The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-25
MAINE REPORT At WASHINGTON
ARRIVAL OF COMMANDER MAR
TX AND HIS GUARD.
Whole Party Was Armed, As Was
Demonstrated In An Incident
Where the Crowd Ran Against
the Mysterious Bag.

washington. March 24-The report
of the naval board of inquiry into the
Maine disaster was received in Wash
ington at 9:35 tonight. The four naval
officers who nave guarded it, watch and
watch. since its departure from Key
West. were hustled at once into a
carriage by an attache of the navy de-
partment. and driven to the Ebbitt
house where they tried to catch lit
tie much-needed sleep, and at the same
time Withstand the crowd Of news
paper men who thronged the lobby in
homes of some stray bits of information
which had escaped the scrutiny of
numerous correspondents along the
route.
The party consisted of Lieutenant
Commander Mark. Lieutenant John
Hood. Lieutenant Carl Jungen, Passed
Assistant Engineer Bowers, A. /.
Mark. a nephew of the judge advocate
and Ship Carpenter Holms, OF the
Names Inflated crew. There was an
immense crowd waiting at the depot
when the train pulled in. The naval
contingent was in the last sleeper of
the train and deity avoided the crush
of citizens by alighting at the upper
end of the platform and going out
across the tracks.
All We're thoroughly tired. and Com
mander Mark was asleep in a corner
when the train pulled in and was
gently shaken into sensibility by his
companions who We're on guard The
party was met at the steps of the car
by Lieutenant Ward. of the navy de-
partment. who was the sole represen-
tative of Secretary Long. He informed
Commander Mark that the secretary
would not receive the report tonight
and gathering the tired travellers under
his protecting wing, made for the hack
stand through the rapidly thickening
crowd which, baked of its prey at the
gate, had swarmed out over the pave
ment to get a glimpse at the outside OF
the much heralded report.
Lieutenant Hood. as the most
muscular member of the party, carried
the bulky document in a white canvas
bag slung under his arm. 1t must
have weighed ten or 20 pounds without
it's carrying case and portended endless
reams Of complicated testimony to be
the next step in the progress of the
Maine incident can be taken.
The whole party carrying the report
was armed, IS was demonstrated in a
ra Their theatrical way just as they
were about to get into the carriage.
The crowd closed around the party and
jostled them considerably. Some one
ran against the enu OF the mysterious
canvas bag in which the report was
concealed. Quick as a flash, Lieutenant
Hoods hand went back to his hip. and
Lieutenant Jungen laid his hand on the
butt of a revolver that was sticking
out from his side pocket. The move
ments were sufficient TO prevent
further jostling.
on being driven to the Ebbitt house,
the whole party retired, first having
some light refreshments to
their rooms. 1t was not long before
the report of their arrival spread and
the lobby was filed with a curious
crowd of idlers, while the negro bell
boys worked over time in carrying up
cards from the various correspondents
in search Of an interview. Young
Mark was deputed as a sort of press
and met all inquiries with
the sterotyped reply. Il don't know
to every question. 1t may be said,
however. that the report, in due
process of law, must first be delivered
to the secretary Of the navy and this
according to all precedents will be at
the navy department. 1t will then be
submitted to President. Mckinley upon
whose decision its future migrations
win depend.