
over them out into the mud. Coming
back from his trip into the outer sub
of 6-pounder shells and shell cases, some
of them not even broken away from the
shells Laying right across the middle of
the 10-inch shellroom he found an armor
plate that had been torn away from the
ship's side. The plate ON being ripped
loose by the explosion, had turned COM
plete somersault, and landed with the
thick edge in the mud and the plate lean
ING oblial1ely over the wreck of the she'll
room. There were 6-inch pound tanks
scattered over the 10-inch shellroom, most
of them split A number of them were
sent up but more renamed. On ms fourth
the ship by the port crane. The skin Of
the ship he said sis in good condition
till YOU come to the jagged opening lead
ing into the 6-inch shellroom before mem
blown inward
The record-union., 1898-03-29
PoweITson Recalled.

Ensign Powellson was recalled on the
sixth day, when he said since his last
testimony he had received a book of
specifications from the Maine. Refresh
ing his memory from these records. he
said the plates on the protective deck
were one inch thick, weighing forty
pounds per square foot.
Ensign Powellson. wishing to give some
testimony regarding the condition OF the
wreck. Gunner's Mate Olsen, a diver, was
admitted in order that he might correct
any erroneous statement the two hav-
ing worked together
PLATES BULGED IN.
MI. Powellson said that on February
26th Diver Wilson reported to him that on
coming up from below, he had followed
the forward and aft wings of the V-shape,
made by the bottom plating at frame Is,
and said the forward wing of the V, the
plates ran down on very steep slant ana
then entered under and out under the star
board side. that just above where the
plates turned to go under the starboard
side ne found two dents as If the plating
had been bulged in between the frames
from outside in.
The court asked the size of these two
dents.
about two and one-half feet long, ana
bulged in about six inches. He furtner
The record-union., 1898-03-29
CAPTAIN CONVERSE.
gESTIFIES AS TO NATURAL Eff
FECTS OF EXPLOSIVES.
Shows That the Maine Disaster
Was Not Caused by an In
ternal Explosion.

Captain c. A Converse OF the navy,
summoned as witness, test1hed ne mao
made study of natural effects OF eXplo-
sives. The largest quantity OF explosives
he had ever seen used consisted of a tor
pedo containing 800 pounds of gunpoWder
and 100 pounds of dynamite, all separate
cases, 100 pounds in each case, securely
lashed together. Being shown blue print
of the forward magazine shell room or the
Maine and asked if one of more of these
should explode or partially explode u
would lift the forward part of the snip
partly out of the water, he replied that
he did not think it would
After a long description of the effect OF
torpedoes he was asked what his expert
ence when in the case of explosion OF a
submarine mine, what became of the mine.
He replied that it almost invariably rup-
them are rarely found His experience
did not allow him to remember case
where he saw any considerable pieces re
manning from a submarine mine, or its
iron case after its explosion. On one or
two occasions small fragments of cast
iron thrown into "a boat indicated com
plete demolition of the case containing eX-
plosive.
When asked if a submarine mine eX-
ploded under the bottom of shift and con
tanning enough explosive to completely
destroy that part of that ship would be
completely demolished he replied a violent
explosion would cut a hole in ship blow
ing out that part of the ship in small frag-
mentS
Being shown sketches of the forward
magazines, and asked if the explosion or
partial explosion would leave the bottom
of the Maine in that condition as was
shown in the sketches, he stated that the
distortion of the keel of the Maine was
too forward and too remote from the mag
azine to have been caused by their explo-
sion.
He was of the opinion that the binding
of the plates on the bottom of the maga-
zines was produced by the explosion of a
submarine mine containing large amount
Of the lower exp lOSive gunpOwder or similar
mot in contact with the ship, but some
distance below it, perhaps on the bottom.
Continuing, he said he had never in his
experience seen anv interior explosion that
was equal to the effect of the Maine
"Do you think that necessarily there
must have been an under water mine to
produce these explosions?'
Indications are that an under water ex-
plosion produced the conditions there, "
was the reply. with further statements
regarding the impossibility in his opinion
of an internal explosion causing the
Names wreck. His testimony was
closed.
The record-union., 1898-03-29

