The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-04-19
LEES TESTIMONY
Regarding the Destruction of Our Bat
tie Ship Maine in Havana Harbor.
Gen. BlancO Had Nothing to Do With the
Blowing Up of the VesseI-He Wept
at the Palace Over the Ter
ribIe Deed.

public Thursday. -
The most interesting portion of the
consul generals testimony, that relat-
ing to the Maine, was lengthy. Lee
said he was informed that the Span.
lards had placed two rows of torpedoes
at the mouth of the Havana harbor by
MORO castle, within the last two
months, or subsequent to the Maine
disaster, and that the switchboard was
in room in the castle. He said. how
ever, that he had no information of
the placing of any torpedoes before
the Maine was destroyed
The letter of Gen. Weyler brought
to light by Correspondent Laine was
referred to. Lee thought the letter
genuine. This belief was based on a
telegram of which he knew. 1t came
from Weyler and read: Grave circum-
stances cause me to ask you to destroy
the last letter, of February u.s." Gen.
Lee said that this telegram had never
before been published.
With reference to the responsibility
for the destruction of the Maine, Gen.
Lee said:
L am satisfied the explosion was
from the outside. l have always had
an idea about the Maine that, of course.
1t was not blown up by any private in
dlvldual, or by any private citizen, but
was blown up by some of the officers
who had charge of the mines and cleo
trical wires and tOrpedoes in the arse
nal there, who thoroughly understood
the business"
| h l.
Capt. Gen. Blanco had anything to do
with it, or even any knowledge of it.
His reason for this belief was that he
saw Blanco just after the disaster. and
tears were coming from his eyes He
regretted it as much as anyone in
Havana.
Lee said he thought the explosion
was the work of some of the Subaltern
officers who had been under Weyler.
Gen. Lee said he had seen a copy of
telegram from Adm. Manterol. dated
in Havana prior to the explosion, to
the Spanish commission in London,
asking the commission to hurry up
the electrical cables" Whether that
referred to wire for submarine mines
or torpedoes he did not know
He continued: Il heard two or three
days afterward, said Gen. Lee in an
swer to a question by Senator FRYE,
that there was great deal of reioic-
ing among some of the officers. All
reports l got said they were drinking
champagne, quite thing to do in hon
or Of the event, and in different por-
tions of the city officers were making
merry"
He said that he had not heard any
threats of or illusions to the destruc-
ton of the Maine previous to the ex-
plosiOn.
Senator Lodge asked if he had heard
OF an attempt on the Montgomery.
Gen. Lee answered that he had heard |
talk to that effect, but it was found. he
believed, on investigation that it did |
not amount to anything.
In reply to a question by Foraker,
Lee SAID he was sure no novice could |
have destroyed the Maine. The work |
was well done and by an expert.
Continuing, he said: Il never have |
been certain that the submarine eX-
plOsive was placed there prior to the !
entrance of the Maine into the barber.
u.
The Maine was anchored to a buoy bv |
some little chain. a vessel swinging |
around that way some times gets at |
various places all around the circle. |
When she would swing of that way.
with the bow next to the buoy. and |
these boats plying about the harbor all |
the time, anybody could 60 pretty well |
IN front of her, on d dark night. and |
drop one of these submarine mines of |
500 pounds.
They have fingers, as it were. and. |
as the boat goes around, it would touch |
the fingers, which makes contact and |
eXplodes the mine. That might have
been done after the Maine got in there
One or two men in a boat could drop it
off the stern of the boat on a dark |
night. The harbOr is full of little
boats. a mine weighs about 500
pounds, and l suppose it would take
probably three or four men to handle
il"
The Cubans he said were all for free
Cuba. The reconcentrados' condition.
he said, in reply to another question,
were almost as bad as Weyler's days.
Suppose Havana was blockaded?"
said Senator Mills. so that no provi-
slons could go in, would the people
there have any way to get any?"
None whatever" responded Gen.
Lee. The town would surrender in
short while.
Gen. Lee said that all but about 500
600 Spaniards of the population of
Cuba were Cubans.
Lee, in speaking of the physical con-
dition of the Spanish soldiers. said
that 1t was very poor
Spanish Parliament to Open Next Wednes-
day.
MADRID April IA cabinet council
has decided to reopen the Spanish par
lament on Wednesday next, instead
of April %. The queen regent at the
cabinet council signed the national
decree to increase the
navy.
Spain Advised to Declare War
LONDON, April 15.-The Vienna cor
of the Daily Mail saws: