The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-29
NO CONSPIRACY APPARENT
COURT DOES NOT FIX RESPON-
SIBTLITY FOR THE DISASTER
Mass of Testimony Sent to the Sem
ate Shows That the Explosion
Was External, but Does Not I'M
plicate Spain or Any Subject of
the Spanish GOvernment-The
Story Told by Capt. SiEsbee.

WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The i'm
mense mass of testimony taken by the
Maine court of inquiry was sent to the
senate today, and, with the presidents
message and findings of the court. re-
ferred to the committee on foreign re-
lations.
The testimony was taken on eighteen
different days, the fourteenth day.
however, being devoted to viewing the
wreck. Every witness who was known
TO have any information that could
throw light upon the great disaster
was called to give his testimony.
The story of the destruction OF the
vessel is told not graphically. but in a
manner which gives all the Obtainable
facts. No technical detail is omitted.
EeYry movement and incident con-
nected with the Maine from the time
she left Key West until the last diver
examined the wreck, slowly sinking in
the mud of Havana harbor is given.
1t is a story intensely interesting to
the people. Those who read it could
have little doubt as to whether there
was an internal or external explosion.
Perhaps the most significant testi-
mony is that showing the bottom
plates on the port side of the Inflated
Maine to be bent inward and upward,
a result that hardly could have fol-
lowed anything save an explosion from
the outside. A mass of testimony Is
submitted showing the care exercised
on board the ship by Capt. Sigsbee and
his officers and the apparent impossi-
bility of the accident occurring by any
internal cause.
The testimony of Capt Sigsbee is of
more general interest than that of any
other man called before the board.
With great care and minuteness he
gives an account of the management
OF the ship. how she was handled, what
was done from day to day on board,
how she sailed into Havana, her an
chorage and what he knew about it.
and in fact every point upon which the
government and the country desires
to be informed.
Sigsbee's Story.
Nothing in Capt Sigsbee's testimony
shows that the anchorage was changed
or that it was considered dangerous by
any one.
Second to the Importance of the tes-
timony of Capt. Sigsbee is that of En-
sign PowelsOn, who had charge of the
divers. and knew from day 20 day
what these divers found.
This officer was infinitely informed
as to the construction of the Maine
and everything about her. His testi-
mony was to a certain extent techni-
cal, bearing upon the construction of
from these plates and this technical
knowledge that he was able to declare
that the explosion took place from the
outside.
The divers, Morgan, Olsen and Smith,
all contributed important evidence.
They testified that the plates were bent
inward on the bottom port side and
outward on the starboard side.
Nothing in the testimony fixes re-
sponsibility; no conspiracy is apparent;
no knowledge of the planting of a mine
is shown. Capt Sigsbee states that a
somewhat bitter feeling existed against
the American ship and Americans gen
orally. and a witness, whose name Is
suppressed, tells of overhearing a CON-
versation among Spanish officers and
a citizen indicating a foreknowledge of
the destruction of the Maine by inten-
ton TO blow her up.
An official of the American consulate
tells of information received tending
to show that a conspiracy existed. But
nothing is definitely stated which fixes
any responsibility upon Spain or her
subjects.