Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-31
BLOWN UP BY A MINE
COURTS REPORT ON THE MAINE
DISASTER.
p LAID BEFORE CONGRESS
Immense Mass of Testimony Shows
That the Inflated Vessel Was
Clearly the Victim of Some Fiend-
ish Enemy of Notwithstanding
in Testimony Fixes Responsibility.

Washington, March zS.--The i'm
mense mass of testimony taken by the
Maine court OF inquiry was sent to the
senate Monday. With the presidents
message, the findings Of the court were
referred to the committee ca foreign
relations. The testimony was taken
OIL eighteen different days, the four
teenth day, however, being devoted to
viewing the wreck. Every witness
who was known to have any informa-
ton was called. The story Of the de-
struction of the vessel was told, not
gives all the obtainable facts. No
technical detail was omitted. Those
who read it can have little doubt
whether there was an Internal or ex-
ternal explosion. Perhaps the most
significant testimony was that show
ing that the bottom plates on the port
side of the Inflated Maine were bent
inward and upward. result that could
have hardly followed anything save an
explosion from the outside. The
testimony of Captain Sigsbee is of the
greatest Importance and caused more
man before the board. With great
care and minuteness, he gives an &C
count of the management of the ship,
how she was handled, what was done
from day to day on board, how she
sailed into Havana, her anchorage,
and what he knew about it and in
fact every point upon which the gov
eminent and country desire to be
informed. Nothing in Sigsbee's tes-
timony shows that the anchorage was
changed or that it was considered dan
gerous by anyone.
Ensign Powellson, who had charge
of the divers and knew from day to
day what these divers found, testified
to certain extent upon the technical
construction of the ship, her plates,
ETC., but it was from these plates, he
was able to de lare that the explosion
took place fl ON the outside. Divers
Morgan, Olsen and Smith all contrib
uted important testimony. They tes-
titled that the plates were bent in
ward on the bottom port side and out
ward on the starboard side. Nothing
in the testimony fixes the responsible
ity, no conspiracy being apparent and
no knowledge of the planting OF a
mine shown. Captain Sigsbee states
that a somewhat bitter feeling ex-
listed against the American ship and
Americans generally and tells of over
hearing a conversation among Span
ish officers and citizen, indicating
a fore knowledge of the destruction of
the Maine by intention to blow her
up. The official American consul
tells of Information received anony-
mously tending to show that con
spiracy existed. But nothing is defin-
itely stated which fixes the RESPONSE
bility upon Spain or her subjects.
The following is the full text Of the
report of the court of inquiry:
". S. S. Iowa, First Rate, Key
West, Fla, Monday, March 81, 1898.
After full and mature consideration of
all the testimony Before it, the court
finds as follows:
THAT the United States battleship
Maine arrived in the harbor of Ha-
vana, Cuba, ON Jan. 25, 1898, and was
taken to buoy No. 4. in from five and
a half to six fathoms of water, by
the regular government pilot. The
United States consul general at Ha-
vana had notified the authorities at
that place the previous evening Of
the intended arrival of the Maine.
The state Of discipline on board the
Maine was excellent and all orders
and regulations in regard to the care
and safety of the ship were strictly
cai ried cut. All ammunition was
slowed away in accordance with in
structions, and proper care was taken
whenever ammunition was handled.
Nothing was slowed in any one of the
magazines or shell rooms which was
not permitted to be slowed there. The
magazines and shell rooms were al
ways locked after having been opened;
and after the destruction of the
lAS hNgS "ClS kouAd III lhSii
proper place in the captains cabin
everything having been reported Sc
cure that evening at p. m.
The temperatures of the magazines
and shell rooms were taken daily and
, reported. The only magazine which
had an undue amount of heat was the
after ten-inch magazine and that did
not explode at the time the Maine was
. destroyed, The torpedo war heads
were all slowed in the after part OF
the ship under the wardroom, and
neither caused nor participated in the
destruction Of the Maine.
THE dry gun cotton primers and
decorators were slowed in the cabin
aft and remote from the scene Of the
explosion. The waste was carefully
looked after on board the Maine to OBJ.
viate danger. Special orders Ia re-
gard to this had been given by the
commanding officer. Varnishes, dry