The record-union., 1898-02-21
HAD NO interviews.
CAPT. SIGSBEE EXPOSES FAKE
JOURNALISM.
Wires to War Department That
Any Interviews With Him, If
Printed, Are Untrue.

WASHINGTON, Feb. t2O-Referring
to General Miles recent order to Gen.
eral Merritt, commanding the Depart
ment Of the East, to Immediately send
men and officers to all coast defense
points where modern guns are mounted,
it was said at the War Department to-
day that while the order was issued
as reported, it was nothing more than
following out the plan Of the War De-
partment, formulated several years
ago, when the present system of coast
defense was inaugurated. The order
calls for at least twenty men and the
necessary officers to take charge Of such
coast defense implacements as have
been turned over to the War Depart
ment These defended points are
planned and constructed by the en-
gineer corps and the guns furnished
by the Ordnance Department.
AS soon as completed they are turned
over to the War Department, and men
are at once detailed to care for the
works and ordnance. It is said that
a detail of twenty men, so far from be-
ing an effective fighting force, is barely
sufficient to properly care for the prop
erty. There have been number of
these coast defense works completed
recently and the order detailing men
to care for them is merely a routine
matter In addition to detailing the
men, a special board is now in session
in Washington preparing plans for per-
manent quarters at the various new
posts and work will be begun in these
as soon as practicable.
The men who are stationed at these
new points will be drilled in the use of
the guns and will form the nucleus Of q
permanent heavy artillery force which
will be augmented from time to time.
Captain Sigsbee to-day sent two tele-
grams to the Navy Department on the
subject of interviews with him. The
first merely said:
81 have consistently refrained from
expressing any opinion on the Maine
disaster"
Later in the day he wired:
mo newspaper divers have been used
on the wreck of the Maine. One man
engaged by me was subsequently
bought up by newspaper. / declined
his services. Subsequently on his be-
Ing Internationally released, / might
have used him in charge cf an officer
In recovering the bodies, but decided
not to do so. Amy interviews with me-
If printed, are untrue"
The Navy Department received to-
night the following telegram from Cap
tain Sigsbee:
Following is the condition Of our
wounded in Havana hospitals:
Apprentice Koebler slight improve
ment, condition still very grave; Holzer
same; Allen, slight Improvement, condi-
ton grave; Heffron. Shea, Mattison
Favordale. Leftus, convalescent; Cahill
grave; Mack, Waters and Weber, fa-
vorable'
The report on the same subject from
Captain Forsythe at Key West says:
Maine survivors are in good condi-
wounded doing WELL"
The following telegram was received
by Secretary Long from New York:
When / arrived at New York 1 heard
of the Maine disaster We feel very
deep sorrow and send our condolences
for the dead and their families
"EULATE,
Captain Spanish cruiser vizcaya"
The published statement that Sena-
tor Proctor of Vermont, who is now
on his way to Florida, was going to
the interior of Cuba as a special agent
of President Mckinley to report on the
conditions on the island was denied to-
night at the White House. 1t was said
that Senator Proctor has not even de-
cided that he would go to Cuba; that
he might take a pleasure trip that far,
If he succeeded In finding some con-
genial companion, but his visit, If made,
would be entirely on his own RESPONSE
bility
The Machias en- route for the United
States from the Asiatic station, has ar
rived at Madeira