The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-02-17
THE NEWS IN WASHINGTON.

Great Excitement ia the Capital City
over tho Destruction Of tho Maine.
WASHINGTON. Feb. l1.-News Of the
disaster at Havana spread rapidly over
the city and the hotel lobbies and all
public places were crowded with people
eager to hear and discuss every par
tic!e Of information as fast as it was re-
ceived The widest reports were In
circulation, both in regarG to the mum.
Der Of fatalities and the cause OF the
explosion. Nearly every one seemed
to suspec, treachcry on the part OF
Spain or its over-enthusiastic friends
in Havana. Few would believe the ex-
plosion was the result Of an accident.
Cooler heads expressed Willingness
to wait for later news, before forming
any conclusions.
Tho President Agitated.
President Mckinley was greatly aSi.
tated when he heard the news. and he
expressed deep sorrow for the sailors
who lost their lives. At the army and
| navy club, there were groups OF deeply
interested officers, some Of them show
ing their deep sorrow in every word
| aud look. for their acquaintances aboard
the Maine. There Is much conjecture
Is TO what course is being or Will be
pursued by the government.
The telegraph office is being be-
sicsed by the friends Of those known
to be on board OF the Maine. The men
and officers have friends and fam.
lilies in this city and some OF the latter
were in q state OF excitement better I'M
apined than told. They all begged
p,teously for the names OF the lost.
They were no crumbs OF comfort ior
any one, as each bulletin pictured the
disaster as moro terrible than the one
preceding 1t.
Senators and Congrsssmen I"tcrcs'ed.
The greatest interest prevailed among
senator's and representatives AS 10 th'
extent Of the Maine disaster. and many
Of them hurried to the navy ana state
tlepartments to learn if there were any
further details. With only the first re
norts before them, and n recogniti ton o
the gravcncss Of any utteranccs ther'
was a hesitancy to express opinions IL
this time.
The immense gravity Of the situation
in case later advlccs sho uld snow ina
tho disaster was not purely academia
was admitted by all public men. Con
seryative public men, in the face OF TN
appalliny catastrophe, tho meagre III
formation at hand, and its possible con
scouences therefore declined to expres
anv opinion at this time. Chairman
Hit Of tho foreign affairs comm'''ce
Chairman Dingley of the ways ah'
means committee, and members OF TN
naval committee Of the house all sa'
thew preferred to await fuller inlorha
tion before expressing themselves
Mr.. Hit said it would be we'll 1or VI
nublic to follow tho cue given oy zap
tain Siusbce, and suspend ]udgmeh
nntil the cause Of tho disaster W"
ascertained. >,
Senator Platt Of Connecticut, q
pressed tho opinion that the explos'o
would be found to be the result CT q
accident. from within. and he douDte
that any one could have planned ah
carried out plot to bring about m q
plosion OH the ship.
Butler Thinks II Suspicious
Ex-senator Butler Of South Carohn
who was member Of the committee 0
foreign relations In the senate, sa'o tn'
Il was decidedly strange that America
vessels have visited every port IN VI
world and no accident befallen tnen
INIT A coon - vessel visited hayan