The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-01
AFFAIRS in WASHINGTON.

# t.
No Important Developmsnts With Re.
gard to Maine Dlaaster-More silly Ru.
:" mors Denied. ~
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 2s.-At
the close OF office hours telegram
came to the navy department from Ad-
miral sicard, at Key West, IN the fol-
lowing telegram:
KEY WEST. Fla, Feb. %.
ITO the Secretary OF the Navy. Wash
ington. 81.
Court Of inquiry will commence ses-
sion at Key West to-day. They must re-
sumo session at Havana to obtain evil.
dence Of divers after further work up
on the wreck * IS
tslgned) "s1cARD."
The important feature OF this commu-
nication Is the declaration that the
court will return to Havana. 1t sets al
rests rumors that have been current for
some days past that the court was not
to return to Havana for the reason that
1t had discovered the cause OF the
sinking Of the Maine, which was not an
accident, and that they had consequent
~ no further business in Havana, One
important deduction to be drawn from
the message was that the report OF the
court OF inquiry can scarcely be ex-
pected for several weeks to come. The
court will be occupied at Key West for
some days OF least in taking the tes-
timonv OF the. survivors there. Then up
on the return to Havana 1t. is expected
that q good deal OF time must elapse
before the divers can get through the
mud which now encompasses the lower
part OF the wreck OF the Maine. and ex-
anime the bottom.
After this Is done the court must de-
liberate In order to secure an agree
ment upon their findings. The prevalent
belief at the navy department Is that
up to this moment the court has not
once undertaken to compare notes and
cndeavor to reach such an agreement.
A Cuban mu!l was received during
the day and with the candor which has
SO far characterized oil his dealings
with the public in this matter, Secre-
tary Long caused it TO be given to the
newspaper reporters Oh soon as he had
read It himself. It was made up OF one
letter from Captain Sampson dated at
Havana, February 23rd, and although
II Is simply a statement OF events that
had already been reported by telegra ph,
one fact Is significant, viz: The state.
ment that the testimony Of certain CIV
illan witnesses before the court would
be Of no Importance. His letter Is MS
Jfollow1:
*; s February %. 1898,
SIR:-Thc court has taken the tes.l-
mony OF all the officers OF the Maine
still here, Tomorrow we VIII take such
testimony MS the divers have iaccumula-
ted. The Right, Arm arrived here this
morning and repotted to Captain SIgs.
bee according TO the orders. ~ trust
some wrccklng company will be given
the entire Job as no other plan Will be
feasible. n M
H. There are two citizens In the harbor
who have sign'flcd their willingness to
testify. although they have nothing I'm
i p0rtnnt. y li.f
After taking this evidence and that o:
the divers. propose TO return TO Key
West and take the. evidence OF the on.
GERS and men there. q {. 9 Z it5.
II may be necessary TO return here &
ter h,riacr progress has been made by
the divers.
Very respectfully. {,
.isf.; a: ,s{ w. 7. \ SAMPSON, 4 Il
Captain U. 8. Navy.
The reports that came from Key
Vest about great activity and the OBJ
aervaneef OF islnnaual precautions among
Inc few soldiers duartcred there was
received With amusement Al army
HEADQUARTERS ihtsr. It.swaa sale$i!int no
orders had gone forward fTon thIS5al;V
10 explain Che oustle, bur lieTe IV!lstha
bcst reds6n.s to suspect tia 4 the toiu+
mandants vas simply brushing up tbs
POST and putting his best foot forward
! a alSaiaIt the expected appearance there