Connecticut western news., 1898-02-24
AN INQUIRY BEGUN.
Navy Experts Seek to Solve the Myster!
 oT the Maine Disaster


 oT the Maine Disaster
 Havana. Feb. 2S.-The Key West light house tender Mangrove has arrived at this port. bringing the United States navy officers who constitute the court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the Maine disaster They are Captain William T. Sampson. commanding the battleship Iowa, president: Lieutenant Commander Adolph Mark. executive officer of the receiving ship Vermont. judge advocate: Captain F. r.. Chad wick and Lieutenant Commander w. r. Potter of the New York.
 They begin their work at once. and thorough investigation Is promised.
 The coast survey steamer Bachc has arrived at Havana, having on board all of the diving apparatus sent from the squadron at Key West.
 The members of the court of inquiry have personally inspected the wreck of the Maine. By their invitation Captain Peral. appointed by the spanish gov ernment as a special judge to inves- tigate the disaster. and his secretary viewed the divers at work. Captain Peral expressed his appreciation of the courtesies shown by the court of in- quiry.
 Captain Sigshee was examined by the court of inquiry on board the MangroNe yesterday afternoon. After the exami- nation he said to a reporter:
 ''l would be glad to give news. but owing to the delicate situation the board has decided to make nothing whatever public. l do not know what testimony may develop. and it is only fair to the Spanish government not to aHI has been received and the findings have been considered. You may say that this rule Is absolute. Due care will he taken for the rigid enforcement of 1t. and all stories purporting to come from the court should be set down as false. I have no idea as to how long the court will remain here. No one is authorized to fix the time. as the members them selves do not know. l will give such routine news or the proceedings as Is proper"
 Captain Sigsbee told correspondent that he was quite pleased with the ex- animation. and that he was able to an- swer all the questions asked. not only as to his own acts. but AS to those of his suboriinatss on the Maine.
 Lieutenant Commander R. waln- wright. executive officer of the Maine. was called to the witness stand. Lieu tenant Commander Wainwright has been in immediate charge of the wreck since the explosion.
 The arrangement is that the stenog- rapher shall write out his notes day by day. and the court will adjourn from time to time to give him the opportuni- ty. as was the case yesterday. when the court again visited the wreck and spent some time in additional inspec- ton.
 The pomp and circumstance of the tribunal are not as much as an ordinary garrison court martial would show. but the high character or its members and the evident earnestness of their purpose to lind the truth if possible give dignity to the court of inquiry.
 Judge Peral of the spanish admiralty court has been taking today the depo- sitions Of the officers of the Spanish vessels and the harbor officials on the subject Of the disaster to the Maine.
 Four divers are at work, tv1 in the fore part of the ship. the others aft.
 The task is most laborious. The men naturally are extremely careful. as they have had to work in complete darkness. Sex eral have had had falls.
 Gunner Charles Morgan of the cruiser New York, who is in charge of the div CTS. will devote special attention to ex- amining the ammunition in the fore part of the Maine's hun and to ascer- tainfng the condition of plates. maga- zines and engines. He is a graduate in gunnery and is regarded as entirely competent as indeed are all the divers under his direction. He Is under strict orders not to give out anything on the subject of his investigations except 10 the ofr1s,ars of the court of inquiry when called ilnon.
 Capts'n Sigsbee has been under n great strain. but is now much better. having been relieved of some of the re- spnnsihility by the presence here of the United States court of inquiry.
 Burial nf the Dead.
 Owing to inadequate means of con- vryiuy yictin's of the disaster to the rrit-d states. the funeral took place here Thursday. Two companies of ths Il snish sailors from the cruiser Alfon- so MI formed the escort at the funeral There were two military bands. and full hunurs were shown tine dead. The fu- npIal procession started al 2 o'clock frum the city hail. Numbers of peup.e crowded to see the mournful cerelno- nies. Following the funeral ears were Consul General Lee. Captain Sigsbee and the officers of the Maine In the post of honor Then came General Parade as second chief. with adjutants: Gen eral Solano, chief of stan. with adju- tants. and four stan officers of General Blanco. SIS his direct representatives; then the Autonomistic cabinet. repre- senting the insular government. Then came the general commanding the ma ,sHN ssf sH ala.