The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-28
THE COURT AT key WEST
Inquiry Board Arrived in That
City Yesterday.
MOST IMPORTANT WITNESS WILL
BE LIEUT.. BLANDIN.

No Conclusion Has Yet Been Arrived At
"They Know at Washington Admiral
sicard's Reply to Question, If Matters
We're More Serious Than They Had
Been.
Key W est, Fla, February 27.-The
members of the court of inquiry into the
Maine disaster arrived in this city on the
light house tender Mangrove today and
will begin their work here at ten O'Clock
tomorrow morning in the federal court
building. 1t is understood that the only
important witness examined here will be
Lieut.. Blandin, the officer of the deck
when the Maine explosion occurred.
The testimony of the other survivors
will take only short time and celerlty is
the order of the day with the officers OF
the court.
Notwithstanding reports to the contrary
the court has not arrived at any conclu-
sion as to the cause of the disaster
Captain Sampson, Captain Chadwick
and the Lieutenant Commander Potter
came ashore this afternoon and arranged
the preliminary details for the session OF
the court. 1t. is reported that the investl-
CATION will be concluded by Wednesday
and the court will return to Havana.
To representative of the Associated
Press Captain Sampson said: We have
finished our work in Cuba to certain
extent. There is. as you know, nothing
I can say regarding our opinions on the
Maine disaster. ALI reports purporting to
express our opinions are false.
Asked with reference to the reports that
the Names fate was known positively to
have resulted from o mine explosion,
Lieutenant Commander Mark said /:
ssThese stories amuse US. OF course, l
can't tell you what We have found out so
far; but these stories (pointing to local
extra with sensational headlines), why
they amuse US immensely
Martin Reddipg, the diver, returned to
Key West on the Mangrove today. His
arrival here caused much comment. 1t
was said that he talked too much in
Havana and had been removed in conse-
quence.
Rear Admiral Sicard has had frequent
conferences with Captain Sampson and
other members of the court of INJURY at
the hotel He remarked tonight: II
think they ought to get away by Wednes-
day. AS yet there is nothing that can be
said about their work. -
| In reply to question as to the rumored
removal of the warships to Cuba, Admiral
Sicard said: "The feet is not moving
and know nothing about it's going to
Cuba. You know it has steam up and
could go any where if ordered.
| He was asked If anything had happened
| to justify the story that the situation WAS
more serious today than it had been. He
replied: "They know at Washington
about that. just how strained our rela
tions are with Spain am unable to say.
| The excitement yesterday over the
arrival of the Cuban fllibusters complete.
| ly eclipsed all the doings and sayings OF
the court of inquiry officers. Their quick
departure prevented very much being
learned as to the expedition, but the
CuDans are elated. An expedition has
been In preparation to get away from Key
West for some time; but it will probably
be delayed as the plans have been dis
covered by Spanish spies.
4 The survey steamer Baohe sailed this
afternoon for Havana to bring the re-
mainder of the wounded here. The four
masted schooner Isaiah Hart has arrived
with coal for the warships.