The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-26

Washington, April 25.-Lieutenant
Ramon de Carranza, of the Spanish
royal navy, until recently naval at
tache of the Spanish legation at WASH
ington, has challenged General Fitz-
hugh Lee and Captain Sigsbee, of the
Maine, to fight duels. The challenges
were issued on the night that the Span
ish minister withdrew from Washing
ton. Lieutenant de Carranza deter
mined upon this course of action i'm
mediately after General Lee and Cap
tain Sigsbee stated before congress
sional committees that, in their belief,
Spanish naval officers were responsible
for the blowing up of the Maine.
He made known his purpose to Min
lister Polo, who peremptorily forbade
him from issuing the challenge while
he was a member of the legation staff.
Lieutenant de Carranza persisted that
his official position in no way restricted
his rights as a gentleman to call an
other gentleman to account. 1t was
finally arranged that the issuance of
the challenges should await the ter
mination of diplomatic relations be-
tween Spain and the United States.
Lieutenant de Carranza's first chal-
lenge was sent to General Lee and it
is rather more lengthy than the one to
Captain Sigsbee. 1t contains an inter-
national insult to General Lee with
view to provoking him to an accept
ance. 1t says: ANY man who makes
such a charge on belief. and not on
proof lis himself capable of commit
ting the crime"
The challenge closes as follows;
For eight days I shall await your
hn Nil ot
Toronto"
The challenge to General Lee was
mailed on the goth inst, as the Spanish
minister and his party were about to
take the train. 1t was directed to the
state department. 1t happened, how
ever, that General Lee had gone to
Richmond, so that it is not known
whether he received the letter the fol-
lowing morning. The challenge to Cap
tain Sigsbee is substantially the same
as that to General Lee, but is slightly
briefer.
1t refers to Captain Sigsbee's testi-
mony before the senate committee and
says that the statement that the mine
was fired by persons on shore directly
| impugns the naval officers in charge of
! the shore defenses. In this challenge,
also, eight days are given during which
| a reply may be sent to the Spanish
| consulate at Toronto. The challenge
! was sent in care of the navy depart
| ment. Captain Sigsbee had previously
| left for Philadelphia to take command
! of the auxiliary cruiser st. Paul, so
| that the letter may not have reached
| him. Since the challenges were sent,
| no word has reached here as to the
| purposes of General Lee or Captain
| Sigsbee.
1t was suggested to Lieutenant de
| CarranZa, by one to whom he had con-
! fided his intention, that duelling was
| looked upon differently in this country
from in Europe and that the laws pro-
hibited it, but he insisted that these
officers would not invoke the law or
the custom Of the country in the pres
| ent case.
Philadelphia, April 25.-Captain Sigs-
| bee, when seen tonight in reference to
| the challenge said to have been sent
him by Lieutenant Carranza, said he
had no definite information concerning
| it. He said: II do not believe any
such challenge has been issued. / have
not received it at any rate, and think
/ would have beard of it If it had been
sent TO me in Washington"
In case you do receive IT, what ac-
tion will you talle?" he was asked.
1T is too absurd to believe, and I
can't say what I would do. 1t is false
to say that l testified to the senate
committee that Spanish officials con-
ceived to blow up the Maine. What
said was that the Maine was blown
up by an exterior force and I would
have been a fool not to say so.
81 met Lieutenant Carranza at Key
| West and saw something of him. He
appeared TO be very courteous gentle
! man, and our relations were always
pleasant. This is the first time / have
heard that he took exceptions to my
testimony before the senate commit
tee and still think there is some mis-
take; that he has not issued the al
legged challenge
II can't say what disposal I shall
make of the challenge, if it comes"