The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-15
The Man Who Placed the Mine
at Havana
Which Blew Up the Maine and
Her Crew.
CAUGHT AT LAST.
Tells a Straight Story of th'
Whole Plot.
LII True, Spain's Responsibility
is Beyond Question.

Chicago, April 15-The Times Herald
says: Charles A. Crandan, alias Eman-
ual Escardaro, who, acting under the
orders of Capt. Gen. Weyler, planted
the mines and torpedoes in the harbor
of Havana, has been run to earth in
Chicago.
Last night he was in the custody of
three United States secret service
agents, who are taking him to Wash
ington, where he is expected to give in
formation to prove beyond any possible
doubt that the Maine was blown up by
a mine and her 266 officers and crew
murdered, designedly, by agencies
known to the Spanish officials.
He was run down by a Cuban spy.
Ever since the Maine was blown up,
Crandall,or Escardaro, has been lodging
States secret service agents assured
him he would be protected, he volun-
teered to accompany them. CrandalTs
statements are SubStantiated by let
ters in his possession from Weyler's of
fcers and from Weyler himself. His
history is as follows:
My name is Charles A. Crandal; I
am an American by birth and formerly
lived in New York city; I served in the
United States navy on the cruiser San
francisco under Capt. Sampson and
Admiral Brown. 1t was while in the
United States service that I made a
study of mines and torpedoes.
Il left the navy and went to Lima.
Peru, where L entered the employ of
Grace & Co, of London, in their inter
beds. While at Lima met many Span
iards. One of them, Emil L. Castillo
an agent of the Spanish government,
induced me to go to Cuba as an expert
on coast defense for Gen. WeyIer.
was given free transportation to the
island and when I arrived there 1 met
Antonio MaceO Diaz, who employed me
in the harbor work and in the placing
of torpedo and mine anchorage I be-
gan placing the mines and torpedoes
early in the spring of 1896, and finished
about a year later. My work was per-
formed at night. I was assisted by five
Italian laborers and two Spanish boat
men. In all II mines and ten torpedoes
were placed.
The mines were made in England
and the tOrpedoes in Italy. The work
of laying them was very slow, because
it was ordered that / should not work
on moonlight nights.
when my work was completed, I
made a chart showing the location of
all the mines and torpedOes and submit
ted it to Gen. Weyler.
L was then directed to place three
mines and seven torpedoes in the har-
Dor at Matanzas. This was completed
early in last July. When I had finished,
Gen. Wey1er ordered me to place an
additional mine near buoy No. 4. which
maze d compete Cnaln OF mines ABOUT
the harbor, from side TO side, from the
mouth of the harbor to the last mine
anchorage
On one occasion Weyler sent for me
to visit him at the palace with the di-
rectlons that should appear in the
uniform of an officer of artillery sent
for that purpose
w men l went to the palace, General
Wey!ef asked me if it were possible for
a snip to enter the harbor or leave it
with the chain of torpedoes and mines
there showed him my rough chart
and he personally directed several
changes, especially in the channels op-
poSite the navy yard.
when my work was done and his
artillery aid had approved the plans.
he handed me my passport to KEY West
and assured me that l would receive
pay until the first mine or torpedo was
used. i remained in Havana until Feb
ruary 10, when I went to Key West,
where stayed until March 8, on which
date, I received my last Spanish gold
from Havana, from a Spanish messen-
ger.
after the Maine was blown up, I
kept in hiding with a colored family
near Fort Taylor. or the barracks, and
as soon as I received word to skip out,
1 left as a stOwaway on the first steam
er for Miami.
1.-THE Maine was anchored at the
identical buoy where Gen. Weyler or
dered me to place the additional mine,
officially known as buoy No. f. From
Miami, went to Nashville, where I re-
ceived the following letter from Hava-
ma, dated March 1, 1898:
Destroy all evidence. Go to New