bottom and the jagged edges of the Nce-
ment turned up. He described in detail
the 10-inch powder tanks found here none
of them apparently exploded. but with the
Soldered seams split and the sash fiat
tened.
Witness was questioned very closely as
to the plates that he found blown in
ward, and whether they might not have
been bulkheads, but he insisted that they
were the outside skin of the ship near
the bottom. and located them accurately
on the plans about the middle of the 6-nch
, shellroom where in big circle there is
none OF the outside of the ship left at
al.''
He said he had not gone into the 10
( inch magazine on the starboard side.
which was buried under mass of wreck
age. He did not find the forward turret.
but it was missing from the place where
it belonged
The Importance of this testimony caused
it to be gone over and over again and ad-
ditional questions along the line already
indicated were put, but they only served
to point out more clearly that abreast OF
the 6-inch shellroom the whole side of
! the ship had disappeared from the harbor
bed TO the water line and the edges of
the rent were turned inward. Further.
the 10-inch magazine had not exploded.
Gunner's Mate Smith also told OF three
trips down in diving dress on February
2Sth. During one of these he located the
break in the keel where the ships back
was broken by the explosion. He there
found n hole in the bottom OF the har-
Dor about seven feet deep and seven feet
in diameter. The mud bottom OF this
hole was harder than elsewhere. and one
did not sink over eighteen inches in It.
In this hole he found tin about twenty
by ten inches.
There was a place in it with a big
square hole where a gasket had been,
he said 'and / sent it up
SMITHS TESTIMONY CORROBO-
RATED.
Chief Gunner Charles Morgan, who was
in charge. Of the divers. corroborated
Smith in almost every particular.
The record-union., 1898-03-29
Lieutenant Holman.

Lieutenant George Holman, who per-
formed the duty of navigator and ord
nance officer and was in charge of the
electric plant testified that all possible
precautions were taken to prevent acci-
dent. The temperature of the magazines
We're taken daily.
The electric wires were separated from
the magazine by a double plating of
glass. n noticed nothing at the time of
the explosion to indicate that anything
was the matter with the electric works.
The examiner referred to Holman S
large experience in matters of explosives.
and asked his impression of the whole
affair. He said:
MY impression. not yet verified by
divers findings is that very heavy
mine went off under the Names bottom.
The noise produced by a heavy mine
would be great in itself. and added to
the second explosion would make the two
practically one and the same explosion. =
The record-union., 1898-03-29
OTHER WITNESSES.
ENGINEER BOWERS BEFORE
THE NAVAL COURT.
Testifes as to Precautions Taken
on Board Against Spontaneous
Combustion.

Passed Assistant Engineer Bowers. SEN
ior assistant Engineer to the Chief, was
examined particularly as to the precau-
tions taken on board the Maine against
spontaneous combustion. He said the or
der had been to inspect the bunkers every
day and log them. In the case of the
bunkers that had an escape door, they
had always opened those doors.
He was on duty on the day before the
explosion. The coal in bunker A, he said,
had been stored either in Norfolk or in
Newport News. There were about forty
tons and it was soft coal. The bunkers
Immediately aft were empty. The. door
leading from the bunker to the H-inch
loading-room was kept closed.
The after boilers, he said We're prac-
tically banked. and were in good condi-
tion and he did not consider that there
was any danger Of their having too much
pressure on for safety on the evening Of
the explosion.
Mr.. Bowers said that there had never
been a fire from spontaneous combustion
in the bunlxers. They had once thought
they had such fire, but it was from a
leaky exhaust pipe from the ice machine.
The record-union., 1898-03-29
Lieutenant CatIin.

Lieutenant A. W. Catlin, who was IN
charge of the marine guard, said that
when the shin went into Havana harbor
two extra night sentinels were put on, one
in the forecastle and one in the poop
armed with rifles. They had special orders
to challenge all boats which approached
the ship near enough for a challenge.
There was a picked man on the port
gangway. Corporals Guard inspected the
ship lights below every half hour, the
patrol taking his place while gone.
Mr.. Catlin said he visited the sentries
twice every night on or before and once
after midnight while in the harbor at Ha-
vsna and always found them vigilant ard
attending to business. He heard a dull
sound a lound concussion and felt the
shaking of the ship. The lights went out,
he went on deck and as he did so the Who'll
heavens were full Of sparks. There was NJ
flame. and ne felt but ore shock.
The record-union., 1898-03-29
An Unknown witness.

A witness was introduced whose name
was suppressed by agreement between HIN
and the court lie had to talk through an
interpreter. This witness was crossing
about half past seven o'clock on the morn
ing Of the 18th from Havana TO Peglas on
z. ferry boat. He was sitting near three
Spanish officers, two of the army, one OF
the navy and q citizen. They were talking.
about the Maine. One Of the army officers
said: "That is nearly arranged"
The citizen asked if making EXPLOSIONS
in the bay would not endanger Havana
The officer said No" It was ARRANGED so
that II would simply explode. open the ves-
sci and she would sink Immediately.
The other men iocosely exclaimed: oh.
will take plenty of beer on that occa-
sion"
Someone came by. and they suddenly
stopped the conversation. They had said
it was a shame she (the Maine) should be
in the bay and they would blow her up any
way
The record-union., 1898-03-29
EYE WITNESS TO THE DISASTER,
TESTIMONY OF A PASSENGER
ON CITY OF WASHINGTON.
Heard the Explosion and Saw the
Forward End Of the Maine
Out Of Water.

