New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-28
MAINE COURT AT KEY WEST.
1T MAY RETURN TO HAVANA ON
WEDNESDAY
NOTHING prvuLGED ABOUT THE RESULTS on TIN
INQUIRY 80 FAR-coxFERENcEs WITH
ADMIRAL sIcARD-sENsATIoNAL
STORIES RIDICuLED.

ADMIRAL LsIcARD-sENsATroNAL
STORIES RrpIcurEp.
Key West. Fla. Feb. 27.-The long-expected
Court OF Inquiry has come at last. 1t will begin
work at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. and viii
probably return to Havana on Wednesday, at
the latest The sessions Of the court will be held
in the United States District Court room. In the
Federal Building
The only important witness examined will b
Lieutenant Blan1n. the officer OF the deck when
the Mime explosion occurred. The testimony OF
the other survivors will take only a short time.
and celcrity is the order OF the day with the
officers of the Court.
HAVE REACHED NO CONCLUSION.
1t can be said that the Court itself has arrived
at no definite conclusion as to the cause Of the
disaster. much less given out any information
which would tend positively to decide the en-.
thralling question Of the day
1t about o'clock this morning when the
lighthouse tender Mangrove. bound from Ha-
vana. ploughed her way through the sparkling
blue waters of Key West and stopped close to
the glistening sides OF the warshp New-York
Captain Sampson. Captain Chadwick and Lieu.
tenant Commander Potter at once taken on
board the flagship. Captain West, chief OF stan.
who returned from Havana yesterday. greeted
chem. After short conference Captain Samp-
son was taken on board his own ship. the Iowa,
which was lying close by. Captain Chadwick
and Lieutenant Commander Potter stayed on
the NewYork which is In their command
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Mark. the
Judge Advocate, ca ne ashore in the Mangrove.
His arrival at the hotel brought Joy to the hearts
Of the Names officers who have been longing
eagerly for the Courts coming. The Names
officers expect. after the investigation Is con-
cluded 10 get thre, months leave TO which
most Of them would be entitled, in any event.
six months from They UNIT for duty,
because they have no uniforms.
Later in the morning, Captain Sampson. Cap
tain Chadwick and Lieutenant Commander Pot
ter came ashore, and arranged preliminary de-
tails for the sessions Of the Court. They seemed
delighted to set foot once more upon American
soil.
HAVE LITTLE TO SAY.
To a representative Of the Associated Press
Captain Sampson said:
1--WE have finished up work In Cuba to .
certain extent. There is. as you know, nothing
can say regarding our opinions on the Maine
disaster. All reports purportlng to express our
opinions are false"
Lieutenant Commander Mark was q tribe
more explicit.
1--WE had a pleasant trip from Havana" he
said I'VE left there last night. I am glad to
meet so many friends here. We going to
start in Tomorrow morning, as we can't afford
to lose any time. you know. We expect to be
here less than a week Yes. may go back to
Havana The wreckng divers are peggng away
there but they seem slow and little has been
compshed yet. We brought back Redding tho
Names diver, who was in the explosion. He has
a bad cold He Is splendid diver. that same
man Redding"
Asked with reference to the reports that the
Names fate known positively to have re-
suited from mine explosion. Lieutenant-Com-
mander Mark laughed and said:
These stories amuse OF course. can't
tell you what we have found out so far. but
these stories (pointng to local Extra with
sensational headlines) why they amuse US Inn
mensely"
Martin Reddng. the diver referred to by Lieu
tenant Commander Mark. is a native OF Key
West and returned here after the explosion. He
taken back TO work the wreck. His ar.
rival here to-day caused much comment, and it
was said that he had talked too much at Ha-
vana and had been removed in consequence. He
held forth at considerable length to-day before
street corner audiences, but his condition was
such that little credence could be given his nu-
merous statements.
CONFERRING WITH ADMIRAL sICARD
Rear-Admral Sicard has had frequent confer.
ences with Captain Sampson and other MEM
bers OF the Court Of Inquiry at the hotel. He
remarked this evening: Il think they ought to
get away by Wednesday AS yet there Is moth.
ing that can be said about their work"
In reply to a question as to the rumored ~
moval Of the warships to Cuba, Admiral Sicard
ssid: The feet is not moving and know moth.
Ing about its going to Cuba. STILL you know. Il
has steam up and could go anywhere II or.
dered'
He was asked II anything had happened 70
Justify the statement that the situation was
more serious to-day than it had been. and he re.
piled: "Oh. they know at Washington about
that Just how strained relations are with
Spain am unable to say"
The excitement yesterday over the arrival Of
the Cuban flibusters completely eclipsed all the
doings and sayings Of the Court Of Inquiry ON.
GERS. Their quick departure prevented much b.
ing learned as to the expedition. but the Cubans
here are eated. An expedition has been in prep
aration to get away from Key West for some
time. but it will probably suffer another delay,
as the plans leaked out through two Spanish
spies
The Detroit. the Nashville the Montgomery
and the Marblehead are at the dock coalins, and
the New-York and the Iowa are about six miles
out. The batte-ship Texas arrived at the Tor
tugas yesterday afternoon and will probably re.
main there. The Detroit will leave Monday
with provisions for the fleet. The torpedo boat
Ericsson now here. will join the feet morrow.
The Montgomery, the Marblehead and the Nash.
ville after coang, will wait here for orders
The Survey steamer Bache sailed this after.
noon for Havana TO bring the remainder OF the
wounded 10 the Dry Tortugas
Tn four-masted schooner Isaiah Hart has ay.
rived with coal for the warships
STORIES EASILY PROVED FALSE.
RELIEF IN HAVANA THAT NO KNOWLEDGE HAS