The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-03-11

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United States Cannot Nuke the
Maine Disater a Prctext for War.
Key West, March 2.-Lieut. Blandin
was before the court for about an
hour. The naval officers sat in Judge
Locke's private chambers. No ma
rines were on guard but all the doors
were closed.
Those who were called rs witnesses
before the luncheon recess were LIEU
tenants Blandin, Hood, Jungen and
Blow and Cadets Bronson and Bovd.
morning session.
o'clock in the afternoon. Lieut..
Holman, who testified at Havana,
was again called Lieutenant of Ma.
rines Catlin gave hts evidence quickly
and was followed by Boatswain Lar
kin, Gunner Hill and Carpenter
Holmes. The two latter were on shore
at tine time of the explosion and could
tell little Of value. At $40 the court
adjourned over till 10 o'clock in the
morning.
Capt. Sampson seemed satisfied with
the days work but said nothing could
be given out. After the court room
was cleared for the day Capt. Sampson
held short interview with Rear Ad-
miral Sicard and then returned to the
Iowa. Capt. Chadwick and Lieut..
Potter were taken on board the New
York. Few know more than was
known in the morning. An officer of
the Maine, however, who had been ex-
amined by the court during the day,
talked at length with the correspond.
ent of the Associated Press.
II can't tell yqu," he said, "what line
Of questioning was adopted, but the
court will find. l believe that the
Maine Was Blown Up by Design.
though don't think it. will be able to
ascertain exactly how. 'rhe courts
finding will be based OH negative rath-
er than positive evidence. BY this I
mean that all of the testimony heard
so far has, bit by bit, upset the theories
Of those who think the explosion was
of internal origin. This negative evil
dence is so strong and so general that
see no possibility of the court decid-
ing that explosion was internal. The
only alternative then left for the court
is to fall back ON evidence which
points to the Intentional blowing up of
the Maine. This, think, will be done,
unless the court fornulates a theory
of its own or declares that it does not
know how the disaster occurred, both
of which conjectures l think improba.
ble."
AS bearing on the value of the opin-
ion of the officer in question, it must
be borne in mind that he was before
tho nh
only, and that he has at all times eX-
pressed himself as confident that the
explosion was not due to accident.
Members of the court, when the sub
stance of the interview was brought to
their attention, declined to have any
thing to say. All the high naval and
military officials here, when asked
crucial questions, positively profess ig-
nOrance.
Washington, March 3.-The main in
terest of the day in connection with
the Maine inquiry centered in a state
ment by Secretary Long, following the
cabinet meeting, that in his personal
opinion any official participation by the
Spanish government in the blowing up
Of the Maine was now practically
eliminated from the situation. This
statement was not of formal or Of
fetal character, and was made by Mr..
Long as he walked away from the
White House. AS usual the various
cabinet officers were besieged with in
Quiries as to the questions before the
meeting, and in response to these i'm
portunities the secretary rather casual
ly summed up the situation in IL few
words, stating that most Of the time
had been given to the outrages on col
ored postmasters in the South. Nat
urally the Cuban situation had been
gone over, he said, but there were NO
actual developments, and he felt that
public excitement over the subject had
materially abated. Then he added the
statement. in the same passing way,
that any participation by the Spanish
government in the blowing up of the
Maine was practically eliminated, in
his judgment. This last remark was
speedily given wide circulation apart
from the quieting references which
ing the closest relations with the Sec
rotary said that the opinion expressed
was such as any one might give with
any sense, it was explained, a con-
clusion drawn from new evidence. not
made public, either from the court Of
inquiry or any officer now concerned in
the inquiry. Neither flcts or intima-
lions have come from such sources, it
is said at the department, which would
serve as the basis of an opinion. The
Official Declaration
Of Senior du Bose, the Spanish charge
d'affaires, that no mines or submarine
defenses exist in the harbor of Ha-
vana had come to the attention of Sec
rotary Long, and this statement from
the authorized representative of the
Spanish government was felt to have
been given Its due weight in the opin-
ion expressed by the secretary. 1t
was poiIted out by persons bearing
close relations to the secretary that the
language used was "official participa-
tom on the part Of the Spanish gov
ernment, This, it was said, had no
bearing on the question of Spain's re-
sponsibiIity. The "otficial participa-
ton" of Spain was one thing; while