The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-15
sIGsBEE,s TESTIMONY.
The Captain Tells How the Maine May
Have Been Blown I'm


Captain Sigsbee, in command of the
Maine at the time of the disaster. was ex-
amined on the 31st OF March. He repeated
his opinion that the Maine was destroyed
by mine either temporary or permanent.
He thought it had been very large mine.
but in his opinion no larger than could be
planted near. the vessel at any time in
broad daylight and under direct vision with
the means available in Havana for that
purpose. He thought twelve men having
mutual confidence and preserving secrecy
could have planted it and tnat it could
have been done while the ordinary disci-
pine and watchfulness was observed Oh the
ship. A ship moored at a harbor would
swing around to given point where mine
might be located, and when it should reach
that point The mine would be exploded. He
thought it could have been planted fl ON
scow between decks. There were, he said,
lot of idle army officers in Havana, and.
while he would not charge them with any,
thing. he thought 1t not OFT of pace to
speak of the possibilities of the case. He
said he had shown u sketch involving these
theories to Captain Sampson, who had also
commanded a torpedo station, and had
asked him If a vessel could drop Il mine
hike the one he had described instantly, and
that Captain Sampson and other officers
had replied that it could and that twelve
men could do ii.
That" said Captain Sigsbee, lis the real
reason l ssked to have the Montgomery
taken away. If they were going TO do any
thing TO blow us up / wanted to have it
done with a smaller vessel. They had no
vigilance whatever and no guard over US
or our vessels. Their vigilance was great
where their own vessels were concerned.
Their boats were coming and going all the
time, and they generally refused to answer
when hailed them When they did reply
it was generally in an impudent manner,
In reply to a question Captain Sigsbee
said he thought 1t possible that the expio-
sion could have occurred without the
knowledge of the higher officers" Con-
tinuing, he said it was a curious fact that
the officers Of the deck said the vessel had
never swung before in the particular direc-
explosion, and continuing, he said: This
Maine is lying now in about the position
she would have taken TO play on the Span
planted 1here I assume it would have been
planted in just that place. If only one had
beSn planted it would have been just there "
Replying to a question to what ex-
animation the spanish boards made of the
accident, cigsbee said: They had not done
at all. Our people laughed at them. They
did very nttle work on the wreck; 1t was
absurd as compared With our work" Capt.
Sigsbee said that The keel plate was driven
up about thirty feet from its normal place
by the explosion.
Asked why he had advised that no war
vessels be sent to Havana after the exc
plosion, Captain Sigsbee replied: I'm the
first place, there was a great deal of ex-
element and wanted to work along with
out .nen-of-war and to allay the excite
ment in he city, and in the next place, IL
there were any more mines did not want
any more war vessels blown up. Up to that
time ! had strongly recommended that the
Indiana be sent there just to show them
that the Maine was not the only vessel IN
the navy nor the most powerful. After that
time ] had no more confidence m the peo-
Pile. Treachery had been shown us and
there was no special care for rs. They had
not attempted to protect us as we did the
Vizcaya in New York"