Sgmund Rothschild, one of the passen-
gers on the City of Washington, was an
eve witness to the explosion, in company
with his friend. Louis Wertheimer who
was aboard the City of Washington on the
night of February 18th as she sailed into
Havana harbor. He was on the stern OF
the Washington, which was astern and
on the port side of the Maine. The vessels
were about hundred yards apart.
Rothschld said he was naturally inter
ested in the Maine, and had taken a posi-
ton where he could get good look at her
The record-union., 1898-03-29
Mess Attendant Tarpin.

Mess Attendant John H. Tarpin was the
last man who saw Lieutenant Jenkins
He said it was jarring explosion, just
one solid explosion and the ship heayeo
and lifted and then all was dark. Tar
pin met Lieutenant Jenkins in the mess
room and by that time the water was
UP to his breast.
Mr.. Jenkins started forward and the
The record-union., 1898-03-29
Lieutenant Blow,

Lieutenant G. B. Blow was the officer Of
the day on the day of the explosion, and
received the reports at p. m. He said
the usual reports were made that the
lights, fires and everything were secure.
He had perfect confidence in the reports
of his men. He gave a vivid description
of the scenes following the explosion.
The record-union., 1898-03-29

whole compartment lit up. That whole
compartment where the torpedoes were
lit right up and | saw Jenkins throw UP
both hands and fall right by the storage
pantry"
He said the explosion sounded to him
like distant thunder.
The record-union., 1898-03-29
GUNNER'S MATE OLSEN.
ONE OF THE DIVERS WHO DID
DUTY AT HAVANA.
Tells How He Descended in the
Wrecked Maine, and the Result
of His Examination.

WASHINGTON, March 2S-Chief Gun
ner's Mate Olsen told how he had been
sent to Havana for the purpose of doing
diving duty on the wreck. He had also
The record-union., 1898-03-29
Louis wertheimer's Testimony.

Louis Wertheimer n tobacco dealer Of
New York who was a passenger on the
steamer City of Washington in Havana
harbor the night of the blowing up of
the Maine the moment of the explosion
was IN the stern OF the Washington and
was looking directly at the battleship
when the explosion occurred.
'I heard report." said Mr.. Wertheimer,
"and 1T an interval of anywhere from five
to fifteen seconds following the report.
came q great explosion. In the burst Of
faroes which followed I clearly and
Mainly saw the vessel rise in the water.
apparently three yards out. then settle
Continued on Eighth Page.)
The record-union., 1898-03-29

Continued on Eighth Page.)
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
VERMONT LOCAL NEWS
CONTINUED from 9th page)

brothers. II. o. and Lysandcr Burrows of
stowe and Alvinsa of Morristown. The
funetal was held at West Branch church
on Sunday Mt 2 p. M, Rev. NJ. II. Ryan Of
floating.
Mrs. c. -. Wait of Montpelier Is visit
ing in town.-H G.. Mcmahon and family
of Minneapolis have been making short
visit in town. They left Wednesday for
Burlington, where they will stop for
day or SO before returning to Minneapo-
ls.-pike Il Benson are making an addi-
tion to their store.-A piano has been
placed in G.. A. X. hall by Cowles and
Hardy of Morrisville.-H. II. Smith post
will hold their regular meeting Saturday
afternoon, followed by a meeting of the
w r. CO. f.. Gerry and bride were in
town few days last week They return
cd to East Calais Saturday morning,
where they will make their future home.
Sarah |. Parish has moved into the va
cant tenement in the Luce block owned
by s. G.. Spauding.- b. W. Beard and
family have gone to Waterville.-John
Downer has returned to Burlington and
resumed his studies in the University of
Vermont.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
ORANGE COUNTY.
RANDOLPH.

Tuesday morning at the home of the
brides parents In East Bralntree, oC-
Cured the marriage of John b. Drew, for
merry of this village, but now located at
Bellows Falls and Miss Ella, only daugh-
ter of MIR. and Mrs. Charles Holman, Rev.
Homer White officiating. Only the famll-
les of the contracting parties were pl es-
ent The young people were the recipients
of many beautiful presents which testify
to the esteem in which they are held,
They went at once to Bellows Falls, where
Mr.. Drew has lately purchased barber
shop
The Green Mountain band drove to
Woodstock Tuesday to furnish music al
the fair now being held there
II. a. Thomas is in New York this week
Mrs. n. NJ Draper arrived home from
Boston Saturday and A. M. Hubbard and
wife Monday.
q. w. Eastman and wife OF Concord y
H., are visiting friends here.
John Chase, Guy Lamson, Robert Nor
ton, Theron Brooks, Miss Belle Morse nnt
Miss Mary Tcwksbury go to Burlington
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
WINDSOR COUNTY.
SOUTH READING.

