The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-15
STORY OF THE NAME.
Capt sigsbee Gives Full Credit to
Brave william Authouv-


Brave william Anthony
UCapt Chas- D. Sigsbee IN the Century,
About An hour before the explosion I
had completed report called for by
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt. assistant Sec
rotary Of the navy, on the advlsabilIt
OF continuing TO place torpedo tubes On
board cruisers and battle ships then
wrote letter home in which strug-
gIed to apologize for having carried in
my pocket fer ten months a letter 70
my wife from one OF her friends Of long
Standing The cabin mess attendant
James P1uCkney, had brought u1e.abOuE
an hour before a civilians thin coat
because Of the prevailing heat had
taken of my blouse and was wearing
this coat for the only time during the
cruise In the pocket found the IN
opened and uudelivered letter P1nckDaT,
a Ight-hearrsd coI0red man. who spent
much Of his spare time in singing play
ing the banjo and dancing Iigs. was for
some reason in an especially happy
frame OF mind that night Poor fellow.
He was killed. as was also good old
John P Bel, the cOIored cabin steward
who had been n the navy 2 years
Al taps (-turn IN and keep Quist'l,
ten minutes after 8 O'Clock laid down
NY pen 70 listen TO the notes OF the
buEIe which were singuIarty beautiful
IN the oppressive stiffness Of the night
The marine buzier. Newton, who was
rather given to faEcifuI effects, was sV-
identIy doing his best During his paus-
IS the echoes Eoated ba0k To the snip
with singular disructueSs, repeating
the strains OF the bugie fully and ez-
actIy. A half hour later Newon vas
dead
I was fncIosing my letter IN its euve-
I0pe when the explosion came The an
preston made On different people On
board the Maine varied somewhat To
ne. IN my position, vel aft, and within
the sszperstruCCUre- 1t was A bursting.
reudIng and crashing sound Of roar OF
immense volume, largely metallic IN
t. F0FT
cessIou Of heavy, OuInOusy meLaIlIc
sounds. probably caused by the over
turning OF the central supersrTucLure
ard By falling debris L1eEe vas q
trembling and IurChing motion Of the
vessel a LIST to port. and a movement
OF subsistence. The electric lights or
which there were eight n the cao1n
where I was sitting. went out 4nen
there was intense blackneSS and SMOKE
The situation could not be Mistaken
the Maine was blown up and sinking
Fer q moment the instinct OF selt-pFes-
ervati0u took charge OF me, out TINS
was Immediately dominated by Lne
habit Of command went up the IN
cIined deck into the starooard cabin
toward the starboard air ports, which
were relieved somewhat against the
background Of the sky The saSh6S wee
out and the openings were large Ny
first intention was an escape through
an air port. but this was abandoned N
favor OF the more diguIned way OF max
ing an exit through the passageway
leading forward through the supersCrl1c-
Cure- I CROPPED my way through the
cabin into the passage and along tAe
passage TO the outer door The pass
age turned 10 the right, or starboaFd4
near the forward part Of the supersrrIIc-
ture-
When the turn was reached. some ore
ran into me violently. It was Private
William Anthony, the orderly at the
cabin door He said something apolo-
getic, and reported that the ship had
been blown Up ard was sinking He
was directed TO 90 out on the quarter
deck and followed him Anthony has
been pictured as making an exceeding
n formal salute On that occasion me
dramatic effect Of a salute cannot add
70 his herUism- If he had made a sa-
Iute It could not have been seen N the
bIackness Of that compartment AnL1-
CIV id his whole duty At great per
S8nzI risk. at time when ne might
have evade5 the danger without qUes-
ton and deserved al the colDu=nda-
ton that he received for his act He
hung near me with uufiagging zeal and
vatcEfuIuess that night until the ship
was abandoned
7 STOOD for = moment on the star
board side Of the main deck, forward OF
the superstructure. looking toward the
immense dark mass that looUed Up
sruie9ships. But could see nothing dis
rluctIv. There I remained for a few Sec
ends IN an effort to grasp the situation
and then asked Anthony for the exact
time He replied he explosion took
place at g 40. sir It was soon ueces-
sarv TO retire from the main deck for
that part Of the ship was sinking rap
fefTv. I then went Up OF the poop deck
Bv this tine Lieutenant Commander
wainwright and others were near ne
Everybody was impressed by the SOD
ennI1y Of the disaster but there vas
70 excitement apparent; perfect d1sc1-
pine prevailed
The question has been asked many
tines # I believed then that the Maine
vas blown I'd from the outside Ny
answer TO this has been that my first
order On reaching the deck was TO post
seutrias about the ship knew that
me Maine had been blown ID. and be
Ifaved that she had been blown Up from
the outside Therefore I ordered q
measure which was intended 10 guard
AGAINST attack There was no need for
tns order but Z am writing Of first in
uressious There was the sound Of
nnsuy voices from the shore, suggestive
Of cheers.