The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-03
AS DUMB AS OYSTERS
Nobody Gets Anything Out of
the Inquiry Court.
SPAIN CLAIMS THE RIGHT
To Submit the Cause of the
Wreck to a Referee.
SPAIN CLAIMS THE RICH

Key West, Fla, March 2-The fact is
becoming more evident, as the days pass
that any information direct from mem
bers of the United States court Of inquiry
into the loss of the battleship Maine and
from those appearing before it, is guard
ed with unusual closeness. Practically no
information presented TO the court has
been disclosed. The restrictions are so
severe that the communicad lions between
the naval men who have been before the
court have been most guarded.
Naval officers az this station who are
not connected with the court express the
guarded view that very little testimony
has yet been heard tending to show that
the explosion was the result OF con-
spiracy or as TO the exact cause of the
disaster.
Key West, Fla, March 3-The United
States court of inquiry into the loss of the
battleship Maine resumed its sessions
here at 10 o'clock this morning. Ten more
enlisted men were examined by the fun
board, and Commander Forsythe, the first
Of the witnesses not on the list of the
crew of the Maine. was called II is I'M
derstood that he gave testimony regard
ing the coaling of the battleship al the
navy yard here.
The torpedo boat Ericsson left here this
morning with mail for the fleet at Tortu-
gas.
The court Of inquiry took a recess for
luncheon at l o'clock. 1t reassembled at
p. m and proceeded TO the barracks,
where the survivors of the Maine who
are confined in the hospital were ex-
amined.
80 GOOD MR.. MKINLEY!"
Madrid, March 2-The Spanish govern
ment on Monday received a report from
the Spanish authorities at Havana say
ing that the explosion which wrecked
the Maine was due to internal causes,
adding that it was believed that the
United States experts will admit this
without reservation of any kind
March 2-The Correspondence says:
"Supposing the American committee
considers the Maine disaster criminal, we
shall have to hear the opinion of the
Spanish commission. In case Of a failure
TO agree it would be necessary to nomi-
firm in the belief that the Yankee com
mission will not ind the explosion due to
exterior causes and in case of a doubtful
verdict, we feel sure President Mckinley
would not wage war against Spain in the
face of a European verdict to the contrary
and that of the sensible portion of the
American people"
WASHINGTON IS RELIEVED.
Washington March 2.-The tension over
the Maine affair was noticeable relieved
in all official quarters today, partly owing
to the absence of dispatches to the state
or navy department bearing on the sub
ject and also because of the conservatism
inspired by Secretary Longs utterance
yesterday that the element of Spanish
participating in the matter had been elm
mated. in his judgment. Although the
navy department had no reports from Ha-
vana or Key West, a dispatch announcing
| the departure of the cruiser Brooklyn
from Santa Lucia for La Guayara had
| some indirect significance in further re-
moving one Of the larger vessels or the
navy from what has thus far been the
common center of naval activity at Key
West. The Brooklyn VIII make short
| stop at La Guayara and will proceed fur
| Their southwark.
AT THE SPANISH LEGATION.
| At the Spanish legation the Maine in
curry is not the subject of official atten-
ton. and beyond sharing in the general
interest that is felt in the subject the lega-
/ ton officials have no occasion TO consider
! officially any other phases Of the affair
| Mr.. DuBosc feels satisfied, from all the
! advices he has received, that the inqui-
| ries proceeding at Havana are being facll-
/ itated by both parties. He says the Span
! ish officials gave the fullest opportunities
70 the American divers in making their
investigations of the wreck. and that
! Cartain Sigsbee has shown the same con-
| sheraton Of the Spanish officials and
! their divers.
| As 10 the press report coming from Mad
| rid that a mixed commission may ulti-
n1atelv be required Mr.. DuBosc feels that
| this is quite too far off and the first find
| ;ngs Will be sufficiently conclusive in es-
tablishing the accidental cause Of the dis
aster.
The arrival Of the vizcaya az Havana
has been reported 70 Mr.. DuBosc.
| COURT FINISHES At KEY WEST
Formulation to he Kept Quiet Mt the
Funeral To-day
. q ~ q