Reuben Wells and wife have moved into
their new house.-Mrs Frank Haven of
Proctorsville visited Mrs, Ephraim Pierce
and family recently.-C. Wilkie Louis,
who has been very sick in the Burlington
post hospital was able to come home last
Saturday.-James c. Sutherland has built
piazza and otherwise improved his
house.
READING.
Mrs. DR.. Mountain of Brownsville will
deliver temperance address In the Bap-
fist church at Felchville next Sunday
evening, Oct I'd at seven o'clock, col
lection will be taken at the close for the
benefit of Mrs. Mountain.-Miss Edna
Kendall of Claremont Is visiting friends
In town.--Rev j. f. Simmons Of Wood
stock will preach in the Union church at
Felchvile next Sunday, Oct. 2, at
o'clock p. m.--Mrs, Mary Hatch has re-
turned from n visit to Woodstock.-Mrs.
Nutting and Wallace Batchelder Of Ches-
ter visited at o. s. Holden's the first OF
the week.-Mrs.. Mary Watkins is spend
ing q few days in Ludlow.
SOUTH ROYALTON.
Mrs. Bryant of New York is expected
soon to arrive at Lulu Adams. where she
Is to resde-Mrs. Alice Corey OF New
York city is spending few weeks at Mr.
Kents.--Mrs. Stone, who visited her sis
ter, Mrs. Mather. has returned to heI
home.--Mrs. Daniel Durkee Ii a guest al
j. p. Durkee's.-.West Freeman and Wal
ter Kenney have entered the u. v. M
Mrs. Blanche Riddall, a former resident
is visiting at J. w. Brights,-Frank b
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
WILLIAM FITzGERALD's ESTATE.

We. the subscribers. having been an
pointed by the Honorable the Probate
Court for the District Of Uh.tteudoa COM
missioners to receive, examine and adjust
against the estate Of William Fltzgerald.
late of burlington n said district deceased
and also all claims and demands exhibited
day OF the date hereof being allowed by
said court for that purpose, We do there
fore hereby give notice that we Will attend
to the business OF our appointment at the
street, in Burlington, in said district, on
the fourth Wednesdays of october and
February next, at 10 o'clock u. m, on
each of said days.
Dated this Sd day of September. lS1S.
i. II, CORLEN.
GEO. b. RAND.
I3,w3t Commissioners.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
AN Autumn MORNING.

The frosts agleam in the mellow dawn,
And the spiders nets are on the lawn,
And deep in flmy robes of mist
The hills and the silent woodlands lie,
And anon, as the sun comes UP the sky
The gray clouds turn to amethyst.
The tender song of the waking thrush
is heard no more in the broodinS hush,
Nor linnet's song in the dying trees,
And down where the dodder's skeins are
spread,
The witch-hazel CLEANS in velvet red,
And the sweetbriar waves In the breeze,
And wheeling up through the distant sky,
On their flashing wings the plovers fly,
And over the breast of the pool
Through haze Of the daybreak's atmos-
phere,
The cry of a bittern, sharp and clear,
Comes from the marshes dim and cool
And deep In the grasses at our feet
The tuneful crlckets still sing as sweet
AS in the depths of torrid June:
And DER the dells and the sleepy woods,
A reverent hush of stiffness broods
AS morning dreams into the noon
Edward Wilbur Mason, in Frank Les
lies Popular Monthly for October
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
ROCHESTER.

Mrs Willard Daniels from Bristol visit
cd at Y. i. Martins last week. 49, Edward
Lawrence from East Hubbardton visited
his son here last weok.-E. l.. Pierce Is
adding another story 10 his already large
house, that he may accommodate more
city people another summer Mrs. Electa
Russell is in Randolph for few weeks.
The prospect for a railroad is very good
now. DR. Calvin LennoX returned 10
North Adams, Mass, Tuesday There
will be an auction at the residence Of the
late John Chaffee on oct. ith.-Miss Ethel
Toner and MIR. Wilson of Bethel were I'm
town the first of the week.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29

Morse of Springfield, Mass, has rented
the house occupied by Mrs. Clara Whip
pie where he will soon move his house
hold goods. Miss Lucy Hale goes to Bos-
ton this Week.-Mrs. Billings OF East
Bethel arrived on Tuesday to enter the
employ of Mrs. A. c. Waterman.-Elm
T.. Hapgood went to Milton Mills, y. II.
last Friday to spend a vacation with his
parents.-Arthur and Warren Tenney
went on Monday to Burlington, where
they begin a course in the L. V. M.-Mrs.
Brewster and daughter. Mrs. Hattie
LOOMS, are visiting at a. q. Whtman's.
Miss Addie Hastings has returned from
New York